full-disclosure - Re: Dumb question: Is Windows box behind a router safe ?

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Date: Tue, 22 Sep 2009 15:10:23 -0500
From: Rohit Patnaik <quanticle@...il.com>
To: "full-disclosure@...ts.grok.org.uk" <full-disclosure@...ts.grok.org.uk>
Subject: Re: Dumb question: Is Windows box behind a router
 safe ?

No, I would not consider your father's box to be safe.  There are enough 
drive-by-download attacks and e-mail scams to make infection a very real 
possibility even if the automated worm route is blocked by a NAT 
router.  However, if you installed SP2 with default settings, it 
probably enabled the auto-update functionality in Windows.  Similarly, 
recent versions of Firefox have a similar auto-update feature.  So, even 
if you don't think the box is being updated, it might still be receiving 
security patches.

--Rohit Patnaik

Steven Anders wrote:
> I received great responses and am very grateful to the help from 
> community of this list. Thank you.
>  
>  
> I have a dumb question: Is a Windows box behind a router safe ? 
>  
> It is my father's PC and the Windows OS was not updated regularly. The 
> Windows box was connected through wire (RJ45) to the router. The 
> router is then connected to the DSL modem.
> The Windows Box has SP2 installed and the default Windows firewall 
> enabled - and I think was last updated from Windows Update on in 2008. 
> It has AVG anti virus.
> The PC was never moved anywhere and is always behind the router. The 
> router has default settings, which I believe has no ports open.
>  
> He never installed any applications or downloads anything off the net 
> - mainly it is used for emails and general web browsing (using 
> Firefox, not IE). I informed him to use Firefox, since IE has so many 
> security issues.
>
>
> My questions are:
>
> 1.  There are many exploits and vulnerabilities of Windows, but I was 
> wondering if outdated Windows box behind router generally safe ?  
> Since, the Windows box was not updated with the latest updates.
>
> I have always thought that having a computer behind the router (since 
> router has firewall) is generally safe, but I would love to hear 
> insights or thoughts. 
>  
>  
> 2. If a Windows box is behind a router, could a botnet be installed to 
> it ? Assuming, the end user does not install/download any applications 
> from the Internet and always use Firefox.
>  
>  
> Thank you all in advance.
> steve
>  
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