Re Serious IE Security Hole

[Brian]

After downloading Microsft winxp security patch I went to Gibsons Shields up for a port probe and below is the result.

Could this be right?

Port Open

5000
UPnP
OPEN! Universal Plug'n'Play is Microsoft's new protocol for allowing PCs to automatically discover and control a wide range of locally networked peripherals. This powerful protocol is likely to expose the user's machine to many clever remote security exploits and vulnerabilities. And, unfortunately, Microsoft has enabled this insecure protocol by default -- even if your system doesn't need or use it.

[silver]

Hi Brian,

Not sure which patch you have installed..

There's 2 serious exploits in m$ code - one is IE - the other is upnp

2 threads,.

upnp > Serious Security Hole in XP ME & 98

and IE > Serious IE Security Hole

upnp - in theory is just a bad idea to run (unless you need it) but unfort it's got a very nasty problem with it - unless you patch...

I'm not sure whether the patch tells you how to turn it off - but I think thats what I'd be doing (after installing the fixes!).

hth

Sil

[colinscoble]

silver,have been on a few forums and nobody seems to be talking about installing this ms security patch.i have a new pc with xp home preinstalled,i use an analouge modem and i am not on a network would it br prudent to install this upp security patch just in case.another different question i have running and installed in system a 1394 net adapter,the pc company did not say what this was for,i guess it is an ethernet card for when i get a faster connection broadland adsl,it runs at400mbs all the time.
colin

[Brian]

Hi
Silver

Downloaded both patches! all seems ok for now,but you never know what winxp will do next!

[silver]

Hi Colin

Generally you can probably wait (perhaps) for the upnp patch to be 'rolled into' the normal windoz update fixes (as happened with the IE one - see the IE thread linked previously). Not all XP will have upnp turned on by default (but it might be turned on).

If you want to be totally safe then put the patch on - but it will probably be on general release within a few days (i.e. windoz update).

I don't know much abt XP but I would think there's a way to turn off upnp totally (an whatever else weird m$ have added )

No idea abt the network thingy

Sil

[Ian]

I think UPnP is a service so can be stopped by going into the Services section of Administrative Tools and go into the properties of the service, choose Disabled as Startup Type, and then click Stop under Service Status.

It should not restart when you reboot.