Update applies unwanted firewall settings

After each update my third-party firewall application is reset with settings
that make it impossible to use the internet. My only option is to disable the
firewall and use Windows Security Center's firewall instead. I've given up
hope of being able to get workable settings back on the third-party
softeware, but at least it would be nice to be able to stop Windows Update
from creating this situation with every update. Any advice? (I could
uninstall the third party application but I am using some components of it)

Please state your full Windows version (e.g., WinXP SP3; Vista SP1) when
posting to this newsgroup.

What third-party firewall and version is installed (e.g., ZoneAlarm Free
v7.0.482.0000)?

Which update(s) cause the problem?

You may want to see...

The version of AFD.SYS that is released together with security update 956189
(MS08-037) and security update 956803 (MS08-066) has an application
compatibility issue:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/958752
--
~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
MS MVP-IE, Mail, Security, Windows Desktop Experience - since 2002
AumHa VSOP & Admin http://aumha.net
DTS-L http://dts-l.net/

will wrote:
> After each update my third-party firewall application is reset with
> settings
> that make it impossible to use the internet. My only option is to disable
> the firewall and use Windows Security Center's firewall instead. I've
> given
> up hope of being able to get workable settings back on the third-party
> softeware, but at least it would be nice to be able to stop Windows Update
> from creating this situation with every update. Any advice? (I could
> uninstall the third party application but I am using some components of
> it)

will wrote:
> After each update my third-party firewall application is reset with
> settings that make it impossible to use the internet. My only
> option is to disable the firewall and use Windows Security Center's
> firewall instead. I've given up hope of being able to get workable
> settings back on the third-party softeware, but at least it would
> be nice to be able to stop Windows Update from creating this
> situation with every update. Any advice? (I could uninstall the
> third party application but I am using some components of it)

Not specific at all.
Please provide specifics.

What is your third party firewall software (name and version)?
What operating system (name, version and service pack level)?
What was the last update (by KB number) you installed that supposedly caused
this issue?

Something to note: If the problem is that the third-party software's
settings are being reset, that is a problem you should likely take up with
the third party manufacturer. Microsoft is taking care of their product(s),
not the third party products.

--
Shenan Stanley
MS-MVP
--
How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

I hope the following is the information you were requesting:

WinXP-Pro SP3
Firewall: CA, Inc. (Computer Associates) Security Center 3.2.1.18, which
includes Personal Firewall 9.1.0.38.

The most recent updates that appear to have had the result I reported (more
details below) were November 13: KB890830, KB957097, KB954459, KB955069,
KB954430.

I had the Windows updates configured to check for updates and run
automatically at 3 AM every night. The morning after the most recent updates
I found the computer had rebooted and there was a message in the system tray
that updates had been installed. When I tried to launch Internet Explorer I
started getting notifications from the CA firewall software, which I had
turned off because of previous similar problems following Windows Updates. So
the current situation is that when Windows Update runs, it apparently
re-enables the CA Firewall.

Going back to when this first happened: unfortunately I do not know for sure
because it took me awhile to notice the pattern that the firewall problem
resumed after Windows Update ran and rebooted my computer overnight.

In any case, prior to the first time this happened, I had the CA Firewall
notifications turned off. So the first time it happened, in addition to
re-enabling the firewall, the notifications were also re-enabled. I am
certain that I did not enable them myself.

I'm not sure what other settings may have changed, but in any case, even
after spending alot of time trying to tweak the settings in CA, I could not
launch Internet Explorer without getting repeated messages from CA, to the
effect of "Repeat application notice: Internet Explorer is trying to access
the internet. Allow? Yes/No/remember this action). I could click Yes, and
also remember this action, and would still get these messages popping up over
and over. At that point I decided to try disabling the firewall and of course
that worked. So since that first time my intention has been to leave the CA
firewall off. Yet at least twice since then, following the windows updates,
the CA notices started appearing, and upon checking the CA settings I found
the firewall had indeed been re-enabled.

At this point, though I have given up on reconfiguring CA firewall so it can
be used again, I would at least like to know if there is a way to prevent the
firewall from being turned on when Windows Updates runs.

Thanks for any assistance.

Will



"PA Bear [MS MVP]" wrote:

> Please state your full Windows version (e.g., WinXP SP3; Vista SP1) when
> posting to this newsgroup.
>
> What third-party firewall and version is installed (e.g., ZoneAlarm Free
> v7.0.482.0000)?
>
> Which update(s) cause the problem?
>
> You may want to see...
>
> The version of AFD.SYS that is released together with security update 956189
> (MS08-037) and security update 956803 (MS08-066) has an application
> compatibility issue:
> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/958752
> --
> ~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
> MS MVP-IE, Mail, Security, Windows Desktop Experience - since 2002
> AumHa VSOP & Admin http://aumha.net
> DTS-L http://dts-l.net/
>
> will wrote:
> > After each update my third-party firewall application is reset with
> > settings
> > that make it impossible to use the internet. My only option is to disable
> > the firewall and use Windows Security Center's firewall instead. I've
> > given
> > up hope of being able to get workable settings back on the third-party
> > softeware, but at least it would be nice to be able to stop Windows Update
> > from creating this situation with every update. Any advice? (I could
> > uninstall the third party application but I am using some components of
> > it)
>
>

Ignore my previous reference to KB958752; it does not apply here.

