windows mapped drives

[ksouth]

Hello. I have question concerning windows mapped drives.
I have a setup that involves a privately addressed,
internal windows host (10.x.x.x) mapping a drive to a
windows server that resides off of a less-secure (but not
the Internet) interface on a six-port firewall. Barring
that the server is hardened and updated and the ACLs in
the firewall allow the connection from the internal host
to the server (stateful firewall) and not vice versa, are
we opening up any risks in the direction from the server
to the internal host because of the mapped drive? Thanks.

- K

 

[Steven L Umbach]

There are always risks, though they can be minimized which it sounds like you have
done to a large part. Make sure that you are also using complex passwords for access
to the server as weak passwords are still one of the biggest threats to security.
Also keep in mind that the data you access over the mapped share may not be encrypted
on the wire. Ipsec in tunnel mode using certificates for authentication may be one
solution to that if it is an issue. --- Steve