windows shared file logging?

I read somewhere that Windows utilizes its shared files, using SMB, to keep logs of other PCs on your network, such as your workgroup computers. Meaning. If you have 2 or more PCs connectd on a LAN, each one keeps track of each other's internet browsing activities, files downloaded, etc.

I would think, however, that some sort of application would have to be running in order to do this, not to mention it would generate of network traffic, etc.

I know there are plenty of 3rd party software that would allow you to do this, but I woudln't think windows would do it automatically. As far as I have read, internet cache etc are for the local machine.

 

xp's firewall will log incoming/outgoing for the particular machine it's running on. see the advanced settings in firewall control panel but ... this would only work for the local machine unless the machine u'r running is xp pro AND it's acting as the main router for u'r network. not likely ... and i'd probably opt to get a router that does logging and then get something like wallwatcher to do that.

 

could windows do this secretly or would it be noticed?

 

Windows would do this behind te scene, without any notice or any other screen. But the info is more or less useless.

 

but wouldn't a 3rd party firewall or something pick up that kind of activity, not to mention some kind of software monitorying your network

Meaning eventually we would find out about it, someone would find a way to exploit it
We would know about it

A friend of mine is convinced this happens.

 

No. Since you are just logging, you are not doing anything on your network.

 

guess i'm not being clear here, i'm not talking about typical logging. I'm talking about a PC sending another PC logs of it's internet cache, etc. by ustilizing shared files. Meaning every pc on the network sends each other info about it's web history. This information being sent would be picked up by network software. Even SMB transactions are blocked by 3rd party firewalss such as zonealarm

I'm not talking about logging for the local machine, as I know Windows does a considerable amount. I'm just saying if ( and why i don't know) windows sent this internet cachce to other PCs on the network, this activity would be detected by not only the network activity but by any kind of firewall on you own pc.

 

You're asking if it is possible to view the web history of a network connected pc? I can see where on the net you've been by accessing a firewall device or other 3rd party software?

 

meaning, you have computer A connected to a router by ethernet or wireless and computer B connected to the router by ethernet or wireles.
Computer A sends copies of its browser activity to computer B and Computer B sends copies of its broswer activity to computer A.

They do this by utilizing some kind of protocol, (like SMB) without you knowing they are doing this.

I am not talking about a router keeping logs or anything like a server.

Just a simple windows network

 

Don't think that's possible in Windows without any 3rd party utility. You need to purchase these programs (often called spy software), install them on both the computers & configure them. A network monitoring software would pick up the traffic.

 

The only way I can see web activity being tracked is by using a proxy to "Filter" traffic. But that would involve having a machine in the way of the router and network. Or you could switch from your router to an IPCop box and install Squid to track web activity.