Microsoft Windows Vista includes a two-way firewall. TO THE TOP

Some of us want to choose what "gets out" and what doesn't. And this info
doesn't work since there is nowhere to make such a change in the Windows
Firewall window that comes up. Configure it - HOW? Can someone explain how
it's configured to actually work without being a programmer writing strange
unknown confusing rules for everything that wants to connect to the net? If
not, can someone recommend a good free easy to use two-way FireWall like
ZoneAlarm that's compatible with Vista? Thanks.


http://www.vistastic.com/2007/03/09/...und-filtering/
I bet you didn't know that Microsoft Windows Vista includes a two-way
firewall.

Unfortunately, the outbound filtering has been disabled. I'm not quite sure
why Microsoft made this decision but from a security point of view it would
have made perfect sense to have it enabled by default. I suspect it's due to
Microsoft not wanting to frustrate customers when their internet dependent
applications suddenly stopped working.
Windows Vista Firewall: How To Turn On Outbound Filtering

* Click the Start Button (Windows Orb)
* In the search bar type "wf.msc" and press the Enter key
* Click the Windows Firewall Properties link
* Change Outbound connections from Allow (default) to Block

From the Windows Firewall with Advanced Security properties you can also
configure additional rules for incoming as well as outbound connections.

On Sat, 14 Feb 2009 02:15:33 -0600, I.C. Greenfields wrote:

> Some of us want to choose what "gets out" and what doesn't. And this info
> doesn't work since there is nowhere to make such a change in the Windows
> Firewall window that comes up. Configure it - HOW? Can someone explain how
> it's configured to actually work without being a programmer writing strange
> unknown confusing rules for everything that wants to connect to the net? If
> not, can someone recommend a good free easy to use two-way FireWall like
> ZoneAlarm that's compatible with Vista? Thanks.
>
>
> http://www.vistastic.com/2007/03/09/...und-filtering/
> I bet you didn't know that Microsoft Windows Vista includes a two-way
> firewall.
>
> Unfortunately, the outbound filtering has been disabled. I'm not quite sure
> why Microsoft made this decision but from a security point of view it would
> have made perfect sense to have it enabled by default. I suspect it's due to
> Microsoft not wanting to frustrate customers when their internet dependent
> applications suddenly stopped working.
> Windows Vista Firewall: How To Turn On Outbound Filtering
>
> * Click the Start Button (Windows Orb)
> * In the search bar type "wf.msc" and press the Enter key
> * Click the Windows Firewall Properties link
> * Change Outbound connections from Allow (default) to Block
>
> From the Windows Firewall with Advanced Security properties you can also
> configure additional rules for incoming as well as outbound connections.

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.

Vista by default contains 82 default filters that prevent 34 services from
communicating out other than on a very narrow set of defined ports.

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

Jesper's Blogs-
At Least This Snake Oil Is Free.
http://msinfluentials.com/blogs/jesp...l-is-free.aspx

Exploring The Windows Firewall.
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/tec...l/default.aspx

Tap into the Vista firewall's advanced configuration features
http://articles.techrepublic.com.com...7-6098592.html

Configure Vista Firewall to support outbound packet filtering
http://searchwindowssecurity.techtar...247138,00.html

Easy guide to make Windows Firewall better in Windows Vista.
http://www.expertvista.com/2009/01/0...dows-firewall/

SolutionBase: Take a look at the Windows Vista Firewall
http://articles.techrepublic.com.com...tag=rbxccnbtr1

Windows Firewall: the best new security feature in Vista?
http://blogs.technet.com/jesper_joha...01/426921.aspx

Managing the Windows Vista Firewall
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/m.../cc510323.aspx
*(read twice!)*

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.

In article <>,
says...
>

> Unfortunately, the outbound filtering has been disabled. I'm not quite sure
> why Microsoft made this decision but from a security point of view it would
> have made perfect sense to have it enabled by default. I suspect it's due to
> Microsoft not wanting to frustrate customers when their internet dependent
> applications suddenly stopped working.

Who need and want to turn it on will also know how to do it.

The opposite would make trouble to huge number of nontech people.
Clicking allow/deny while having no idea what I exactly did
is not more secure and can mess windows alot.




