Firewall Problem

[vistanovice]

Can anyone recommend a good firewall for vista?Zone alarm wont install properly, PC Tools firewall plus, restricts programs (avast, netgear, system mechanic etc) without giving me the option to unblock, and im unsure about just using the windows default one.Can anyone recommend one that actually works properly in vista?


Post Originated from http://www.VistaForums.com Vista Support Forums

 

[Mick Murphy]

The default Vista Firewall is the best one for Vista!
Here is some info on how to use it.

http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/Windows/en-US/Help/230d8c47-ee63-47e1-a1f6-a1d38b07dbee1033.mspx

 

[Root Kit]

Can anyone recommend a good firewall for vista?

Yes. The build-in one.

 

[Kayman]

Can anyone recommend a good firewall for vista?Zone alarm wont install properly, PC Tools firewall plus, restricts programs (avast, netgear, system mechanic etc) without giving me the option to unblock, and im unsure about just using the windows default one.Can anyone recommend one that actually works properly in vista?

You are not going to find anything better than the Vista FW and Vista in
itself due to the advanced features the FW and Vista are using.

PFW Criticism.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Personal_firewall#Criticisms

Jesper's Blogs-
At Least This Snake Oil Is Free.
http://msinfluentials.com/blogs/jesper/archive/2007/07/19/at-least-this-snake-oil-is-free.aspx
Windows Firewall: the best new security feature in Vista?
http://blogs.technet.com/jesper_johansson/archive/2006/05/01/426921.aspx

Managing the Windows Vista Firewall
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/magazine/cc510323.aspx

Exploring The Windows Firewall.
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/technetmag/issues/2007/06/VistaFirewall/default.aspx
"If you try to block outbound connections from a computer that’s already
compromised, how can you be sure that the computer is really doing what you
ask? The answer: you can’t. Outbound protection is security theater—it’s a
gimmick that only gives the impression of improving your security without
doing anything that actually does improve your security. This is why
outbound protection didn’t exist in the Windows XP firewall and why it
doesn’t exist in the Windows Vista™ firewall."

Tap into the Vista firewall's advanced configuration features
http://articles.techrepublic.com.com/5100-10877-6098592.html
"...once you discover the secret of accessing its advanced configuration
settings via the MMC snap-in, you'll find it to be far more configurable
and functional. At last, Windows comes with a sophisticated personal
firewall that can be used to set up outbound rules as well as inbound, with
the ability to customize rules to fit your precise needs."
Or
Configure Vista Firewall to support outbound packet filtering
http://searchwindowssecurity.techtarget.com/tip/0,289483,sid45_gci1247138,00.html
Or
Vista Firewall Control (Free versions available).
Protects your applications from undesirable network incoming and outgoing
activity, controls applications internet access.
http://sphinx-soft.com/Vista/
The free version may be all you need, check the comparisons under
the "Download and Buy" link.

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

Can anyone recommend a good firewall for vista?Zone alarm
wont install properly, PC Tools firewall plus, restricts
programs (avast, netgear, system mechanic etc) without
giving me the option to unblock, and im unsure about just
using the windows default one.Can anyone recommend one that
actually works properly in vista?

I recommend the firewall that comes with Vista itself. Third-party
firewalls are no better, and unnecessary.

 

[Spirit]

Use a Router with built-in firewall in addition to the Windows Software
Firewall. You'll be extra safe.

in message news:uRFTuPT%[email protected]...

 

[Beoweolf]

There must be something more to this inability to install Windows firewall?
Did you by chance install Norton, Symantec firewall before? Those 2 (and
others) have a nasty habit of leaving behind droppings, even when
uninstalled using the proper, provided uninstall program.

Whatever they leave behind, has a knack of preventing Vista FW from
starting, usually preceded by a message that says something about FW
prevented from starting ..... or uninstall xxxx before starting FW. You
might check the Vendor site, see if they have a "cleaner" that will remove
their leftover messes.

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Can anyone recommend a good firewall for vista?Zone alarm wont install properly, PC Tools firewall plus, restricts programs (avast, netgear, system mechanic etc) without giving me the option to unblock, and im unsure about just using the windows default one.Can anyone recommend one that actually works properly in vista?

Vista's built-in firewall is perfectly adequate for most people.
While it's not quite up to the ease-of-use standards of Kerio or
ZoneAlarm, it has been noticeably improved over WinXP's version.

There are two interfaces for Vistas built-in firewall:

1) A simplified one accessed through the Control Panel that is the only
one most people see. To further supplement this view, Sphinx's Vista
Firewall Control http://sphinx-soft.com/Vista/) is a piece of freeware
that makes the Vista Firewall much more easily manageable to the average
user.

2) And the more advanced "Windows Firewall with Advanced Security
(WF.msc), accessed via the Start Menu's Administrative Tools folder, for
the experienced user who wants more granular control.



--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:


http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/555375

They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. ~Benjamin Franklin

Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do. ~Bertrand Russell

The philosopher has never killed any priests, whereas the priest has
killed a great many philosophers.
~ Denis Diderot

 

[Kayman]

Can anyone recommend a good firewall for vista?Zone alarm wont install properly, PC Tools firewall plus, restricts programs (avast, netgear, system mechanic etc) without giving me the option to unblock, and im unsure about just using the windows default one.Can anyone recommend one that actually works properly in vista?

In addition to my response of 08-Aug-08 5:30:12 PM please listen what the
real experts have to say about 3rd party software firewalls (PFW):

1. On August 07, 2007, the software engineers/programmers of Sunbelt
Software
(the makers of Sunbelt Personal Firewall) have raised reservations about
the usefulness of outbound protection provided by personal firewalls (PFW)
in cases where malware has already executed and describe it as a
questionable basis on which to build a *security* assessment.

2. Furthermore, during a interview with Leo Laporte (August 16, 2007),
Steve
Gibson, of Gibson Research Corporation said that he has given up updating
his *'Firewall Leak Test'* application because he found it essentially
worthless to continue and admitted a software-based firewall (PFW) is kind
of pointless to employ.

3. And, a rational appraisal by Steve Riley concerning *security* related
3rd
party software applications (August 06, 2008).

In general, it's a bad idea to use third-party "replacements" for critical
parts of the operating system. While I'll never claim that our software is
bug-free, I feel pretty certain that some shady no-charge download that
tries to replace or improve on some aspect of the security subsystem hasn't
gone through any kind of testing like we do: the SDL, automated fuzz and
penetration testing, and threat modeling. My advice: stay away from stuff
like this.
[unquote]

Steve Riley [MSFT Senior Security Strategist]
(e-mail address removed)
http://blogs.technet.com/steriley
http://www.protectyourwindowsnetwork.com

4. Also in TechNet Magazine (June 2008).
Jesper M. Johansson
Senior Security Strategist in the Security Technology Unit at MSFT.
Managing the Windows Vista Firewall
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/magazine/cc510323.aspx

....outbound filtering will stop the worm from infecting other systems or
will stop the attacker from communicating out. This is *not* true.
[unquote]

If I were you I'd be guided accordingly