Railfan Technology > Photo Scanner and Laptop off the Net??

So with all these Network clogging ads, malware, endless updates and security bloatware going on in the previous threads, has anybody simply unplugged and used an isolated Photo Scanner and Laptop?

This could make sense for a time proven XP machine that just keeps ker-chunkin. Use a Flash Drive, maybe a CD or just a hard drive back-up system to communicate with your spiffy new machine?

Could the PC be connected to the Router with no Browser and still be secure? Make a simple Home Group, move the files on demand only?

Is 16 bits enough? 32?

Any ideas?

If you don't talk to the Internet with your Windows XP machine, nor talk to other computers in your network, then it probably would be secure. But if you bring any external media into it (such as CDs) and those CDs are infected, then the virus could be transferred to the Windows XP machine.

I would think that an 'infected' computer not attached to the network would be benign.

John.

jkh2cpu Wrote:
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> I would think that an 'infected' computer not
> attached to the network would be benign.

Yes, as long as it is completely isolated, including staying off the "sneakernet," that is, communicating with other computers via removable media like USB devices, external hard drives, CDs, etc.

Agree with the potential of writeable media carrying a Virus, I would think that would be eliminated by the connected System's Virus S/W. Dedicate the writeable media to the connected machine, keep it out of the Public Library set-ups, as an extreme example. Or perhaps write to CD's only, then you have an archive as well as a transportable file.

Virus's can destroy or disrupt an isolated machine's files, it's not just stealing data. I don't see a reason to have sensitive files on the isolated machine though, just an OS and scanning S/W. If needed, re-boot from the old CD's (XP era) or from a Restore Point set-up (Vista era).

Those are good discussion points though. I'm thinking of setting this up so I have something ready with out having to go through numerous 'update' cycles, scan routines and the multiple Windows error logs.

I think it's fine to leave a machine connected to the network, just don't surf with an old web browser or install other software on it. Stick to firefox or chrome on XP (The latest IE won't work on it).

nicknack Wrote:
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> I think it's fine to leave a machine connected to
> the network, just don't surf with an old web
> browser or install other software on it. Stick to
> firefox or chrome on XP (The latest IE won't work
> on it).

I disagree, but am open to the views of those more knowledgeable than I am in this area.

The danger involved in connecting a computer with XP to the internet is not limited to using older browsers. The updates that MS used to provide for XP included patches to correct security vulnerabilities in the operating system. XP is no longer being updated with those security patches. Some protection is provided by using a limited user account instead of the administrator account.

Do a search and you'll find some good articles from reputable sources like the following:

http://download.cnet.com/8301-2007_4-57620758-12/5-tips-for-running-windows-xp-relatively-safely/