Router Security Risk?

Can a computer to infect with viruses throught a router if another computer
what is connected to the internet through the same router is navigating some
virused websites?
What are the changes if the safe computer is having WMP opened and WMP
Sharing tab is set to "Find media that others are sharing" but in "Network
and Sharing Center" the "Sharing and Discovery" options are set as:
Network Discovery: off, File sharing: off, Public folder sharing: off,
printer sharing: off, password protected sharing: on, media sharing: off.

Thank You
Safe computer protected just with: Windows Firewall, AVG Free.

Hi,
Yes, you can get infected if another computer on your network is virused.
That's why Windows firewall has been enabled by default ever since XP SP2
and that's why you should keep it on.
The wmp media discovery is fine. Just remember never to disable the Windows
Firewall.

--
Victor Constantinescu aka YounGun
Security MVP
http://victor-youngun.blogspot.com/


"Alex" <Alex@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:50DC607F-1A5C-41CA-A234-CFEEBEC52E0C@microsoft.com...
> Can a computer to infect with viruses throught a router if another
> computer
> what is connected to the internet through the same router is navigating
> some
> virused websites?
> What are the changes if the safe computer is having WMP opened and WMP
> Sharing tab is set to "Find media that others are sharing" but in "Network
> and Sharing Center" the "Sharing and Discovery" options are set as:
> Network Discovery: off, File sharing: off, Public folder sharing: off,
> printer sharing: off, password protected sharing: on, media sharing: off.
>
> Thank You
> Safe computer protected just with: Windows Firewall, AVG Free.

Alex, here are a couple of other Security programs you m9ght be interested in.

http://www.spybot.info/en/index.html

Spybot Search & Destroy 1.6 is a very good, FREE Anti-Spyware Program.
Download, install, update, and immunize your System with it.
Then SCAN with it.
Update it, and scan your System once a fortnight.

http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.html

SpywareBlaster 4.1 is a non-intrusive, FREE Anti-Spyware Program that runs
in the background (no scanning by you!).
SpywareBlaster prevents the installation of many so-called spyware, adware
and malware programs by disabling the CLSIDs of popular spyware ActiveX
controls, and also prevents the installation of any of them via a webpage
Update it once a fortnight, and let it do its work in the background!

http://www.malwarebytes.org/mbam.php

Malwarebytes is as the name says, a Malware Remover!
For the Free version scroll down their page to either download from
Download.com, or Major Geeks.com

--
Mad Mike


"Alex" wrote:

> Can a computer to infect with viruses throught a router if another computer
> what is connected to the internet through the same router is navigating some
> virused websites?
> What are the changes if the safe computer is having WMP opened and WMP
> Sharing tab is set to "Find media that others are sharing" but in "Network
> and Sharing Center" the "Sharing and Discovery" options are set as:
> Network Discovery: off, File sharing: off, Public folder sharing: off,
> printer sharing: off, password protected sharing: on, media sharing: off.
>
> Thank You
> Safe computer protected just with: Windows Firewall, AVG Free.

"Alex" <Alex@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:50DC607F-1A5C-41CA-A234-CFEEBEC52E0C@microsoft.com...
> Can a computer to infect with viruses throught a router if another
> computer
> what is connected to the internet through the same router is navigating
> some
> virused websites?

Some worms are written so that they can spread through a local
area network *and* back out to the internet at large.

Internet --> Browsing computer --> (LAN) --> Business
computer --> Internet. Some worms in this scenario have
been known to cause data leakage such as e-mailing some
random documents it finds on its journey.

> What are the changes if the safe computer is having WMP opened and WMP
> Sharing tab is set to "Find media that others are sharing" but in "Network
> and Sharing Center" the "Sharing and Discovery" options are set as:
> Network Discovery: off, File sharing: off, Public folder sharing: off,
> printer sharing: off, password protected sharing: on, media sharing: off.

They look like good settings to me, but I.m not an expert.
When it come to sharing, 'off' just seems better somehow.
I'm not too sure how (or even if) these settings affect worm
activity.

> Thank You
> Safe computer protected just with: Windows Firewall, AVG Free.

