Shared folders and security

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lopdog

Posts: 275   +1
Hi;

I use my network card to connect directly to another computer for backup, and then I change the network cable and connect to internet with the same network card. Does this make my shared folders (with read/write permissions) more vulnerable to attacks?

I use Win XP sp3
 
i take it you don't have a router then or you'd be connecting both computers to that?
How is your backup performed? If its just drag and drop copying then you don't need to open sharing on the folders you are copying if its performed on the 'master' pc.

Ultimately its down to this.....Do you have a firewall running?
That's the security you need to invoke in the first instance.
 
Probably a bit.

But it doesn't really matter, you'd need to run a malacious file that appeared in your shared directory anyway before it can do any harm.
 
I use my network card to connect directly to another computer(#B) for backup, and then I change the network cable and connect to internet with the same network card. Does this make my shared folders (with read/write permissions) more vulnerable to attacks?
When connected to the Internet, computer(#B) doesn't exist (from the internet point of view), so the copied data is totally immune.

The original data on computer(#A) still retains the originals and are exposed unless you take addition steps to secure the system:
  1. disable P/F Sharing
  2. enable a firewall
  3. install a router
  4. restrict access to shares to a local LAN address
(3) is cheap, effective and even recommended when there is only ONE computer
 
I don't have a router (yet). The backup is performed using GoodSync, actually I use both computers, and use GoodSync to synchronize a few folders. I have a firewall running, but only the standard XP firewall.

Now, if I disable file sharing, how can I access files from the other computer to perform the backup?
 
you're already intervening by recabling. You leave P/F sharing active for backups
and disable when connected to the Internet.

The point of the router is to avoid both! :)
 
you're already intervening by recabling. You leave P/F sharing active for backups
and disable when connected to the Internet.

Sounds reasonable. I guess that´s the safest thing to do, after all I won´t sync the folders every hour.

Thanks
 
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