FIREWALL freeware program?

[attorneyatlaw]

Hi all...

I am looking for a FREEWARE Firewall program for Windows XP. I just
started using the freeware program "Softperfect Personal Firewall." I
was curious if this program was any good and/or if there was anything
better available.

Long story short.. I have been getting a TON of virus/spyware on my
system. Indeed, upon formatting my hard driving and ATTEMPTING to
download the most recent patches for XP, I ended up with 3 viruses and
NUMEROUS spyware programs... As soon as I started using this
"Softperfect Personal Firewall" program I haven't gotten a virus
since... Therefore.... its now FINALLY clear to me I DEFINITELY need a
Firewall. (I know XP has it built in, but I can't download the patch
without first getting a virus).

Therefore.. if anybody has any suggestions on a freeware program for
FIREWALL protection, please let me know. If you think "Softperfect
Personal Firewall" is good, please let me know so I won't have to worry
about searching for a better program.

Thanks GREATLY in advance!!

 

[meowmom]

This is THE SWEETEST lil firewall prog I have EVER used! and yes it's FREE!

No nuttin-ware about it, and simple to set up. Been running it for most a
yr. and every so often I go and run some tests (I'll post the site later)
and nuttin ever gets thru:






Click this page:
http://www.r-firewall.com/

 

[Steven Burn]

Hi all...

<snip>

Prefer the PFV of Tiny Personal Firewall myself, but thats just me;

http://freeware.it-mate.co.uk/?Cat=Security#94

As for the patch issue, you really should consider slipstreaming the SP's into the installation, and having backups of security programs on CD as a system should never be allowed access to the net without protection (even when your only accessing WU to download updates)

For slipstreaming, see;

http://www.theeldergeek.com/slipstreamed_xpsp2_cd.htm
http://www.petri.co.il/windows_2000_xp_sp_slipstreaming.htm
http://www.maximumpc.com/how_to/reprint_2005-01-05.html
http://www.pcstats.com/articleview.cfm?articleID=1626

.... and whilst your at it, consider AutoPatcher for your toolkit;

http://www.autopatcher.com/

--
Regards

Steven Burn
Ur I.T. Mate Group
www.it-mate.co.uk

Keeping it FREE!

 

[André Gulliksen]

Long story short.. I have been getting a TON of virus/spyware on my
system. Indeed, upon formatting my hard driving and ATTEMPTING to
download the most recent patches for XP, I ended up with 3 viruses and
NUMEROUS spyware programs... As soon as I started using this
"Softperfect Personal Firewall" program I haven't gotten a virus
since... Therefore.... its now FINALLY clear to me I DEFINITELY need
a Firewall. (I know XP has it built in, but I can't download the
patch without first getting a virus).

What patch? Plain XP has a (basic) firewall, you don't need no patch. You
just need to activate it by hand. Preferably before connecting to the net.

 

[Steven Burn]

What patch? Plain XP has a (basic) firewall, you don't need no patch. You
just need to activate it by hand. Preferably before connecting to the net.

Presuming you've not seen this then?.......

Backdoor Access To Windows Firewall
http://www.spywareinfo.net/mar13,2005#firewall

--
Regards

Steven Burn
Ur I.T. Mate Group
www.it-mate.co.uk

Keeping it FREE!

 

[André Gulliksen]

http://www.spywareinfo.net/mar13,2005#firewall

"Any application running on the computer simply is allowed to edit the
registry and have itself exempted from the firewall's rules."

Pardon my french, but I suggest you immediately look for updates at the
website of whatever vendor sold you your bullshit detector. This link only
states that a program executed locally (with administrator privileges, I
might add) is capable of bypassing your firewall. Well, of bloody course it
is!

This is not a Microsoft problem, and it is not a "glaring hole". This so
called "hole" applies to every damn personal firewall, anti virus program,
malware removal tool and solitaire game you can mention. If a malicious
program is allowed to execute with admin privileges on your computer then
the _damage_is_done_! The security challenge is to prevent this from
happening in the first place, for instance by closing down remote access to
ports that can potentially be used in buffer overflow attacks like the ones
used by the Blaster, Sasser, Slammer and Code Red worms. AFAIK, the builtin
Windows XP firewall does this job, with or without service packs or patches.

