Kerry said:
There are many ways besides windows networking that computers
communicate over a LAN. It is possible for worms to spread if Windows
networking is blocked.
Yeah it's possible but highly unlikely that a machine on the LAN,
particularly on a home user LAN, is going to be in communications with
another machine on the LAN, other than, using the Windows networking ports.
One closes those ports by shutting down the services that listen on
those ports, and he or she is in pretty good shape.
When I go on the road and connect to networks not under my control, such
as hotels, wifi cafe, other such public spots and client sites, Client
for MS Network and MS File and Print sharing services are disabled.
The Windows Networking ports are closed, and I flat-out know there is
no way I am going into communications with another machine on the LAN in
those settings with my machine, unless I make it so.
On the other hand, there is a personal packet filter/personal firewall
running too on the machine, and it's my machine that must initiate the
contact with a remote machine on the LAN before ports are open on the FW
or packet filter, otherwise, they are closed.
If a person does things and/or uses the right tools to protect the
machine, they are in pretty good shape. He or she really doesn't have to
worried about his or her machine being on a LAN and not being protected.