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Security Newbie questions bearshare


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Guest Flick Olmsford
Posted

How much of a risk is bearshare to our system. A few of our users like it

but I have questions. We have one Windows Server 2003 and 50+ XP

workstations, 5-10 Windows 98SE

 

Can hackers use it to break into / steal info from our system?

Can someone break into our network if someone is not logged on?

Can someone navigate wherever they want in our network or are they locked

into one directory?

Can people use it to install spyware / malware /etc?

Is there a risk of copywrite violation?

 

 

Thanks in advance.

Flick

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Guest Newell White
Posted

"Flick Olmsford" wrote:

<span style="color:blue">

> How much of a risk is bearshare to our system. A few of our users like it

> but I have questions. We have one Windows Server 2003 and 50+ XP

> workstations, 5-10 Windows 98SE

>

> Can hackers use it to break into / steal info from our system?

> Can someone break into our network if someone is not logged on?

> Can someone navigate wherever they want in our network or are they locked

> into one directory?

> Can people use it to install spyware / malware /etc?

> Is there a risk of copywrite violation?

>

>

> Thanks in advance.

> Flick

>

> </span>

The technical answer to all those questions is possibly.

 

And as the network admin you should:

 

1) Make sure there is a properly configured hardware firewall between your

broadband router(s) and the rest of the network.

 

2) Ensure that none of your users are Administrators of their own local

machine.

 

3) Change the Domain Administrator password to a good long one.

 

4) Replace the win98 machines tomorrow - they can never be secured.

 

5) Remind staff who pays for the computers and access to the web. Wipe all

non-work software from the machines and make it a violation of employment

terms and conditions for vanilla users to install any software on company

machines.

 

Sure it is 'nice' to download 'free' music and listen to it in work hours.

But most machines that have Limewire or Kazaa on them end up needing a

brain-wipe because they can never be sanitised by ordinary malware removal

programs.

 

-----

Regards,

Newell White

Guest PA Bear [MS MVP]
Posted

Good and Bad P2P Programs:

http://malwareremoval.com/p2pindex.php

 

P2P file sharing: Anticipate the risks...

http://www.microsoft.com/protect/yourself/...ilesharing.mspx

 

A1. Possibly.

A2. Possibly.

A3. Possibly.

A4. Most definitely!

A5. Yes.

--

~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)

MS MVP-IE, Mail, Security, Windows Desktop Experience - since 2002

AumHa VSOP & Admin http://aumha.net

DTS-L http://dts-l.net/

 

 

Flick Olmsford wrote:<span style="color:blue">

> How much of a risk is bearshare to our system. A few of our users like it

> but I have questions. We have one Windows Server 2003 and 50+ XP

> workstations, 5-10 Windows 98SE

>

> Can hackers use it to break into / steal info from our system?

> Can someone break into our network if someone is not logged on?

> Can someone navigate wherever they want in our network or are they locked

> into one directory?

> Can people use it to install spyware / malware /etc?

> Is there a risk of copywrite violation?

>

>

> Thanks in advance.

> Flick </span>

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