UPnP Questions

[Michael Styles]

How do I turn on UPnP in Vista? What are the advantages and disadvantages
of doing this?

 

[Nero]

It's on by default.

 

[Mark Gillespie]

How do I turn on UPnP in Vista? What are the advantages and
disadvantages of doing this?

The advantage, is that port mappings can be opened and closed when needed,
rather than having them mapped permenently. Having port mapping only when
an application needs them, increases security.

 

[Kerry Brown]

While it may increase security at the router it may decrease security
overall. Malware could take control of the router and open ports to allow
any type of access it wants. There are always trade offs.

 

[Mark Gillespie]

While it may increase security at the router it may decrease security
overall. Malware could take control of the router and open ports to allow
any type of access it wants. There are always trade offs.

I don't subscribe to your argument, as letting the malware on your system,
anything can happen. You can only achieve real security by preventing
these things getting on your network on the 1st place.

 

[Kerry Brown]

I agree with your statement. Of course it is better to keep malware out.
UPnP configured routers can help with stopping malware from getting in. If
malware does get in then UPnP becomes a big security hole. I'm not saying
don't use UPnP to configure routers. I use this feature. I'm saying people
should be aware that it is also a possible security risk. Many tools are
also exploitable for things other than that which they are designed for.

 

[RJK]

A few weeks ago I was trying to determine whether the upnp setting in my
router would affect its' providing a wireless connection to Dads' PC
downstairs using dhcp. So in the end I just switched off upnp in the router
firmware and it doesn't seem to have affected anything. I think I also
renamed the SSID label and put in a strong WPA key because I read somewhere
that WPA is more secure that WEP.

....I'll have to have another go at reading up on upnp ....I just had a peek
in Services and it's set to manual and "stopped" / not running atm, so
nothing has come along and started upnp up ! ...so what's the upnp service
in XP, and the upnp switch in the router firmware for ?

regards, Richard

 

[Kerry Brown]

UPnP in a router allows Windows to open and close ports on the router as
needed. Some programs like MSN Messenger take advantage of this for some
features. The ports remain closed on the router until Messenger needs them.
The security advantage is your ports are closed until needed. The
disadvantage is if malware does get into your computer it could open up
ports on your router to allow traffic for whatever it wants to do.

 

[RJK]

Thanks for your response.
....also, I've issued you a "sorry" ...on another thread somewhere, where my
warped sense of humour back-fired !

regards, Richard

UPnP in a router allows Windows to open and close ports on the router as
needed. Some programs like MSN Messenger take advantage of this for some
features. The ports remain closed on the router until Messenger needs
them. The security advantage is your ports are closed until needed. The
disadvantage is if malware does get into your computer it could open up
ports on your router to allow traffic for whatever it wants to do.