What are your thoughts about Windows Vista Firewall?

My OS is Windows Vista Home Premium.

What are your opinions on Vista’s firewall?
Should I be using something like Zone Alarm (free)?

Thanks

Mopar

 

According to Scott Finnie, something of an expert on software firewalls, it's probably better.

http://www.scotsnewsletter.com/index.htm

 

Go to www.grc.com, click shields up and proceed, and run the tests in the shieldsup!! services box. Mine makes my computer totally invisable on the web. However, Zomealarm free is more optimzeable, and I prefer it for 32 bit Vista; it's not available free for the 64 bit editions.

 

James, thanks for your help, interesting reading.

sparrow, thanks, not as lucky as you, I need to do some work.


mopar

 

broni

Same problem, out bound did not pass, think I'll try ZA

Thanks

mopar

 

I highly recommend Sunbelt's firewall. It will give you 30 days in the Pro or paid-mode and then simply drop a few options and become the free version. It's an excellent firewall and will certainly pass all the tests.

You can find it here:

http://www.sunbelt-software.com/Home-Home-Office/Sunbelt-Personal-Firewall/

 

James

Thanks for your reply, however Sunbelt is not conpatiable to Vista, according to their web page any way.

broni

Conodo looks good maybe give it a try, how ever I did find this, it to looks interesting. - http://www.pcworld.com/downloads/file/fid,64950/description.html

Thanks for all the help

mopar

 

comodo is awesome and its free and it passes all inbound and outbound security test. great program works also with vista.

 

By default, the windows vista firewall is very poor at outbound traffic. However, this can be changed. The simplest way to do this is to install Vista Firewall Control which is a frontend for the Vista firewall. This program will turn on outbound protection. For every program that accesses the Internet, VFC will prompt to enable all, disable all, and you can allow the program once, or always. This is what I use (so I essentially use vista firewall with a frontend) and i find it works extremly well.

 

Kevin523 - i learned a little more about vista. i assume its like a plugin module. did not know that so thanks for that.

how does it fair when say running the symantec security scan or any other scan found on the web ???

 

Maybe I'm not understanding you correctly, but Vista Firewall Cpmtrol is just that, a way to control the built-in Vista firewall. It's essentially a frontend to control and simplify the windows vista firewall settings. There is a free and pro version. I'm using the free version and buy default it enables both inbound and outbound traffic monitoring. It doesn't allow programs to access the internet without your permission (by default vista firewall allows all programs access to the internet).

 

kevin523

this is what i was asking -

http://security.symantec.com/sscv6/default.asp?langid=ie&venid=sym

 

Now I get what you're talking about, my apologies. I actually use the symantec security/antivirus check once in a while myself. I believe the security check just does some basic firewall checks to ensure you have a firewall running. If you're using vista firewall control, it will pass the symantec security scans.

I believe (but don't quote me on it) but I think it also checks to ensure that you have the latest updates installed from Microsoft.

Just be sure you have an antivirus installed with on guard protection/real time protection (I use Avira Antivir Personal Edition Classic, which is free. It does have an annoying ad for you to buy their pro version when you update the virus definitions, but this is minor to me) as your main antivirus. The symantec scan would be better as a second opinion antivirus scan, which is the way I use it.

 

kevin523

im a big fan of antivir. the popup ad is not big deal just one aint no big deal. i use on all my machines and new machines to my clients unless they have kids that do i.m. then i suggest using bitdefender. im not a fan anymore of norton or mcafee theyve got to bloated and when they error its impossible to fix without rebuilding the machine. at least thats the response i have gotten from both of them. only thing about bitdefender i dont like and they wont listen to me is the way they handle spams. they just mark the subject line with spam but keep in the inbox. havent met anyone who likes that. having a spam folder and have the spams auto go to the spam folder to me is a better way of handling them.