 

[me]

(e-mail address removed) wrote in

Hi all...

I am looking for a FREEWARE Firewall program for Windows
XP. I just started using the freeware program "Softperfect
Personal Firewall." I was curious if this program was any
good and/or if there was anything better available.

Long story short.. I have been getting a TON of
virus/spyware on my system. Indeed, upon formatting my
hard driving and ATTEMPTING to download the most recent
patches for XP, I ended up with 3 viruses and NUMEROUS
spyware programs... As soon as I started using this
"Softperfect Personal Firewall" program I haven't gotten a
virus since... Therefore.... its now FINALLY clear to me I
DEFINITELY need a Firewall. (I know XP has it built in,
but I can't download the patch without first getting a
virus).

Therefore.. if anybody has any suggestions on a freeware
program for FIREWALL protection, please let me know. If
you think "Softperfect Personal Firewall" is good, please
let me know so I won't have to worry about searching for a
better program.

Thanks GREATLY in advance!!

Perhaps you should start with reading:
http://www.cablemodemhelp.com/xpsurvivalguide.pdf

Given your situation, try to get in on another PC.

J

 

[elaich]

What patch? Plain XP has a (basic) firewall, you don't need no patch.
You just need to activate it by hand. Preferably before connecting to
the net.

A one way firewall (inbound) is no real firewall at all.

After trying many different firewalls (and using Kerio 2.1.5 for years) I
have now settled on Sygate Personal Firewall as my favorite. The free
version does all a home user needs.

http://soho.sygate.com/products/spf_standard.htm

 

[El Gee]

A one way firewall (inbound) is no real firewall at all.

After trying many different firewalls (and using Kerio 2.1.5 for
years) I have now settled on Sygate Personal Firewall as my favorite.
The free version does all a home user needs.

http://soho.sygate.com/products/spf_standard.htm

I will second that. I was a Zone Alarm fan until I saw Sygate.

--
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
El Gee <><
Know Christ, Know Peace
No Christ, No Peace

Remove yourhat to reply
Home Page - www.mistergeek.com
Blog - mcwtlg.blogspot.com
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

 

[Libor Striz]

Kerio personal Firewall is quite stable on my Win98SE. Note that
4.1.x are last versions running on that OS.
--
"Libor the Wanderer" <[email protected]>

Any supposed offense is because of bad english a/o formulation
and was not intended.
ForPrivateResponseRemoveDelAndThisFromAboveAddress.

 

[André Gulliksen]

A one way firewall (inbound) is no real firewall at all.

It is sufficient to protect your computer from worms while you are
installing all necessary updates, another firewall etc, which seemed to be
OPs problem.

 

[Annie]

Outpost firewall is my favourite i use it for many years!

 

[Franklin]

On Sun 13 Mar 2005 23:18:27, wrote:

Perhaps you should start with reading:
http://www.cablemodemhelp.com/xpsurvivalguide.pdf

Given your situation, try to get in on another PC.

Quite a nice document for someone with a new PC and who doesn't know
what to do or what to believe.

 

[T. Denford]

I will second that. I was a Zone Alarm fan until I saw Sygate.

I have been using Sygate for a few years now and it's vey easy to use for
the novice ... just install the software and bingo! ... it's an application
based software firewall rather than a rule based one so when an application
is wanting access to the internet, the software will ask you if you want to
allow it access. Very easy to use!

One note on this though ... the latest version when installed on Windows
2000 generates an error upon reboot ... apparently this is due to be fixed
when the next update arrives!?!?!?!? Can someone please confirm this? I
seem to remember reading this on a website somewhere recently but couldn't
find any supporting information on the Sygate site.

 

[El Gee]

One note on this though ... the latest version when installed on
Windows 2000 generates an error upon reboot ... apparently this is due
to be fixed when the next update arrives!?!?!?!? Can someone please
confirm this? I seem to remember reading this on a website somewhere
recently but couldn't find any supporting information on the Sygate
site.

Never had this problem and I used it on Win2K for a long time. I am
using XP now, and still no problems. Version 5.6 Build 2808.

--
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
El Gee <><
Know Christ, Know Peace
No Christ, No Peace

Remove yourhat to reply
Home Page - www.mistergeek.com
Blog - mcwtlg.blogspot.com
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++