Safe file sharing under XP

[jst0ney]

I have a home network with four computers on it. The router is a a dlink DI-64+. Three computers are connecting wirelessly while I am hard wired to the switch built into the router. A cable internet connection is shared between all computers. All computers are running XP professional and zonealarm version 2.6.362. I am not sure if there is a hard firewall on the router. I want to be able to share a limited number of folders between the computers on the network (mostly music). Is there a way to SAFELY share these folders without leaving my computer wide open to attacks? Let me know if you need more info.
Thanks.

 

[calpha]

100% Safe---No.

Very Safe: Yes. But first make sure that you're using the WEP and not just letting the wireless do it's thing without being encrypted.

I use wireless at home, but since there's two houses close to me, and it's a gated neighborhood, and there's very little risk of a script kiddie sitting outside in his car with an antenna, I don't use WEP...... but my Wireless connection isn't a part of my shared network either. Different Subnet....just for using w/ my laptop if I want to.

Zone Alarm behind the firewall (provided you don't have any ports open) would, IMO, be more for protecting against Spyware then anything else (since Zone alarm has to authorize any service that wants to connect to the internet, or your pc).

If you do have ports open, then a software firewall is definitely needed.

But I'm no network guru......so maybe others will disagree......but since I've been on high speed, and properly routed....I've never been hacked (KNOCK ON WOOD).

 

[skyking]

A very nifty way to share music and general files is to set up a samba server. Any old computer will do, running a 'nix. All it needs is a big enough drive for all your files, or multiple smaller drives.
This is very secure, because it does not invlove sharing anything on your xp boxes. Another nice feature is the ability to use SSH and SFTP to access those files while you are away from home.
Check the faq's, there is a nice bit in there about samba.
Link
The big thing to remember is to have the same users, with the same passwords, in your smbpasswd file.
If you have users log on to the windows machines, it can be pretty cool, with mapped drives and private folders, as well as a public folder that anyone can get into for filesharing.

 

[prosaic]

1. If you're going to use ZoneAlarm, I'd suggest that you update it.

2. You're probably fairly safe behind the router, as long as you haven't done any port forwarding. NAT should normally be enough to protect you unless you've made holes in it.

3. As has already been mentioned, you should be using WEP. You should also be using MAC filtering with DHCP from the router so that only wireless systems with the MACs you've specified can connect to the router.

4. Since you don't seem familiar with your equipment yet, read up on it -- and read up on wireless networking security in general. Being informed is your best protection.

- prosaic

 

[jst0ney]

Originally posted by: skyking
A very nifty way to share music and general files is to set up a samba server. Any old computer will do, running a 'nix. All it needs is a big enough drive for all your files, or multiple smaller drives.
This is very secure, because it does not invlove sharing anything on your xp boxes. Another nice feature is the ability to use SSH and SFTP to access those files while you are away from home.
Check the faq's, there is a nice bit in there about samba.
Link
The big thing to remember is to have the same users, with the same passwords, in your smbpasswd file.
If you have users log on to the windows machines, it can be pretty cool, with mapped drives and private folders, as well as a public folder that anyone can get into for filesharing.

thanks I have a couple of old systems that just may work