This is interesting

[Jito463]

As this is the Security forum and this is technically about my computers security, I thought it best to post here. Recently I bought and started using Ghost Security's AppDefend program to monitor outbound traffic. I didn't want a full-fledged firewall as I'm already protected from inbound threats by my router. It simply monitors outbound traffic and gives me the option of allowing or blocking it (set default to block until I select otherwise). Here's what I find interesting. When I open Search (WINKEY+F) on my computer, explorer.exe tries to access 207.46.248.249:80, which resolves to http://sa.windows.com/. When I try to browse that site in Opera, it just says Under Construction. Now, I'm not paranoid about MS like some are, but I do have to wonder why Windows wants to access the internet when I'm searching for local files. Any thoughts on this, guys?

Edited August 28, 2006 by Jito463

[RogueSpear]

I think that by default, when you use Window's built-in search function, you can optionally have it search the internet.. ala MSN search. There's an option in nLite to disable this and I've been using for as long as I can remember now, but who knows my computer could be making that connection as well.

[GrofLuigi]

Any thoughts on this, guys?

It doesn't surprise me. Doesn't surprise me at all.

GL

[Jito463]

I think that by default, when you use Window's built-in search function, you can optionally have it search the internet.. ala MSN search. There's an option in nLite to disable this and I've been using for as long as I can remember now, but who knows my computer could be making that connection as well.

Hmm, after looking again, there is an option to "Search the Internet" on the search page. Though one would normally assume it wouldn't try connecting unless you click the link. Perhaps it's simply checking for internet connectivity, though that would be strange. Oh, well. Just something unusual I noticed and thought I'd post about.

[HyperHacker]

Knowing MS, it's probably pre-fetching something so you don't have to wait for it if you actually do decide to search the Internet.

[LLXX]

http://thewarp.org/blog/index.cfm?mode=ent...4A4B16115705CBF

Just block it in HOSTS or hex out the string in one of the DLLs (forgot which one) if you don't want M$ knowing whenever you search.

[Takeshi]

Here's what I find interesting. When I open Search (WINKEY+F) on my computer, explorer.exe tries to access 207.46.248.249:80, which resolves to http://sa.windows.com/.

That didn't happen when I tried it. Can someone else try this to verify?

When I try to browse that site in Opera, it just says Under Construction.

Same with FF.

There're other things in Windows that want to access the internet. When you run ntbackup, it (well, Shadow Volume Copy) wants to access the internet. If I block it, it still do the backup. So what the heck...

Edited August 29, 2006 by Takeshi

[HyperHacker]

So it downloads interfaces from the Internet. Not surprising, given how many important control panel windows are just web pages (and thus break if IE does).