--
Poutnik

"I.C. Greenfields" wrote
> Some of us want to choose what "gets out" and what doesn't. And this info
> doesn't work since there is nowhere to make such a change in the Windows
> Firewall window that comes up. Configure it - HOW? Can someone explain
> how it's configured to actually work without being a programmer writing
> strange unknown confusing rules for everything that wants to connect to
> the net? If not, can someone recommend a good free easy to use two-way
> FireWall like ZoneAlarm that's compatible with Vista? Thanks.
>
>
> http://www.vistastic.com/2007/03/09/...und-filtering/
> I bet you didn't know that Microsoft Windows Vista includes a two-way
> firewall.
>
> Unfortunately, the outbound filtering has been disabled. I'm not quite
> sure why Microsoft made this decision but from a security point of view it
> would have made perfect sense to have it enabled by default. I suspect
> it's due to Microsoft not wanting to frustrate customers when their
> internet dependent applications suddenly stopped working.
> Windows Vista Firewall: How To Turn On Outbound Filtering
>
> * Click the Start Button (Windows Orb)
> * In the search bar type "wf.msc" and press the Enter key
> * Click the Windows Firewall Properties link
> * Change Outbound connections from Allow (default) to Block
>
> From the Windows Firewall with Advanced Security properties you can also
> configure additional rules for incoming as well as outbound connections.

Check this
http://www.sphinx-soft.com/Vista/index.html
Q

"I.C. Greenfields" <> wrote in message
news:...
> Some of us want to choose what "gets out" and what doesn't. And this info
> doesn't work since there is nowhere to make such a change in the Windows
> Firewall window that comes up. Configure it - HOW? Can someone explain
> how it's configured to actually work without being a programmer writing
> strange unknown confusing rules for everything that wants to connect to
> the net? If not, can someone recommend a good free easy to use two-way
> FireWall like ZoneAlarm that's compatible with Vista? Thanks.
>
>
> http://www.vistastic.com/2007/03/09/...und-filtering/
> I bet you didn't know that Microsoft Windows Vista includes a two-way
> firewall.

Windows Firewall with Advanced Security includes an API that allows
services, applications, and installers to write their own ticket through the
firewall. In other words, they can add themselves to the exclusions list.

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/libr...53(VS.85).aspx

So, it doesn't really do what most people think it does.

The key to not having programs make outbound connections, or opening up
ports for receiving unsolicited inbound traffic, is to not run those
programs on
the machine.

Third party firewalls don't make it *that* easy - but they don't make it
much
harder either. They provide the illusion that they can stop outbound
traffic.

I.C. Greenfields wrote:
> Some of us want to choose what "gets out" and what doesn't. And this
> info doesn't work since there is nowhere to make such a change in the
> Windows Firewall window that comes up. Configure it - HOW? Can
> someone explain how it's configured to actually work without being a
> programmer writing strange unknown confusing rules for everything that
> wants to connect to the net? If not, can someone recommend a good free
> easy to use two-way FireWall like ZoneAlarm that's compatible with
> Vista? Thanks.
>
>
> http://www.vistastic.com/2007/03/09/...und-filtering/
>
> I bet you didn't know that Microsoft Windows Vista includes a two-way
> firewall.
>
> Unfortunately, the outbound filtering has been disabled. I'm not quite
> sure why Microsoft made this decision but from a security point of
> view it would have made perfect sense to have it enabled by default. I
> suspect it's due to Microsoft not wanting to frustrate customers when
> their internet dependent applications suddenly stopped working.
> Windows Vista Firewall: How To Turn On Outbound Filtering
>
> * Click the Start Button (Windows Orb)
> * In the search bar type "wf.msc" and press the Enter key
> * Click the Windows Firewall Properties link
> * Change Outbound connections from Allow (default) to Block
>
> From the Windows Firewall with Advanced Security properties you can
> also configure additional rules for incoming as well as outbound
> connections.

MS does not want you to stop them from phoning home. Yet another way
for them to prevent you from having control over your own computer.


--
"Software is like sex, it's better when it's free."
- Linus Torvalds

DRM and unintended consequences:
http://blogs.techrepublic.com.com/se...35&tag=nl.e101

Please don't post to
microsoft.public.vb.vista.compatibility

That group is for programming issues with VB on Vista,
not for discussion of Vista from an end-user point of view.

"FromTheRafters" <> wrote in message
news:...
>
> "I.C. Greenfields" <> wrote in message
> news:...
>> Some of us want to choose what "gets out" and what doesn't. And this
>> info doesn't work since there is nowhere to make such a change in the
>> Windows Firewall window that comes up. Configure it - HOW? Can someone
>> explain how it's configured to actually work without being a programmer
>> writing strange unknown confusing rules for everything that wants to
>> connect to the net? If not, can someone recommend a good free easy to use
>> two-way FireWall like ZoneAlarm that's compatible with Vista? Thanks.
>>
>>
>> http://www.vistastic.com/2007/03/09/...und-filtering/
>> I bet you didn't know that Microsoft Windows Vista includes a two-way
>> firewall.
>
> Windows Firewall with Advanced Security includes an API that allows
> services, applications, and installers to write their own ticket through
> the
> firewall. In other words, they can add themselves to the exclusions list.
>
> http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/libr...53(VS.85).aspx
>
> So, it doesn't really do what most people think it does.
>
> The key to not having programs make outbound connections, or opening up
> ports for receiving unsolicited inbound traffic, is to not run those
> programs on
> the machine.
>
> Third party firewalls don't make it *that* easy - but they don't make it
> much
> harder either. They provide the illusion that they can stop outbound
> traffic.

