Windows Firewall?

I just subscribed to a DSL service. I know that I'll be needing
firewall protection. Will the Windows XP built-in Firewall be
sufficient, or will I need something more substantial?

Re: Windows Firewall?

SkyRenderX wrote:
> I just subscribed to a DSL service. I know that I'll be needing
> firewall protection. Will the Windows XP built-in Firewall be
> sufficient, or will I need something more substantial?
>
You should look at the built-in Exceptions list and make sure you don't
have any that have opened up anything to the outside world. You should
unbind/uninstall Client for MS Networks and MS File and Print Sharing
off of the NIC.

You have no need to be in a networking situation with a single machine
with a direct connection to the Internet. You should check the XP FW
Exceptions list anytime you install software to make sure it doesn't add
an Exception to the XP FW that you don't know about.

You should do some of the things in the link to harden the XP O/S to
attack with a machine with a direct connection to the Internet. You
should also practice safe hex, like don't use IE unless a site calls for
IE. You might want to think about OE too.

http://labmice.techtarget.com/articles/winxpsecuritychecklis t.htm
http://www.claymania.com/safe-hex.html

You should install Active Ports (free) and place a short-cut for it in
the Start-up folder and watch for dubious connection and use it on a
routine basis after the O/S Start up looking for dubious connections.

Duane :)

Re: Windows Firewall?

Post removed (X-No-Archive: yes)

Re: Windows Firewall?

SkyRenderX wrote:
> I just subscribed to a DSL service. I know that I'll be needing
> firewall protection. Will the Windows XP built-in Firewall be
> sufficient, or will I need something more substantial?

Yes, no.

cu
59cobalt
--
"Personal Firewalls are crap. Throw away any personal firewall. Personal
Firewalls are bad[tm]."
--Malte von dem Hagen on security-basics

Re: Windows Firewall?

Thanks Duane. This is exactly what I needed. :-)

Duane Arnold wrote:
> SkyRenderX wrote:
> > I just subscribed to a DSL service. I know that I'll be needing
> > firewall protection. Will the Windows XP built-in Firewall be
> > sufficient, or will I need something more substantial?
> >
> You should look at the built-in Exceptions list and make sure you don't
> have any that have opened up anything to the outside world. You should
> unbind/uninstall Client for MS Networks and MS File and Print Sharing
> off of the NIC.
>
> You have no need to be in a networking situation with a single machine
> with a direct connection to the Internet. You should check the XP FW
> Exceptions list anytime you install software to make sure it doesn't add
> an Exception to the XP FW that you don't know about.
>
> You should do some of the things in the link to harden the XP O/S to
> attack with a machine with a direct connection to the Internet. You
> should also practice safe hex, like don't use IE unless a site calls for
> IE. You might want to think about OE too.
>
> http://labmice.techtarget.com/articles/winxpsecuritychecklis t.htm
> http://www.claymania.com/safe-hex.html
>
> You should install Active Ports (free) and place a short-cut for it in
> the Start-up folder and watch for dubious connection and use it on a
> routine basis after the O/S Start up looking for dubious connections.
>
> Duane :)