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mouse
Premium Member
join:2007-03-29
australia

mouse

Premium Member

Risk of unpatched pc ?

Just wondering what are risks or the attack vectors for an unpatched pc that is "only" running some program for other pcs or servers as a storage /server for other pc. If the pc in question is not being used for websurfing, email, IM, downloading of programs, P2P etc - are patches still relevant?
MrFixit1
join:1999-11-26
Madison, WI

MrFixit1

Member

Since not all patches are to correct security issues , I would say they are still relevant .
The risks to the pc are proportional to the amount of external access provided .
A pc running with no external input (no wan or lan , no way of inputting data at all ) would be safe . Not useful,but safe.
The more outside access , the more the risk level increases .
Add a keyboard ,someone could type in something nasty .
Add floppys , CD or DVD , USB , risk increases .
Add Lan ,still higher .
Add Wan , fair game for all the ***** out there.


sivran
Vive Vivaldi
Premium Member
join:2003-09-15
Irving, TX

sivran to mouse

Premium Member

to mouse
Is this PC behind a router or otherwise firewalled off from the random noise of the net?

If so, then if this PC truly never visits the net you likely could get away with it. I myself have an ancient Windows 2000 laptop (a very small one, the precursor of netbooks, I guess) that hasn't seen a patch in years. Because it never leaves my lan I don't worry about it.

You should take some precautions with it, of course. Install a firewall on it (if it doesn't have one already) and configure it to only allow access to the lan, and block anything going outside the lan. Also, make sure to rename the admin account and give it a good password, disable the guest account if it's not already, and never leave the system logged on. That way someone else in the house can't hop on the pc, open a browser and hit the net.

poppster
Tell the truth and then run.
Premium Member
join:2003-12-23
Midwest

2 recommendations

poppster to mouse

Premium Member

to mouse
Id still do the patches, it's not a big deal to do this......

patches are important.