Re: small network security

From: NeoSadist (neos@dist)
Date: 10/20/02 

From: "NeoSadist" <neos@dist>
Date: Sun, 20 Oct 2002 07:09:19 -0600

"paul" <yugotme@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:7f7c01c277f4$d69bb750$3aef2ecf@TKMSFTNGXA09...
> we run a small office peer-to-peer network with a mix of
> win2k and win9x machines. I have a directory on a win2k
> that needs to be accessed with a password from a win98
> machine. The only solution I can come up with is enabling
> the guest account and using that password. However, this
> doesn't secure the files from the local user and prevents
> everyone from using a printer attached. Any way to demand
> a password for just that folder (and subfolders)?

If this is about small network security, I'd try to get rid of win98 clients
(i.e. install win2k on all of them). First off, win98 is not as stable as
win2k, hands down.
Secondly, win98's password files are notoriously easy to gain access to,
which in your case would also be passwords and users that exist on the win2k
machines (to share files / folders). The mere fact that win98's been around
longer, and is FAT/FAT32 file system makes this easier.
Also, you can't put a password on win98's folders, usually, without 3rd
party software.
I'd suggest migrating to win2k. In fact, it's really easier than you think:
- In win98, start win2k install program (NOT upgrade, but clean install).
BEFORE it finishes, click the "Do not restart" before it restarts your
computer.
- Copy all win2k drivers over into some folder on the machine.
- Make note of where all files to be kept reside.
- Restart to MS-DOS mode (i.e. unload the GUI)
- Delete all win98 / unnecessary files and folders. Don't touch the $ and ~
directories, for those are Win2k install folders you just created.
- Restart, and Win2k install should automatically start.
- Convert drive to NTFS. (Now this should take a lot less time due to
clearing out the hard drive. Since you're going over to NTFS, you can't
dual boot into win98, so this is also a hard-drive-space saver).

This is just my opinion however. But on an all-win2k LAN, you can disable
normal LAN Manager (LM) authentication, and go with NTLM, which is more
secure. Also, this will let you tighten security, since you're not trying
to stay compatible with win98.