How to Protect Your Data From Attack While Online

If file sharing is enabled on your computer, your hard disk is available to anyone on your network. The "always connected" benefit of cable and xDSL Internet service also results in increased exposure to crooks, pranksters, and voyeurs. These instructions explain how to disable file sharing (which will disable your home network, if any).

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Cable Modems
• Modems
• DSL Lines

Windows 95/98

1. Click Start.

2. Click Settings.

3. Click Control Panel.

4. Double-click Network.

5. Click the Configuration tab.

6. Click the File and Print Sharing button.

7. Make sure the box to the left of "I want to be able to give others access to my files" is blank.

8. Click OK twice.

Mac Operating System

9. Select Control Panels from under the Apple menu.

10. Select the Sharing Setup or File Sharing control panel.

11. Look for a Start button and "File sharing is off" in Status window. If you see a Stop button, proceed to next step. (If you see a Start button, file sharing is already off.)

12. Click Stop.

13. Type "10" in box under "How many minutes until file sharing is disabled?"

14. Click OK.

15. Close the window when the control panel indicates that file sharing is off.

Tips & Warnings

• If you want to share files with others on a local network and still be safe, then you can set access privileges to only share files with specified users. See your Mac OS online help (under the Help or ? menu) for instructions.

[grahamt]

on 10/31/2009 There are good reasons for having shared folders and things aren't quite as bleak in so far as concerns their security on a network that would require folder sharing to be completely disabled.

For a folder to be shared, first file and printer sharing needs to be enabled (the reverse of the procedure above) and then a suitable folder needs to be specifically designated as shared. Only then will it be visible on the network. All other non-shared folders will not be seen or accessible.

For further security the designated folder can be declared read-only, write-only or full access and for even further security a password can be required to be entered in order to access the folder. It goes without saying that the password, if used, should NOT be the same password the user uses to log on to the computer!

[sfjohnson]

on 10/31/2009 I tried to follow the steps on my Mac but under the Apple menu there isn't anything called "Control Panels". Please advise. My email address is: [e-mail]

[Lava09]

on 1/9/2009 Does anyone even have Windows 95/98 anymore? Not having Microsoft Updates leaves your computer to vulnerabilities too.

on 11/22/2005 If you have a home network and want to share files or directories, then you should password-protect the shared items. Make it a unique password like #sd43s*?. This will help prevent people from accessing your shared data via the Internet.