risk of connecting to local hard drive

[dumdum2]

Hi,

While connecting to a Windows Server 2003 using terminal services, what is the risk if you check the box under 'Options', 'Local Resources" tab to include disk drives in the remote desktop connection window? This would be done to copy image files.

Thanks!

 

[mrdenny]

There isn't any risk. There is just more data that needs to be transmitted over the wire. If you have a slow connection it will be even slower.

Denny
MCSA (2003) / MCDBA (SQL 2000) / MCTS (SQL 2005) / MCITP Database Administrator (SQL 2005)

--Anything is possible. All it takes is a little research. (Me)

http://www.mrdenny.com

 

[dumdum2]

Oh, I was told that since my system at home is spyware laden, i shouldn't check that box for disk drives......any truth to that?

 

[mrdenny]

If your machine at home has Spyware on it you shouldn't be connecting it to the corporate network at all.

You especially shouldn't be copying files from an infected machine to a corporate machine. Who knows what issues / problems infections you could bring with you.

Will anything be transfered accross just by having the drives mapped. No, probably not. However what guarantee do you have that the file you are copying to the server doesn't have a virus / spyware if your home machine has spyware?

If I was the network admin I'd be locking you out of being able to VPN in until your home machine was cleaned up.

Denny
MCSA (2003) / MCDBA (SQL 2000) / MCTS (SQL 2005) / MCITP Database Administrator (SQL 2005)

--Anything is possible. All it takes is a little research. (Me)

http://www.mrdenny.com

 

[dumdum2]

Thanks, I do not copy any files between the spyware system and the coporate network. i do connect however to work on the network, but i do not have the local disk drives box checked. could any spyware creep across if the connection is one way?

i actually asked this question because another staff member wants to copy image files (jpgs and tifs) from the network to her local drive at home, and who knows if she has any spyware or viruses lurking in her system....? so i was assessing the risk.

 

[mrdenny]

Unless something on the servers tells a file on the mapped drive to run, it's not going to.

Denny
MCSA (2003) / MCDBA (SQL 2000) / MCTS (SQL 2005) / MCITP Database Administrator (SQL 2005)

--Anything is possible. All it takes is a little research. (Me)

http://www.mrdenny.com

 

[dumdum2]

I'm not sure exactly what you are saying......if a staff member connects to the network server and copies image files from a network drive and pastes them on their local drive, is there any risk if the staff member has spyware or viruses on their system?

 

[pagy]

Put simply there is a risk. Several factors depend on how much of a risk though;
whether the servers and/or workstations are on the latest service pack and have all the latest security updates
anti virus software installed on the network and how it is configured
spyware protection on the network and how it is configured
the way firewalls are configured

There are probably even more. You should really talk this through with your network admin.


All you need in this life is ignorance and confidence; then success is sure.
- Mark Twain