Windows Firewall

Topic

New Reply

This link takes you to an article on the Outbound Protection of Windows Firewall. Is this a good idea or are there any ‘snags’?
http://www.pcworld.com/article/150735-2/10…t_features.html%5B/url%5D
Sorry I ain’t inserted the link correctly again …. must look back on the help I had previously to do this.
Ron

Reply | Quote

Replies

Configuring outbound control can be confusing. You can pretty easily shutdown outside access for something that you did not intend to shut off. You ought to check out Vista Firewall Control : Sphinx Software for a third party control program that makes the job somewhat easier. Also see Manage Windows Vista Firewall. & Windows Firewall for more information.

BTW, I run multiple Vista systems at work & home with the default firewall settings, no third party firewall, & no third party control software. I find that with a router (hardware firewall), safe computing practices, up-to-date A/V software, & up-to-date anti-spyware I’m adequately protected.

Joe

--Joe

Reply | Quote

Thanks for your input Joe … I guess that its best to leave ‘Firewall’ as is. I use Kaspersky AV 2009 and there is a firewall on my router (I assume it works, I know nothing about it!). Apart from these I simply use what Vista offers and have loaded SpywareBlaster. I also every so often do a software check using Secunia Software Inspector.
If M/S set their Firewall without outbound whatevers I assume they do this for good reasons and I am no expert to say they are wrong.
Thanks again
Ron

Reply | Quote

By default, the Vista firewall has both inbound & outbound policies enabled.

From: Windows Firewall with Advanced Security Getting Started Guide:

“Detailed rules
By default, Windows Firewall is enabled for both inbound and outbound connections. The default policy is to block most inbound connections and allow outbound connections. You can use the Windows Firewall with Advanced Security interface to configure rules for both inbound and outbound connections. Windows Firewall with Advanced Security also supports the filtering of any Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) protocol numbers, while previous versions of Windows Firewall supported filtering only UDP, TCP, and ICMP. Windows Firewall with Advanced Security supports configuration of Active Directory®domain service accounts and groups, application names, TCP, UDP, ICMPv4, ICMPv6, local and remote IP addresses, interface types and protocols, and ICMP type and code filtering.”

There is a lot of reading you can do at the Microsoft technet site about the firewall if you care to.

Joe

--Joe

Reply | Quote