File Sharing Security
Component of the
Home Computer Security Baseline
aka Don't Share Unless You Have To
File Sharing Security was apparently not at the top of the list when Microsoft wanted to make things simple. Simple for you, the computer user, to setup a little network and share resources - files & printers.
Unfortunately, simple for you to get to your files also meant simple for anyone else to get to them also. What they did was "assume" that every workstation really wanted to be a server. Wrong. I'm willing to bet that the largest percentage of workstations don't want or need to be servers.
Microsoft set the default on Windows 2000 and Windows XP to be "sharing on". They tried to protect this somewhat with an additional setting (found somewhere else) called "simple file sharing" [note the screenshot: do you see any explanation of what simple file sharing is?] which allowed guest access by default. They further muddied the the waters by requiring user passwords if you wanted to share files. Sounds great on paper.
Problem is that a large share of Windows users prefer NOT to have a password, so they then find out how to disable the passwords required setting. The user only wants to share a printer, but unbeknownst to him, his files are now available too without any real file sharing security. Even if you don't setup a share on your files, advanced users know that they can go for hidden shares, like C$ for your C drive.
Note: Windows 98 had separate check boxes for sharing of files and sharing of printers; not a bad idea!
But we're all friends on this network, right? Right. Now enter the laptop. With built-in wireless. Turned on by default. Attaches automatically to open WIFI. Wherever it goes.
-or-
Enter the WIFI access point at home or the office. Didn't setup wireless security because:
- Too lazy
- It's too hard
- You tried and it didn't work
(I have info on that, check out my Wireless Networks info)
Starting to see the problem? My recommendation? Turn off File and Print Sharing completely, unless you really need it. And if you do, make sure you have file sharing security - in it's entirety, not just pieces. But that's really a more advanced topic.
Here's what you need to do.Click Start | Control Panel. Double click the "Network Connections" icon. Under "LAN or High-Speed Internet" you will see your network connections.
Right click the network connection (whether Local or Wireless) and select properties. You will see something like this. Notice I have File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks unchecked. To turn on sharing, simply check the box and click Ok at the bottom of the dialogue box. To turn off sharing, uncheck the box and click Ok.
If you have both a Local Area Connection (for a wired network at home or in the office) and a Wireless Network Connection, you can select sharing or not independently on those two interfaces. For instance, if you do share files when on the network (connected by a cable) but not when you travel (using your WIFI), you can have sharing enabled on the Local Area Connection but disabled (or unchecked) on the Wireless Network Connection.
Remember, you can still use others shared resources with file and print sharing unchecked. It only needs to be checked if you are sharing resources on your computer with someone else.
As a more advanced topic, the windows firewall in Service Pack 2 of Windows XP can play a role in file sharing security also. But again, that's not for the average Windows XP user to delve into.
Vista Update! Looks like Microsoft is adopting a more "granular" approach with Windows Vista. File & Print sharing are again separate options, with other controls more easily laid out and understood. Too bad it took almost a decade with 2000 & XP before they caught on again.
Return from File Sharing Security to Home Computer Security Baseline
| 