Main Area and Open Discussion > General Software Discussion
Stop Windows from calling home
Josh:
I have yet to see where you say it is not useful. You merely point out features it does not have and is not designed to have. If you install bad stuff, then your A/V or spyware app should catch it. Windows firewall routinely prompts me when a new program attempts to establish a connection.
So basically, because this firewall does not do application filtering (web content, etc) it is not a good measure to have? Most of what you have listed here is speculative and has not shown me a truly valid reason to disable something that, for most, will do what it is supposed to (filter traffic). It is not a PIX device or a router with the firewall feature set, it is a firewall designed to be operated at the lowest level, the host. Let the antivirii and spyware apps do what they are supposed to do but don't tell a user they should disable the windows firewall because it is useless when there is no backing for that claim.
y0himba:
At the very least the Windows firewall is yet another layer that needs to be penetrated to allow access to your computer. Whether or not it can be bypassed, as can ANY firewall or software is not a valid point when determining its usefulness. If you need at least one reason why, it HELPS prevent problems. I have used the Windows firewall for quite a few years in conjunction with my router's built in security features and firewall, and have found that the Windows firewall, even though it started simple, added an easy to use, unobtrusive layer of protection and sense of security.
From what I have seen above, you have given us nothing but the usual "I hate Windows/Microsoft" diatribe, which always comes with no hard evidence, just empty statements on how useless or horrible MS and it's software is.
Show us facts, reports, white papers, examples or stories?
Tuxman:
Windows firewall routinely prompts me when a new program attempts to establish a connection.-Josh (January 04, 2010, 05:29 PM)
--- End quote ---
If this prompt is not clicked away automatically (or the malware even installs a rule there), you'll still have to consider that explorer.exe is not explorer.exe, right?
Still, the problem is the user here. You can't compensate that with a software.
Tuxman:
Whether or not it can be bypassed, as can ANY firewall or software is not a valid point when determining its usefulness.-y0himba (January 04, 2010, 05:30 PM)
--- End quote ---
Of course it is. Security software that can be bypassed simply doesn't protect you. Period.
If you need at least one reason why, it HELPS prevent problems.-y0himba (January 04, 2010, 05:30 PM)
--- End quote ---
How?
and have found that the Windows firewall, even though it started simple, added an easy to use, unobtrusive layer of protection and sense of security. -y0himba (January 04, 2010, 05:30 PM)
--- End quote ---
Placebo effect?
From what I have seen above, you have given us nothing but the usual "I hate Windows/Microsoft" diatribe, which always comes with no hard evidence, just empty statements on how useless or horrible MS and it's software is.-y0himba (January 04, 2010, 05:30 PM)
--- End quote ---
I am a proud Windows user. You won't get me this way.
(BTW: Every firewall software has, as all other software products, potential holes itself, so it may even make you even more insecure.)
f0dder:
1) what Josh said
2) what Josh said
3) what Josh said - besides the firewall gets the packets before passing them on to the application layer, which is... surprise surprise... the purpose of a firewall. As long as there isn't a severe bug in the TCP/IP stack or the firewall code, this is perfectly fine, even if you're silly and run your box DMZ.
4) what Josh said
5) what Josh said
The Windows Firewall is a firewall, and it is useful - it guards you against automated service attacks. Which is useful even if you have a more sophisticated firewall device guarding WAN->LAN traffic; ever considered what can happen on a LAN or WLAN if one computer gets infected and there isn't a software firewall running on the individual hosts?
A firewall's main purpose is preventing access to the computer, not preventing the computer from reaching out - if your box is compromised, you're already Game OverTM. Imho outbound protection is pretty much placebo; it can't be done 100% reliably per hosts, and if it's done at the LAN->WAN boundary you end up with really nazi rules... and can't do the useful "is this originating from a valid executable" check anyway.
Also, it's been a while since I've had a firewall popup, but iirc a limited user account on XP can't modify firewall rules, and on Vista/Win7 you get an UAC prompt? If I rememebr correctly, that pretty much rules out your "automate the click" theory.
Oh, I almost forgot: you've already spouted this nonsen.
Navigation
[0] Message Index
[#] Next page
[*] Previous page
Go to full version