Sharing folders via ADSL router - is it safe and secure?

[Ian R]

Hi

Is it safe to share folders between PC's seeing each other via a Broadband
Router?

As I'm using a broadband router to network the PC's I'm concerned that the
shared folders are viewable by the public vulnerable to unauthrouised access
via the internet.

I have two XP PC's getting internet access via ethernet from an ADSL
(Netgear) router.

Both PCs have several shared folders which are mapped as networked drives on
the other.

Each PC's IP address has been setup as trusted within the firewall (Zone
Alarm).

If the folders are publicly accessible via the internet is there a way to
share them privately?

Thanks for any info.

Ian

[David H. Lipman]

From: "Ian R" <sorry@nospamthanks.com>

| Hi
|
| Is it safe to share folders between PC's seeing each other via a Broadband
| Router?

Yes on the LAN side.
NO on the WAN side. You leave yourself susceptible to Internet worms.


|
| As I'm using a broadband router to network the PC's I'm concerned that the
| shared folders are viewable by the public vulnerable to unauthrouised access
| via the internet.


Routers use Network Address Translation (NAT) and act as a simplistic FireWall. On most
Routers (Netgear included) you can specifically block TCP ports 135 ~ 139 and 445 which
provides additional protection. NAT alone provides protection against WAN access to LAN
nodes.


|
| I have two XP PC's getting internet access via ethernet from an ADSL
| (Netgear) router.
|
| Both PCs have several shared folders which are mapped as networked drives on
| the other.
|
| Each PC's IP address has been setup as trusted within the firewall (Zone
| Alarm).
|
| If the folders are publicly accessible via the internet is there a way to
| share them privately?


Only via a VPN Router.


|
| Thanks for any info.
|
| Ian
|

YW


--
Dave
http://www.claymania.com/removal-trojan-adware.html
Multi-AV - http://www.pctipp.ch/downloads/dl/35905.asp