Is your CA Internet Security (Security Center) subscription current, Will?

When you disabled the CA Firewall, did you then enable the Windows Firewall?

Can you access (open) Start | Settings | Control Panel | Security Center?
If you can, what is the reported status for (1) anti-virus, (2) firewall,
and (3) Automatic Updates?

I don't see how any of those updates [i.e., Malicious Software Removal Tool;
MS08-068/SMB; MS08-069/XML Core 6.0; MS08-069/XML Core 3.0; MS08-069/XML
Core 4.0] would have had any affect on the CA Firewall.

However, the CA suite includes "system protections" which disallow you to
disable the CA Firewall (and so re-enable it if found to be disabled).
Also, the CA suite's Security Center may have replaced/overridden the
Windows Security Center (which is why I ask about the latter above).

When you install a Windows Update, you're making changes to the system. As
such, the act of installing the updates may kick the CA Security Center into
action. When this happens, it "sees" that the CA Firewall is not enabled so
it "protects" you (by default, I'll add) by re-enabling it.

Contact CA Support about this. (You paid for the support with your
subscription.)

will wrote:
> I hope the following is the information you were requesting:
>
> WinXP-Pro SP3
> Firewall: CA, Inc. (Computer Associates) Security Center 3.2.1.18, which
> includes Personal Firewall 9.1.0.38.
>
> The most recent updates that appear to have had the result I reported
> (more
> details below) were November 13: KB890830, KB957097, KB954459, KB955069,
> KB954430.
>
> I had the Windows updates configured to check for updates and run
> automatically at 3 AM every night. The morning after the most recent
> updates
> I found the computer had rebooted and there was a message in the system
> tray
> that updates had been installed. When I tried to launch Internet Explorer
> I
> started getting notifications from the CA firewall software, which I had
> turned off because of previous similar problems following Windows Updates.
> So the current situation is that when Windows Update runs, it apparently
> re-enables the CA Firewall.
>
> Going back to when this first happened: unfortunately I do not know for
> sure
> because it took me awhile to notice the pattern that the firewall problem
> resumed after Windows Update ran and rebooted my computer overnight.
>
> In any case, prior to the first time this happened, I had the CA Firewall
> notifications turned off. So the first time it happened, in addition to
> re-enabling the firewall, the notifications were also re-enabled. I am
> certain that I did not enable them myself.
>
> I'm not sure what other settings may have changed, but in any case, even
> after spending alot of time trying to tweak the settings in CA, I could
> not
> launch Internet Explorer without getting repeated messages from CA, to the
> effect of "Repeat application notice: Internet Explorer is trying to
> access
> the internet. Allow? Yes/No/remember this action). I could click Yes, and
> also remember this action, and would still get these messages popping up
> over and over. At that point I decided to try disabling the firewall and
> of
> course that worked. So since that first time my intention has been to
> leave
> the CA firewall off. Yet at least twice since then, following the windows
> updates, the CA notices started appearing, and upon checking the CA
> settings I found the firewall had indeed been re-enabled.
>
> At this point, though I have given up on reconfiguring CA firewall so it
> can
> be used again, I would at least like to know if there is a way to prevent
> the firewall from being turned on when Windows Updates runs.
>
> Thanks for any assistance.
>
> Will
>
>
>
> "PA Bear [MS MVP]" wrote:
>
>> Please state your full Windows version (e.g., WinXP SP3; Vista SP1) when
>> posting to this newsgroup.
>>
>> What third-party firewall and version is installed (e.g., ZoneAlarm Free
>> v7.0.482.0000)?
>>
>> Which update(s) cause the problem?
>>
>> You may want to see...
>>
>> The version of AFD.SYS that is released together with security update
>> 956189 (MS08-037) and security update 956803 (MS08-066) has an
>> application
>> compatibility issue:
>> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/958752
>> --
>> ~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
>> MS MVP-IE, Mail, Security, Windows Desktop Experience - since 2002
>> AumHa VSOP & Admin http://aumha.net
>> DTS-L http://dts-l.net/
>>
>> will wrote:
>>> After each update my third-party firewall application is reset with
>>> settings
>>> that make it impossible to use the internet. My only option is to
>>> disable
>>> the firewall and use Windows Security Center's firewall instead. I've
>>> given
>>> up hope of being able to get workable settings back on the third-party
>>> softeware, but at least it would be nice to be able to stop Windows
>>> Update
>>> from creating this situation with every update. Any advice? (I could
>>> uninstall the third party application but I am using some components of
>>> it)

Thanks PA Bear,

See below:

"PA Bear [MS MVP]" wrote:


> Is your CA Internet Security (Security Center) subscription current, Will?

