A little housekeeping before going online

If you use a standalone computer that’s directly connected to the Internet, you’ll want to keep its contents protected from the outside world. This also applies if you’re traveling with your laptop and intend to access the Internet through a public hotspot. Here’s what you need to do to make sure the contents of your PC remain inaccessible to unauthorized third parties.

First, disable the “File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks” option for your current connection. This setting is accessible from the connection’s properties window (see below).

By turning the sharing off, you prevent your computer from assuming the role of a file server and providing inbound access through commonly used ports (for example, TCP port 139).

Secondly, if you have no plans to share any documents while you are online, there is no need for your local disk and folders to be accessible over the network. Make sure all your disks and folders are not shared (there is no hand holding the folder as shown below). To change the setting, right-click the target item and select the Sharing and Security menu.

You should also password-protect your user account to make it more resistant to intrusions. You can do this through the User Accounts menu available in Win XP’s Control Panel.

If you use Vista, your computer offers you the option to designate the network type (public, home or work) when a new connection is made; this process adjusts the security settings appropriately and automatically.