Security before any user logs in (at the Welcome screen)

[Guest]

Basic question: is there any security operating at the Welcome screen, before ANY user logs in? Is the XP firewall operational? Does ZoneAlarm work? How about Norton AntiVirus? I'm connect to the Internet via cable modem (always on) and want to know if it's safe to log off all users and have the computer wait at the Welcome screen--or if it is better to always have SOME user logged in, if I choose to leave the machine on 24/7

Thanks in advance
Ric

 

[Kent W. England [MVP]]

Basic question: is there any security operating at the Welcome
screen, before ANY user logs in? Is the XP firewall operational?
Does ZoneAlarm work? How about Norton AntiVirus? I'm connect to the
Internet via cable modem (always on) and want to know if it's safe to
log off all users and have the computer wait at the Welcome
screen--or if it is better to always have SOME user logged in, if I
choose to leave the machine on 24/7.

Native Windows is vulnerable for a short time interval during boot, but
by the time you get to the logon screen the native firewall should be
operational. This vulnerability is being fixed in SP2.

How long XP is vulnerable before ZoneAlarm or AV is active depends on
when those applications load in relation to native TCP/IP services.

But it should be safe for the computer to linger at the Welcome Screen
indefinitely. You can test this with a remote port scanner.