Well, this being my first post on your forum, I found this topic of intrest because on this subject I can atleast provide some accurate info. Be forwarned, I am prone to long explanations at time, this could be one

I agree that this thread is somewhat misleading, Badassatchu, I'm sure is refering to the transport protocol 'NetBIOS' used by windows for lan type functionality (networking) between a small number of computers where some amount of inner-system trust could be assumed. What needs to be understood is that this protocal was not intended for global networking (internet) where inner-system trust shouldn't be assumed, unless you like being a victim.

This transport protocal (NetBIOS) that windows put into their OS's was designed by IBM, sorry Petemcevoy...you can't blame MS for everything, many many years before the internet was even around as we know it today and it's inherent security weakness became very exploitable on the global web to those savy people with to much curiosity or bad intentions. This weakness lies in the Microsoft network services, ie. 'client for Microsoft networks, file and printering sharing for Microsoft networks, and Microsoft family logon' and of these, the file and print sharing service is the most exploitable and most dangerous security risk to your personel computer. Why you ask, simply put, this particular service makes your computer exposed to the global web and not limitied to just a lan (loacal area network) envoronment which means your lan just got a whole lot bigger. This is a bad thing because that 'file and print sharing' service likes to do just that, share...sharing your files and info to the whole web world just as it was intended to do, but in a lan setting. This weakness allows others, with the know how, to access your computer and in a sense, take it over if they choose to. If your not sure, that's a bad thing, very bad. Sidenote, these sevices have nothing to do with the internet and your web browsing, email, newsgroups will all work just fine, isn't that nice of them to tell you that....

What can you do, you might ask as the unknowing, naive person to protect yourself from bad people on the web? Well, let me first make this discalimer, the info that follows is for those who are not or have no need for a lan connection, for the rest of you, chat with your IT guru, who has nothing to do anyways. Understand that this is not a complete security remedy, but only a small slice that will close one of the biggest dam hack exploits in your windows running computer. It deals with network bindings and how you can configure your pc to close that dreaded port 139 that likes to share so much with the web.

To the deed, and I will assume somewhat that you can get around in your computer ok:

For Win 95/98

Step 1, go to start/setting/control panel/network(open it).
Step 2, delete all network services except 'microsoft family logon' Don't touch 'tcp/ip, dial-up adapter, or netBEUI' in the main window of the netwrok panel. If you don't have 'netBEUI' then you need to add it.
Step 3, click dial up adapter/properties/bindings tab and make sure that both 'tcp/ip and netBEUI' are checked.
Step 4, click the tcp/ip/properties/ click ok on warning and select the bindings tab, unckeck all windows network services.
Step5, click netBEUI/properties and check the microsoft family logon network service.
Step 6, hit ok at the bottom on the network panel and resart your computer.

You have now closed that nasty port139 and made the sharing aspect of your computer's personality a thing of the past. Hope that helps some of you out there in web world, if your still confused, you can email me, but be nice.

In closing, I have no objections to someone sharing a 'tut' as you guys put it, but I also feel that a counter is needed to help those, not in the know, to combat your 'tut'. Afterall, this is the 'Anti Online' website, isn't it.