NETBIOS...do you use?

Who uses NETBIOS?

If users want to browse available computers on the LAN they need NETBIOS, correct?

It seems like most secure environments wouldn't want this scenario...

When users browse for printers in the network do they need NETBIOS?

Thank you

Goldmember

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Comments

sprkymrk

I think it's still widely in use, even in most W2K3 AD domains I have seen.
Exchange 2003 and Exchange 2000 still have several NetBIOS dependencies.

Even without netbios, you can still browse AD for computers and printers.

Pash

Goldmember wrote:

Who uses NETBIOS?

If users want to browse available computers on the LAN they need NETBIOS, correct?

It seems like most secure environments wouldn't want this scenario...

When users browse for printers in the network do they need NETBIOS?

Thank you

Goldmember

It's true, ive had a pentest report to go through recently where a particular "security specialist vendor" decide that a registry change to disallow accessing other resources on port 445 shouldnt be allowed. But this takes out the ability to use shared files and folders......complete madness.

royal

Unfortunately, NetBIOS is still a necessary evil. I still recommend implementing WINS whenever I deploy a Windows Network due to software still requiring NetBIOS and I want to minimize broadcast traffic as much as possible; especially when you're going across subnets.

doom969

Also, the network neighborhood wont work whitout netbios.

royal

doom969 wrote:

Also, the network neighborhood wont work whitout netbios.

I would hope people are not still using Windows 98!