Random Internet Printers

[CjC]

Has anyone else ever had random network printers from nowhere appear in their printers folder (windows)? This is a phenomenon I noticed in Win2k and its happened in XP as well. I thought I'd blocked every MS background service from talking to the 'net with "Tiny Personal Firewall".

Example. Right now this is the printer I have in my queue.

Its not a trojan to my knowledge. I think its just some machines are advertising their printers to the net at large.

[pablissimo]

Originally posted by CjC
Has anyone else ever had random network printers from nowhere appear in their printers folder (windows)? This is a phenomenon I noticed in Win2k and its happened in XP as well. I thought I'd blocked every MS background service from talking to the 'net with "Tiny Personal Firewall".

Example. Right now this is the printer I have in my queue.

Its not a trojan to my knowledge. I think its just some machines are advertising their printers to the net at large.

If you share off your printer 'simply' in XP at least, its details get broadcast to the network. A firewall shouldn't block it as it's normal network traffic, blocking it would impair your ability to use the network, hence it's allowed through.

Moral: No sharey printers.

[Luckeh!!!!]

Attack of the Phantom Printers... rofl \o/