Hooking my laptop to the local university library, any security risks?

[pilgrim2u]

Hooking my laptop to the local university library, any security risks?

windows XP

Am I at risk?

I can take my laptop to the local university library and log in, no password, no ID . I can start my browser, and surf the net, and download to my HD.

I just ran the network control panel wizard.

At my home I do have my desktop and my laptop connected by a crossover cable. I do share a printer that is connected to my laptop..
When at the library do I need to change any settings ??

Thanks all

 

[prosaic]

Asking this question is a little like asking someone to tell you everything about networking. You really need to do some homework. Sites like http://www.helmig.com/ might be useful.

That being said, you just haven't given us enough information to enable us to assess how much of a risk you are taking.

Your WinXP Home Edition will, by default, allow only sharing of attached printers and of items under your Shared Documents folder. (Thats the documents folder that exists under the All Users profile.)

At the very least it would be best to be sure that your Internet Connection Firewall is enabled and that you have unbound print and file sharing from TCP/IP when you take the laptop to the library. (You can re-enable the binding of sharing to TCP/IP and turn off the ICF when you go back home so that the sharing and network browsing works at home.)

But just taking a couple of simple precautions like that might not really protect you completely from others that might be hooking up at the library, too. Knowledge is your best defense. Do some reading about Windows networking and the various means you have at your disposal for setting your machine up so that it is relatively secure from intrusion through its network interface.

Since you mentioned it in the particular in context with your library use, you also need to be really careful about what you download and install on the system. The ICF won't prevent anything from going out from the machine. If you download and install something that has a Trojan or backdoor in it your machine can still be co-opted by someone else.

- prosaic