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Protect yourself at hotspots

From:  kayodeok <news4kayode@btopenworld.com>
Date:  Tue, 15 Feb 2005 08:30:55 +0000
Newsgroups:  grc.linkfarm,grc.security,grc.security.wireless

 Protect yourself at hotspots

 http://www.edbott.com/weblog/archives/000469.html

 The Security Mentor has some interesting comments on the Windows Firewall
 that's included with Windows XP SP2. He notes that, unlike the Internet
 Connection Firewall in SP1 and earlier, the Windows Firewall assumes that
 you want to trust all computers on your local network:

 So the built-in Windows firewall hides file and print sharing from the
 Internet at large but makes them completely available to your local area
 network. That way you can share a printer with your wife but keep your
 files safe(r) from strangers on the Internet.

    What happens when you're at a coffee shop?

    The whole coffee shop is one local area network. The firewall is going
 to assume that since all the other customers are on the same local network
 that it can trust them.

 Ah, but the designers of the Windows Firewall were clever enough to plan for
 that scenario. The next time you're out and about with your WiFi-equipped
 notebook and decide to connect to a wireless network, do this first:

   1. Click Start, and then click Control Panel.
   2. Double-click the Windows Firewall icon. (If you're using the Category
      view of Control Panel, click Security Center and then click the Windows
      Firewall icon at the bottom of the dialog box.)
   3. On the General tab of the Windows Firewall dialog box, make sure On is
      selected and then click to select the Don't allow exceptions check box.
   4. Click OK. Traffic from all local network sources is now blocked.

 Remember to clear this check box when you get back to your trusted network.

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