Router Security Risk?

[Alex]

Can a computer to infect with viruses throught a router if another computer
what is connected to the internet through the same router is navigating some
virused websites?
What are the changes if the safe computer is having WMP opened and WMP
Sharing tab is set to "Find media that others are sharing" but in "Network
and Sharing Center" the "Sharing and Discovery" options are set as:
Network Discovery: off, File sharing: off, Public folder sharing: off,
printer sharing: off, password protected sharing: on, media sharing: off.

Thank You
Safe computer protected just with: Windows Firewall, AVG Free.

 

[Victor Constantinescu]

Hi,
Yes, you can get infected if another computer on your network is virused.
That's why Windows firewall has been enabled by default ever since XP SP2
and that's why you should keep it on.
The wmp media discovery is fine. Just remember never to disable the Windows
Firewall.

 

[Mick Murphy]

Alex, here are a couple of other Security programs you m9ght be interested in.

http://www.spybot.info/en/index.html

Spybot Search & Destroy 1.6 is a very good, FREE Anti-Spyware Program.
Download, install, update, and immunize your System with it.
Then SCAN with it.
Update it, and scan your System once a fortnight.

http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.html

SpywareBlaster 4.1 is a non-intrusive, FREE Anti-Spyware Program that runs
in the background (no scanning by you!).
SpywareBlaster prevents the installation of many so-called spyware, adware
and malware programs by disabling the CLSIDs of popular spyware ActiveX
controls, and also prevents the installation of any of them via a webpage
Update it once a fortnight, and let it do its work in the background!

http://www.malwarebytes.org/mbam.php

Malwarebytes is as the name says, a Malware Remover!
For the Free version scroll down their page to either download from
Download.com, or Major Geeks.com

 

[FromTheRafters]

Can a computer to infect with viruses throught a router if another
computer
what is connected to the internet through the same router is navigating
some
virused websites?

Some worms are written so that they can spread through a local
area network *and* back out to the internet at large.

Internet --> Browsing computer --> (LAN) --> Business
computer --> Internet. Some worms in this scenario have
been known to cause data leakage such as e-mailing some
random documents it finds on its journey.

What are the changes if the safe computer is having WMP opened and WMP
Sharing tab is set to "Find media that others are sharing" but in "Network
and Sharing Center" the "Sharing and Discovery" options are set as:
Network Discovery: off, File sharing: off, Public folder sharing: off,
printer sharing: off, password protected sharing: on, media sharing: off.

They look like good settings to me, but I.m not an expert.
When it come to sharing, 'off' just seems better somehow.
I'm not too sure how (or even if) these settings affect worm
activity.

Thank You
Safe computer protected just with: Windows Firewall, AVG Free.

Good choices, but you may want to add anti-trojan, anti-spyware,
anti-adware, and anti-rootkit programs. Make sure they don't
interfere with each other by all being "on-access" scanners - IMO
your AV should be the only "on-access" scanner. There are other
ways to implement "real-time" scanners for other malware.

 

[Paul Montgumdrop]

Can a computer to infect with viruses throught a router if another computer
what is connected to the internet through the same router is navigating some
virused websites?

Yes, if the machines are sharing resources on the LAN, the machines can
become infected, because the machines are presenting services and ports
are opened.

What are the changes if the safe computer is having WMP opened and WMP
Sharing tab is set to "Find media that others are sharing" but in "Network
and Sharing Center" the "Sharing and Discovery" options are set as:
Network Discovery: off, File sharing: off, Public folder sharing: off,
printer sharing: off, password protected sharing: on, media sharing: off.

You want a safe computer on the LAN, then you don't allow the machine to
share resources. You disable the services that closes the Windows
Networking Ports. If you remove Client for MS Networks and MS File and
Print Sharing off of the NIC, then the services are shutdown, ports are
closed and the machine cannot share resources, period.

Thank You
Safe computer protected just with: Windows Firewall, AVG Free.

Or you set the Windows FW to not share resources, keeping the Windows
Networking Ports closed on the FW.