Security Basics mailing list archives

Re: No NetBios share + No Open Port = Safe Win98?


From: krymson () gmail com
Date: 26 Sep 2006 16:31:55 -0000

This depends a bit on your router/modem. You should hit up an external firewall testing page to see if 139 is really 
reachable from the Internet. If it is not, this is good and your router/modem is doing NAT like most modern ones should 
be. Sites: http://www.hackerwatch.org/probe/ or http://www.auditmypc.com/

If 139 is reachable from those sites, yes, there are still ways to get into your computer with just port 139 open. 
Those sites should give you more info, but suffice to say you want port 139 hidden from the world.

And like you seem to already know, a system, ultimately, is only as safe as the user using it. Even with firefox and 
diligence, you can still let in something bad via a mis-click on an email attachment or web page. However, this is not 
necessarily something specific to Win98.


"Theoretically, I've not enabled port forwarding in my router/modem, and so external computer trying to ping or connect 
to my computer should not succeed, and if there's no port listening at all (except for port 139), no other computer 
should be able to infilitrate right?

Yet, I can't say anything is foolproof. So just like to seek your expert opinion. What are the other areas I should 
continue to look at to further protect my system? Is it still possible to be attacked through a listening port 139 with 
file sharing disabled?"

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