Thank you for being a valued part of the CNET community. As of December 1, 2020, the forums are in read-only format. In early 2021, CNET Forums will no longer be available. We are grateful for the participation and advice you have provided to one another over the years.

Thanks,

CNET Support

General discussion

laptop with XP

May 6, 2014 10:16AM PDT

I have an old Dell D10 with XP.
I have a security Camera that covers a sensitive area attached to it.. it is logged on to the internet to broadcast a signal that can be accessed by other computers. Can the fact that it broadcast this signal using xp cause any of the other computers running win 7 & 8 to be compromised at some point in time.

Discussion is locked

- Collapse -
(NT) How do the other computers access this signal?
May 6, 2014 10:58AM PDT
- Collapse -
How do the other computers access this signal? -
May 6, 2014 11:17AM PDT

I log on to a hosting website with the laptop. other computers can log on to that site with a password and it displays what my camera is transmitting.

- Collapse -
Based on that
May 6, 2014 11:17PM PDT

Based on that, no the computers logging into the site cannot be compromised because of the XP system. The XP system, however, can and will be compromised the longer it's left attached to the Internet. Transplanting that XP install into a VM running on Linux, for example, would be a potential solution. If this is basically a mono-tasked computer, the fact that it might take a few extra seconds to load is inconsequential after it does load. Then if the XP VM is ever compromised, no big deal, just blow it away and restore the original image. As long as it's not being compromised so often it's practically a full time job restoring the image, all any potential attacker gains access to is the VM. It's one more layer of effort they'd have to go to in order to get to the main OS and there are plenty of other computers out there which are easier targets, not to mention most so-called "hackers" these days have very little in the way of actual technical skill. Those with any real skill are generally after much bigger targets than someone's security webcam. So as long as you don't do anything to put yourself on their radar, all you really have to worry about are idiots running automated scans who probably barely know how to turn a computer on and off.

- Collapse -
(NT) Yes.
May 6, 2014 11:12AM PDT
- Collapse -
Yes
May 6, 2014 11:23AM PDT

Bob, Do you have a projected date when people will start seeing xp being compromised.
any hints as to what may become apparent?

- Collapse -
It was compromised.
May 6, 2014 11:26AM PDT

That's why they issued a patch. All I can suggest is you install a firewall and only permit the ports needed for the job until you can move to Linux or another more secure OS.
Bob

- Collapse -
It was compromised.
May 6, 2014 12:14PM PDT

When you say It was compromised. Can you define this statement. I have not been on the internet with it since the last update MS update for xp.
I will probably have to go with Linux as My search of Dell did not turn up drivers for win 7 or 8 for this old latitude d610

- Collapse -
XP was compromised.
May 6, 2014 2:01PM PDT

It's that simple. If it wasn't then Microsoft would have not needed to issue that last patch.
Bob

- Collapse -
(NT) wasn't that an IE patch?
May 7, 2014 3:03AM PDT
- Collapse -
(NT) And since IE is intertwined with the OS, it's all that.
May 7, 2014 3:05AM PDT
- Collapse -
one more question
May 7, 2014 8:18AM PDT

In our club house we have a verizon dsl wi-ri router.
if two or more are logged on and one is xp are the others runing 7 and 9 in jepordy?

- Collapse -
Windows 9 isn't out yet.
May 7, 2014 8:24AM PDT

And let's say these other PCs are sharing files, folders, well yes they could be at risk because a breakdown in security can give the intruder access to your LAN and what's on it.

I'd consider the firewall and poke the fewest holes in the wall.
Bob