Which is why I never use the Windows firewall. Every app thinks they are
special and should be able to contact big brother with news about me and
retrieve info on things they feel I need. Some companies are especially bad.
I know because I don't use Windows firewall so I see the requests and deny
them. Over the years it seems to have gotten much worse.

--
Richard Mueller
MVP Directory Services
Hilltop Lab - http://www.rlmueller.net
--

I.C. Greenfields wrote:
> Some of us want to choose what "gets out" and what doesn't. And this
> info doesn't work since there is nowhere to make such a change in the
> Windows Firewall window that comes up. Configure it - HOW? Can someone
> explain how it's configured to actually work without being a programmer
> writing strange unknown confusing rules for everything that wants to
> connect to the net? If not, can someone recommend a good free easy to
> use two-way FireWall like ZoneAlarm that's compatible with Vista? Thanks.
>
>
> http://www.vistastic.com/2007/03/09/...und-filtering/
>
> I bet you didn't know that Microsoft Windows Vista includes a two-way
> firewall.
>
> Unfortunately, the outbound filtering has been disabled. I'm not quite
> sure why Microsoft made this decision but from a security point of view
> it would have made perfect sense to have it enabled by default. I
> suspect it's due to Microsoft not wanting to frustrate customers when
> their internet dependent applications suddenly stopped working.
> Windows Vista Firewall: How To Turn On Outbound Filtering
>
> * Click the Start Button (Windows Orb)
> * In the search bar type "wf.msc" and press the Enter key
> * Click the Windows Firewall Properties link
> * Change Outbound connections from Allow (default) to Block
>
> From the Windows Firewall with Advanced Security properties you can
> also configure additional rules for incoming as well as outbound
> connections.


This is very old "news." For instance, from a post of my own, back in
June of 2007:

Vista's built-in Windows Firewall is adequate for most users, but
not particularly easy to configure. Vista's built-in firewall, although
superior to that of WinXP, is of a rudimentary nature, intended to meet
the simpler needs of most home consumers (or business/enterprise clients
already ensconced behind more advanced perimeter defenses).

One 3rd-party add-on (Sphinx's Vista Firewall Control
http://sphinx-soft.com/Vista/) might make the Vista Firewall a bit more
useful to you, but nothing but a completely independent product will be
able to provide the detailed control you want.

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.

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 better control.


--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

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

The poster formerly known as 'The Poster Formerly Known as Nina DiBoy'
wrote:
> I.C. Greenfields wrote:
>> Some of us want to choose what "gets out" and what doesn't. And this
>> info doesn't work since there is nowhere to make such a change in the
>> Windows Firewall window that comes up. Configure it - HOW? Can
>> someone explain how it's configured to actually work without being a
>> programmer writing strange unknown confusing rules for everything that
>> wants to connect to the net? If not, can someone recommend a good free
>> easy to use two-way FireWall like ZoneAlarm that's compatible with
>> Vista? Thanks.
>>
>>
>> http://www.vistastic.com/2007/03/09/...und-filtering/
>>
>> I bet you didn't know that Microsoft Windows Vista includes a two-way
>> firewall.
>>
>> Unfortunately, the outbound filtering has been disabled. I'm not quite
>> sure why Microsoft made this decision but from a security point of
>> view it would have made perfect sense to have it enabled by default. I
>> suspect it's due to Microsoft not wanting to frustrate customers when
>> their internet dependent applications suddenly stopped working.
>> Windows Vista Firewall: How To Turn On Outbound Filtering
>>
>> * Click the Start Button (Windows Orb)
>> * In the search bar type "wf.msc" and press the Enter key
>> * Click the Windows Firewall Properties link
>> * Change Outbound connections from Allow (default) to Block
>>
>> From the Windows Firewall with Advanced Security properties you can
>> also configure additional rules for incoming as well as outbound
>> connections.
>
> MS does not want you to stop them from phoning home. Yet another way
> for them to prevent you from having control over your own computer.

Can you be more silly?