Security Newbie questions bearshare

[Flick Olmsford]

How much of a risk is bearshare to our system. A few of our users like it
but I have questions. We have one Windows Server 2003 and 50+ XP
workstations, 5-10 Windows 98SE

Can hackers use it to break into / steal info from our system?
Can someone break into our network if someone is not logged on?
Can someone navigate wherever they want in our network or are they locked
into one directory?
Can people use it to install spyware / malware /etc?
Is there a risk of copywrite violation?


Thanks in advance.
Flick

 

[Newell White]

"Flick Olmsford" wrote:

> How much of a risk is bearshare to our system. A few of our users like it
> but I have questions. We have one Windows Server 2003 and 50+ XP
> workstations, 5-10 Windows 98SE
>
> Can hackers use it to break into / steal info from our system?
> Can someone break into our network if someone is not logged on?
> Can someone navigate wherever they want in our network or are they locked
> into one directory?
> Can people use it to install spyware / malware /etc?
> Is there a risk of copywrite violation?
>
>
> Thanks in advance.
> Flick
>
>
The technical answer to all those questions is possibly.

And as the network admin you should:

1) Make sure there is a properly configured hardware firewall between your
broadband router(s) and the rest of the network.

2) Ensure that none of your users are Administrators of their own local
machine.

3) Change the Domain Administrator password to a good long one.

4) Replace the win98 machines tomorrow - they can never be secured.

5) Remind staff who pays for the computers and access to the web. Wipe all
non-work software from the machines and make it a violation of employment
terms and conditions for vanilla users to install any software on company
machines.

Sure it is 'nice' to download 'free' music and listen to it in work hours.
But most machines that have Limewire or Kazaa on them end up needing a
brain-wipe because they can never be sanitised by ordinary malware removal
programs.

-----
Regards,
Newell White

 

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

Good and Bad P2P Programs:
http://malwareremoval.com/p2pindex.php

P2P file sharing: Anticipate the risks...
http://www.microsoft.com/protect/yourself/downloads/filesharing.mspx

A1. Possibly.
A2. Possibly.
A3. Possibly.
A4. Most definitely!
A5. Yes.
--
~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
MS MVP-IE, Mail, Security, Windows Desktop Experience - since 2002
AumHa VSOP & Admin http://aumha.net
DTS-L http://dts-l.net/


Flick Olmsford wrote:
> How much of a risk is bearshare to our system. A few of our users like it
> but I have questions. We have one Windows Server 2003 and 50+ XP
> workstations, 5-10 Windows 98SE
>
> Can hackers use it to break into / steal info from our system?
> Can someone break into our network if someone is not logged on?
> Can someone navigate wherever they want in our network or are they locked
> into one directory?
> Can people use it to install spyware / malware /etc?
> Is there a risk of copywrite violation?
>
>
> Thanks in advance.
> Flick