is there a security problem with xp?!?

[substance]

i recently bought a router, and i have two pc's hooked up to my network connected to a cable modem, recently i have been trying to share files with my other computer on my network, and i went into explorer, then tools | folder options | then i set one of the settings in there to enable simple file sharing, and i recently uninstalled my software firewall.... anyways, every time i wake up in the morning, there seems to be a new virus in the folder c:\local settings\all users\documents\ and norton detects it, and then gets rid of it. There is nothing in that folder, but can that folder somehow be accessed by someone outside my network??? i currently have passwords for all the logins to my computer, and i know noone knows them, this is really weird, and its the third time its happened, i am going to reinstall my firewall software, but i was just wondering if this is a normal, or maybe a exploit with windows xp or something? thanks in advance.......

 

[rudder]

There is a pretty serious security exploit in XP. Check out Microsoft Security Bulletin MS01-059. Link

 

[MiniMe69]

check to see if you have guest accounts on...if so turn that off for sure.

 

[substance]

guest accounts was turned on, does that allow people outside my network to get into my computer? if so, how do they do it?

 

[Santa]

Most likley they somehow made it past your router/firewall and being that your guest account was enabled they were not challenged with any sort of security authentication to access/add/change/delete information on your machine.

First thing, which I hope you knew to do, is to disable the guest account.
Next I would double check your router/firewall settings and make sure your machine is not accessable by way of any forwarded ports and/or is not on the DMZ.

Hope that helps. And be glad you had a Virus Scanner. It could have been a self-replicating virus instead of a hacker but you never know.

 

[neuralfx]

heh I read the topic and just couldn't resist .. thats really a given .. not just with XP .. just check out bugtraq, or even just looked at all the security advisories ms puts out .. and those are just the ones they are acknowledging ..
-neural

 

[n0cmonkey]

Here are some security things they are ignoring.
Here is another (along the same lines as the first link I believe)