Good choices, but you may want to add anti-trojan, anti-spyware,
anti-adware, and anti-rootkit programs. Make sure they don't
interfere with each other by all being "on-access" scanners - IMO
your AV should be the only "on-access" scanner. There are other
ways to implement "real-time" scanners for other malware.

Alex wrote:
> Can a computer to infect with viruses throught a router if another computer
> what is connected to the internet through the same router is navigating some
> virused websites?

Yes, if the machines are sharing resources on the LAN, the machines can
become infected, because the machines are presenting services and ports
are opened.

> What are the changes if the safe computer is having WMP opened and WMP
> Sharing tab is set to "Find media that others are sharing" but in "Network
> and Sharing Center" the "Sharing and Discovery" options are set as:
> Network Discovery: off, File sharing: off, Public folder sharing: off,
> printer sharing: off, password protected sharing: on, media sharing: off.

You want a safe computer on the LAN, then you don't allow the machine to
share resources. You disable the services that closes the Windows
Networking Ports. If you remove Client for MS Networks and MS File and
Print Sharing off of the NIC, then the services are shutdown, ports are
closed and the machine cannot share resources, period.


>
> Thank You
> Safe computer protected just with: Windows Firewall, AVG Free.

Or you set the Windows FW to not share resources, keeping the Windows
Networking Ports closed on the FW.

Wayne Leiser, CTO
Spectacular Computer Repair
941.923.6280
Mon - Thu 11am - 7pm EST
Fri - Sat 11am - 3pm EST
www.scrfix.com
"Alex" <Alex@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:50DC607F-1A5C-41CA-A234-CFEEBEC52E0C@microsoft.com...
> Can a computer to infect with viruses throught a router if another
> computer
> what is connected to the internet through the same router is navigating
> some
> virused websites?
> What are the changes if the safe computer is having WMP opened and WMP
> Sharing tab is set to "Find media that others are sharing" but in "Network
> and Sharing Center" the "Sharing and Discovery" options are set as:
> Network Discovery: off, File sharing: off, Public folder sharing: off,
> printer sharing: off, password protected sharing: on, media sharing: off.
>
> Thank You
> Safe computer protected just with: Windows Firewall, AVG Free.

I don't know why my other items did not show up however here is what I wrote
before:

Alex,

I specialize in viral disinfection and navigation.

I don't think a few of the guys that answered you read your post correctly.

You question was Can a computer infect another computer with viruses through
a router if another computer is connected to the internet through the same
router while the other computer is navigating to infected websites.

The answer is NO!!!!!

Those two computers are not on a network that can share files between the
computers therefore the viral infection has nowhere to propagate. The same
rules that apply to you apply to the virus. If you do not have access to
that computer (as administrator) neither does the virus.

You can read more about viruses in my forum
www.scrfix.com/computer-repair-forums/ I just added the forum on to the
website. I have a huge post in there as a sticky just about viral
infections and what kind of dangers there. You are more than welcome to
come read it and ask more questions. I will be more than happy to answer
your questions there.

The answer to your next question is you have your settings set properly.
You are not sharing any media. I am unsure why you would want your password
protected media shared since nothing else is shared but that is irrelevent
for your question.

Wayne Leiser, CTO
Spectacular Computer Repair
941.923.6280
Mon - Thu 11am - 7pm EST
Fri - Sat 11am - 3pm EST
www.scrfix.com


"Alex" <Alex@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:50DC607F-1A5C-41CA-A234-CFEEBEC52E0C@microsoft.com...
> Can a computer to infect with viruses throught a router if another
> computer
> what is connected to the internet through the same router is navigating
> some
> virused websites?
> What are the changes if the safe computer is having WMP opened and WMP
> Sharing tab is set to "Find media that others are sharing" but in "Network
> and Sharing Center" the "Sharing and Discovery" options are set as:
> Network Discovery: off, File sharing: off, Public folder sharing: off,
> printer sharing: off, password protected sharing: on, media sharing: off.
>
> Thank You
> Safe computer protected just with: Windows Firewall, AVG Free.