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Disable non-essential network components

Overview​

About this category

This category contains privacy scripts for Windows.

These changes use Windows system commands to update your settings.

This category focuses on disabling or removal of specific networking features. These are generally considered unnecessary or less secure for most users.

Disabling these features contributes to a more secure and privacy-focused environment by eliminating potential vulnerabilities and reducing the system's attack surface. These features may utilize outdated protocols or lack robust encryption and authentication methods, making them vulnerable to cyberattacks. If these features are not essential for your daily operations, it is advisable to disable them to enhance your system's security.

The scripts target specific networking tools and protocols, ideal for users who don't need these features, thus streamlining the system and potentially improving performance.

Caution

Disabling a networking component may cause connectivity issues if required for specific operations.

Caution: Mixed Risk Levels

Be careful running these scripts. This category includes scripts with high impact:

  • 🔴 Some not recommended scripts. They should only be used by advanced users. They may break important functionality.
  • 🟡 Some recommended scripts only if you understand its implications. Some non-critical or features may no longer function correctly after running this this category.
  • 🟢 Some safely recommended scripts. Safe-to use for any user.
Implementation Details

  • Language: batch

  • Scripts Count: 6 scripts

  • Required Privileges: Administrator rights

  • Compatibility: Windows only

  • Reversibility: All changes can be reverted

Apply now​

These scripts are written using Batch (batchfile) scripting language.

Choose one of two ways to apply:

  1. Automatically via privacy.sexy: The easiest and safest option.
  2. Manually by downloading: Requires downloading a file.

Alternative 1. Apply with Privacy.sexy​

privacy.sexy is free and open-source application that lets securely apply this action easily.

Open privacy.sexy

It allows selectively choose parts of this action to conduct. You can fully restore this action (revert back to the original behavior) using the application. Additionally, you can apply only the recommended scripts, instead of applying all of the scripts.

privacy.sexy instructions
  1. Open or download the desktop application
  2. Search for the category name: Disable non-essential network components.
  3. Check the category by clicking on the checkbox of the category.
  4. Click on Run button at the bottom of the page.

Alternative 2. Download​

You can choose to apply only scripts with less impact or also those with higher impact:

Standard

Recommended for all users. It helps to improve privacy without affecting stability.

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Strict

Recommended if you understand its implications. It may cause some non-critical features to no longer function correctly.

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All

Not recommended for daily use as it breaks important functionality. It provides military-grade privacy, for special use-cases. Do not run it without having backups and system snapshots.

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Consider restarting your computer for all changes to take affect.

Reversible

This action is completely reversible, you can restore your changes to the initial/default state. The restore/revert methods provided here can help you fix issues.

If something goes wrong, use the Revert script provided above.

Standard​

This script includes only Standard recommendation level.

Safe for General Use

Standard scripts in this category is recommended for all users. They help to improve privacy without affecting stability.

Download only standard scripts by clicking on the button:

Download script

Restore these changes if you decide to revert them by downloading the restore script:

Download restore script

Strict​

This script includes Standard and Strict recommendation levels.

Use with Caution

This script is only recommended if you understand their implications of every single change. Some non-critical or features may no longer function correctly after running this script.

Download Strict scripts:

Download script

Restore these changes if you decide to revert them by downloading the restore script:

Download restore script

All​

This script includes Standard, Strict recommendation levels along with unrecommended scripts.

Not Advised

This script should only be used by advanced users. Some of these changes are NOT recommended for daily use as it breaks important functionality. Do not run it without having backups and system snapshots.

Download all scripts:

Download script

Restore these changes if you decide to revert them by downloading the restore script:

Download restore script

Explore further​

This category includes total of 6 scripts but no subcategories.

Explore its 6 scripts:

Disable "Net.TCP Port Sharing" feature

This script disables the "Net.TCP Port Sharing" feature. This feature is part of Windows Communication Foundation (WCF). This feature enables multiple WCF applications to share the same TCP port. It manages incoming connections and routes them to the appropriate application based on the destination address found in the message stream. This increases the system's attack surface: access by attackers if compromised. When applications share the same port, more applications are exposed to network tra...

Disable "SMB Direct" feature

This script disables "SMB Direct" feature. SMB Direct improves file transfer speeds across networks by utilizing network adapters that are Remote Direct Memory Access (RDMA) capable. Although not inherently insecure, maintaining unnecessary software can increase the attack surface, especially if the underlying RDMA hardware has vulnerabilities. Overview of default feature statuses - | | | | ---- | --- | | Feature name | "SMB Direct" | | Display name | SMB Direct | | Description | ...

Disable "TFTP Client" feature

This script disables the "TFTP Client" feature. The TFTP Client supports file transfers using the Trivial File Transfer Protocol (TFTP). TFTP protocol is insecure because it lacks authentication and encryption capabilities. This makes data transferred via TFTP vulnerable to eavesdropping and tampering. Although TFTP's simplicity can be advantageous in certain contexts, such as configuring network devices, its security risks generally outweigh these benefits. Disabling it helps mitigate the ris...

Remove "RIP Listener" capability

This script removes the "RIP Listener" ("RIP.Listener") capability. The RIP Listener listens for route updates from routers using the Routing Information Protocol version 1 (RIPV1). RIPV1 is an older protocol that might be redundant in modern networks, despite its specific utilities. Removing this feature can contribute to a more secure system by eliminating unnecessary network listening capabilities. This capability is not included in the standard installation of Windows.

Remove "SNMP WMI Provider" capability

This script removes the "SNMP WMI Provider" ("WMI-SNMP-Provider.Client") capability. This feature enables Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) clients to access SNMP information. SNMP is used for monitoring and managing network devices. Integrating SNMP data into WMI, this capability may be extraneous for those not needing SNMP monitoring. Removing this capability can simplify the system's management interfaces and improve its security posture by limiting the ways in which network informatio...

Explore Categories​

This action belongs to Improve network security category. This category is dedicated to improving network security. It aims to minimize vulnerabilities by offering various settings that improve the integrity and confidentiality of data transmitted over the network. It features a range of measures to protect data transmission from unauthorized access,... Read more on category page ▶

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