If your home or office computer is not connected to a network, the file sharing should be disabled, otherwise any hacker may easily read (and modify or delete) all your files in units that allow file sharing. To check and disable such sharing, go to Control Panel, click on Network and Internet Connections icon (or Network Connections, depending on how your Windows is configured), select your network connection and click it with the right button of the mouse, selecting Properties from the menu that will show up. Uncheck the File and Printer Sharing For Microsoft Networks box. This will disable file sharing and prevent your PC from being invaded.

Figure 1: Disabling file sharing.

If you have more than one computer at home or in the office and in case they are connected in a network, possibly you will need file sharing to exist – after all, that is usually why we set up a network. Here you have some options to improve your network's security, depending on how your broadband Internet connection is being shared. Let's take a look at all posible options.