if an outdated, vulnerable but clean Windows machine is connected to network behind router, can it be detected and attacked?

Posted by EndangeringSpecies on Super User See other posts from Super User or by EndangeringSpecies
Published on 2012-04-14T13:06:13Z Indexed on 2012/04/14 23:34 UTC
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suppose the machine is clean of all malware but not in any sense updated, patched, secured etc. Suppose I connect it to the internet from behind wireless router with the intent of using it only on a few trusted sites and only there. Or, for the sake of argument, maybe I wouldn't do any browsing at all, just let it sit there connected to the network. This is all happening in a residential situation with cable internet.

In this situation can a remote attacker somehow detect the fact that the machine is connected to the internet and try connecting to do an exploit?

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