Yes

> When you disabled the CA Firewall, did you then enable the Windows Firewall?

Yes

> Can you access (open) Start | Settings | Control Panel | Security Center?
> If you can, what is the reported status for (1) anti-virus,

Says CA antivirus is enabled and up to date
(2) firewall
Says Windows firewall is on
> and (3) Automatic Updates?
Off-I recently turned off pending resolution of this issue
>
> CA suite includes "system protections" which disallow you to
> disable the CA Firewall (and so re-enable it if found to be disabled).
> Also, the CA suite's Security Center may have replaced/overridden the
> Windows Security Center (which is why I ask about the latter above).

I have been checking and it appears to me that even though CA firewall gets
reenabled, the Windows firewall remains enabled as well.

> When you install a Windows Update, you're making changes to the system. As
> such, the act of installing the updates may kick the CA Security Center into
> action. When this happens, it "sees" that the CA Firewall is not enabled so
> it "protects" you (by default, I'll add) by re-enabling it.

I thought that might be happening, but had hoped that having the Windows
firewall enabled would pre-empt that.

> Contact CA Support about this. (You paid for the support with your
> subscription.)

Will do, wish me luck and thanks again!

> will wrote:
> > I hope the following is the information you were requesting:
> >
> > WinXP-Pro SP3
> > Firewall: CA, Inc. (Computer Associates) Security Center 3.2.1.18, which
> > includes Personal Firewall 9.1.0.38.
> >

YW & best of luck. Let us know how you make out.

PS: If you upgraded to CA Internet Security v3.2.1.18 (2008?) from an
earlier version (e.g., CA Internet Security 2007), it may behoove you to (1)
make sure you have a copy of your Product ID, (2) uninstall CA Internet
Security v3.2.1.18 via Add/Remove Programs & reboot, then (3) reinstall it.
Many such "suites" tend not to upgrade cleanly.

will wrote:
> Thanks PA Bear,
>
> See below:
>
> "PA Bear [MS MVP]" wrote:
>
>
>> Is your CA Internet Security (Security Center) subscription current,
>> Will?
>
> Yes
>
>> When you disabled the CA Firewall, did you then enable the Windows
>> Firewall?
>
> Yes
>
>> Can you access (open) Start | Settings | Control Panel | Security Center?
>> If you can, what is the reported status for (1) anti-virus,
>
> Says CA antivirus is enabled and up to date
> (2) firewall
> Says Windows firewall is on
>> and (3) Automatic Updates?
> Off-I recently turned off pending resolution of this issue
>>
>> CA suite includes "system protections" which disallow you to
>> disable the CA Firewall (and so re-enable it if found to be disabled).
>> Also, the CA suite's Security Center may have replaced/overridden the
>> Windows Security Center (which is why I ask about the latter above).
>
> I have been checking and it appears to me that even though CA firewall
> gets
> reenabled, the Windows firewall remains enabled as well.
>
>> When you install a Windows Update, you're making changes to the system.
>> As
>> such, the act of installing the updates may kick the CA Security Center
>> into action. When this happens, it "sees" that the CA Firewall is not
>> enabled so it "protects" you (by default, I'll add) by re-enabling it.
>
> I thought that might be happening, but had hoped that having the Windows
> firewall enabled would pre-empt that.
>
>> Contact CA Support about this. (You paid for the support with your
>> subscription.)
>
> Will do, wish me luck and thanks again!
>
>> will wrote:
>>> I hope the following is the information you were requesting:
>>>
>>> WinXP-Pro SP3
>>> Firewall: CA, Inc. (Computer Associates) Security Center 3.2.1.18, which
>>> includes Personal Firewall 9.1.0.38.

I think I'm having a similar problem:

I have Vista installed and recently completed the Nov '08 security update.
I access my email through www.us.army.mil - Army Knowledge Online (AKO).
After completing this update, I can't access AKO. I can get on any other
website - secure and unsecure - that I've tried, both with Internet Explorer
as well as Firefox. I went to the security settings on the control panel and
saw that for firewalls, I have Symantec, Norton Internet Security, and
Windows firewall installed - Windows firewall is the only one NOT running
right now. I cannot find Norton Internet Security on the programs menu. Any
help would be appreciated.

Brian

"will" wrote:

> After each update my third-party firewall application is reset with settings
> that make it impossible to use the internet. My only option is to disable the
> firewall and use Windows Security Center's firewall instead. I've given up
> hope of being able to get workable settings back on the third-party
> softeware, but at least it would be nice to be able to stop Windows Update
> from creating this situation with every update. Any advice? (I could
> uninstall the third party application but I am using some components of it)