Windows Vista Forums

hacking through shared internet connection?

  1. #1


    M Guest

    hacking through shared internet connection?

    I share an internet connection with some renters in my house. I want to know
    whether there's any chance that they could hack into my computer through our
    shared internet and see some of the websites I've accessed. I've sent
    confidential information online (i.e. credit card info) and I don't want them
    (or anyone) to be able to see that.

    I've got windows vista, and updated anti-virus and spyware detector, but
    would I be more vulnerable to them considering we share an internet
    connection? Will they be able to see the websites I've been on?



    Thanks

      My System SpecsSystem Spec

  2. #2


    Jesper Guest

    RE: hacking through shared internet connection?

    If you use the built-in firewall on Windows Vista you are no more vulnerable
    to them than you would be to any other computer on the Internet.

    The question is whether you do or not. When Windows Vista popped up and
    asked what kind of network you are on did you select "Home" or "Public"? If
    you selected "Home" then your computer would enable services to your renters
    that are not available to other computers on the Internet.

    To find out how your comptuer is configured, right-click the little icon in
    the bottom right that looks like two computers and a globe. Select "Network
    and Sharing Center". At the top you see a picture with the name of your
    network. If the picture has a park bench in it you selected "public" and
    right below it would say "Public network." If it has a house you selected
    "Home" and you are on a private network, and it would say "private network"
    just below.

    Since yours is not a private network you should change it if it is set to
    public. To do that, click "Customize" in that screen and select public. That
    will turn off sharing with other computers on the network.

    If you use a third-party security product that includes a firewall none of
    this works. In that case you need to refer to that vendor's documentation to
    find out how they treat the local network.
    ---
    Your question may already be answered in Windows Vista Security:
    http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/047...otectyourwi-20


    "M" wrote:

    > I share an internet connection with some renters in my house. I want to know
    > whether there's any chance that they could hack into my computer through our
    > shared internet and see some of the websites I've accessed. I've sent
    > confidential information online (i.e. credit card info) and I don't want them
    > (or anyone) to be able to see that.
    >
    > I've got windows vista, and updated anti-virus and spyware detector, but
    > would I be more vulnerable to them considering we share an internet
    > connection? Will they be able to see the websites I've been on?
    >
    > Thanks

      My System SpecsSystem Spec

  3. #3


    M Guest

    RE: hacking through shared internet connection?

    Wouldn't changing my network to Home make me more vulnerable to others using
    the same internet connection?

    "Jesper" wrote:

    > If you use the built-in firewall on Windows Vista you are no more vulnerable
    > to them than you would be to any other computer on the Internet.
    >
    > The question is whether you do or not. When Windows Vista popped up and
    > asked what kind of network you are on did you select "Home" or "Public"? If
    > you selected "Home" then your computer would enable services to your renters
    > that are not available to other computers on the Internet.
    >
    > To find out how your comptuer is configured, right-click the little icon in
    > the bottom right that looks like two computers and a globe. Select "Network
    > and Sharing Center". At the top you see a picture with the name of your
    > network. If the picture has a park bench in it you selected "public" and
    > right below it would say "Public network." If it has a house you selected
    > "Home" and you are on a private network, and it would say "private network"
    > just below.
    >
    > Since yours is not a private network you should change it if it is set to
    > public. To do that, click "Customize" in that screen and select public. That
    > will turn off sharing with other computers on the network.
    >
    > If you use a third-party security product that includes a firewall none of
    > this works. In that case you need to refer to that vendor's documentation to
    > find out how they treat the local network.
    > ---
    > Your question may already be answered in Windows Vista Security:
    > http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/047...otectyourwi-20
    >
    >
    > "M" wrote:
    >

    > > I share an internet connection with some renters in my house. I want to know
    > > whether there's any chance that they could hack into my computer through our
    > > shared internet and see some of the websites I've accessed. I've sent
    > > confidential information online (i.e. credit card info) and I don't want them
    > > (or anyone) to be able to see that.
    > >
    > > I've got windows vista, and updated anti-virus and spyware detector, but
    > > would I be more vulnerable to them considering we share an internet
    > > connection? Will they be able to see the websites I've been on?
    > >
    > > Thanks

      My System SpecsSystem Spec

  4. #4


    Jesper Guest

    RE: hacking through shared internet connection?

    Yes it would. That is my point. If you do not have a private network you
    should select public, not home, or work.
    ---
    Your question may already be answered in Windows Vista Security:
    http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/047...otectyourwi-20


    "M" wrote:

    > Wouldn't changing my network to Home make me more vulnerable to others using
    > the same internet connection?
    >
    > "Jesper" wrote:
    >

    > > If you use the built-in firewall on Windows Vista you are no more vulnerable
    > > to them than you would be to any other computer on the Internet.
    > >
    > > The question is whether you do or not. When Windows Vista popped up and
    > > asked what kind of network you are on did you select "Home" or "Public"? If
    > > you selected "Home" then your computer would enable services to your renters
    > > that are not available to other computers on the Internet.
    > >
    > > To find out how your comptuer is configured, right-click the little icon in
    > > the bottom right that looks like two computers and a globe. Select "Network
    > > and Sharing Center". At the top you see a picture with the name of your
    > > network. If the picture has a park bench in it you selected "public" and
    > > right below it would say "Public network." If it has a house you selected
    > > "Home" and you are on a private network, and it would say "private network"
    > > just below.
    > >
    > > Since yours is not a private network you should change it if it is set to
    > > public. To do that, click "Customize" in that screen and select public. That
    > > will turn off sharing with other computers on the network.
    > >
    > > If you use a third-party security product that includes a firewall none of
    > > this works. In that case you need to refer to that vendor's documentation to
    > > find out how they treat the local network.
    > > ---
    > > Your question may already be answered in Windows Vista Security:
    > > http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/047...otectyourwi-20
    > >
    > >
    > > "M" wrote:
    > >

    > > > I share an internet connection with some renters in my house. I want to know
    > > > whether there's any chance that they could hack into my computer through our
    > > > shared internet and see some of the websites I've accessed. I've sent
    > > > confidential information online (i.e. credit card info) and I don't want them
    > > > (or anyone) to be able to see that.
    > > >
    > > > I've got windows vista, and updated anti-virus and spyware detector, but
    > > > would I be more vulnerable to them considering we share an internet
    > > > connection? Will they be able to see the websites I've been on?
    > > >
    > > > Thanks

      My System SpecsSystem Spec

hacking through shared internet connection?

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