What are firewall settings? What is a firewall and how to configure a Windows firewall. Other firewalls and firewalls for Windows

Built-in functions in an operating system usually ensure its functionality. However, sometimes they do not meet the user's expectations and have to be deactivated. How to disable the firewall on a computer if it is responsible for its security? Depending on the version of the operating system, the deactivation steps will vary. In this article we will tell you in detail how to disable the firewall.

Using standard OS Defender

Let us remind you that the operating system has built-in software that allows you to safely use the Internet via a computer. Working as a filter, the firewall prevents potentially dangerous files and viruses from entering the system. Why you might need to disable it:

  • In a situation where you are sure that the site or resource that you are trying to visit, but cannot do so due to system warnings, is completely safe and does not contain malware, then you can temporarily disable the Windows firewall, which acts as a defender.
  • It may be difficult to install third-party antivirus software that allows you to intercept online attacks, so you can disable the firewall.

Deactivation

If your computer has the Windows XP operating system installed, then you will need to do the following: go through the Start menu to the standard control panel. Next, among the list of settings, you need to find “Security Center” (to do this faster, set the display by category). Go to the “Firewall” section and check the “Disable” checkbox, after reading the system warning. If you do not want to constantly receive notifications from your computer that it is at risk due to the firewall being turned off, then we recommend that you go to the “Change notification method” item. It is located in the same window in which we deactivated the program. Just uncheck all the boxes and you will not receive any information. Similar actions must be performed in the Vista operating system.

How to disable the Windows 7 firewall?

First, go to the “Control Panel”. Next, find the “System and Security” item and select the “Firewall” section. On the left information panel, click on the “Enable and disable” link. Check off the checkboxes. But that’s not all regarding the question “how to disable the firewall.” In addition, you also need to disable automatic startup of the defender. To do this, press on the keyboard Win+R(thus launching the command execution tool). In the line that appears we write msconfig and wait for the settings window to appear. Next, go to the “Startup” tab, look for the firewall and uncheck it. The firewall service must also be disabled for the system to function correctly. For this we use the combination Win+R and team services.msc. In the list that opens, we find the service we need and disable it.

Summary

So now you know how to disable the firewall. Remember that deactivating it may allow malware to enter your computer, so take this seriously.


A firewall (also called a firewall or firewall) is a software or hardware system for restricting access to a local or global network. The general principle of its operation is as follows: the firewall monitors all established connections, then looks through the list of rules it has (set by the user or administrator) and determines whether the connection should be allowed or blocked.
Firewalls can be divided into corporate and personal. Corporate firewalls can be either software or hardware. They are installed on the gateway between the local network and the Internet (or on the gateway between two subnets) and the protocol type, site address and port number are used as rules for checking. The rules for a corporate firewall are set by the network administrator.
A personal firewall is a program that is installed directly on the computer of an ordinary user. The main difference between a personal firewall and a corporate one is that in its rules you can set not only the protocol, address and port for the connection, but also the programs that are allowed to establish this connection (or vice versa, accept incoming ones).
Almost all personal firewalls have a learning mode, i.e. if a rule has not been created for a program, the user is given a message that such and such a program tried to establish a connection to such and such an address, after which you must decide whether to allow this connection or not. Accordingly, if you select “allow”, the program will be allowed to establish a connection and send data.
Thus, a firewall is not a universal solution to all security problems, as it sometimes seems. A firewall is a tool that helps protect your computer from attacks, but only if you know what you're doing.
In order to use the firewall correctly, the following recommendations can be given:
1) you should always read firewall messages carefully
2) give access to the Network only to those programs that we know for sure that they really need access
3) give access only to those ports that are used by the protocols on which the program operates
4) in a situation where it is not clear what to do, you need to act according to the principle: it is better to prohibit again than to allow again.

You can determine which ports are used for which protocols using the following table:

Program type (and examples)ProtocolPorts
DNS client - determining the address by symbolic name (SVCHOST.EXE)DNS53 (outgoing TCP and UDP)
Browser (Internet Explorer, Opera, Mozilla)HTTP, HTTPS80, 443 (TCP outgoing)
Postal client (The Bat, Outlook, Eudora, Becky) – outgoing mailSMTP25 (outgoing TCP)
Postal client (The Bat, Outlook, Eudora, Becky) – incoming mailPOP3, IMAP110 (outgoing TCP)
FTP client (Windows Commander, CuteFTP, SmartFTP, BulletProof FTP)FTP21 (TCP out), ports range 2000-4000 (TCP in)
ICQ client (ICQ, &RQ, Miranda, Trillian)ICQ5190 (outgoing TCP)
IRC client (mIRC)IRC, Ident6666-6669 (TCP out), 113 (TCP in)

In most cases, a typical user's computer should not accept any incoming connections from the Internet, except connections from the local address 127.0.0.1 - this is the address of your own computer (connections to this address can be established by various filter programs, for example, Proxomitron, or local proxies). servers, for example, CoolProxy) and you can answer “No” to any request to accept an incoming connection (except in cases where you know exactly what this incoming connection is needed for). Exceptions may be in the following cases: FTP clients can accept incoming connections when running in active mode, mIRC accepts an incoming connection on port 113 when connecting to a server, and in some situations ICQ can accept incoming connections.

At the moment, there are a large number of personal firewalls: Augnitum Outpost, ZoneAlarm, Kerio Personal Firewall, Kaspersky Antihacker, Tiny Personal Firewall and many others. Almost all of them are approximately the same in functionality, and the differences lie in the interface and ease of use.
Agnitum Outpost can be considered the most optimal solution for the majority of ordinary Runet users: it exists in two versions - paid and free, has a nice interface in Russian (and the Russian language is in the program right away, without downloading additional language files), as well as a number of additional features: caching DNS addresses, blocking banners by line and image size, as well as blocking suspicious attachments to letters.

You can check the functionality of the firewall using a small utility. The test is carried out as follows: you launch this utility, click “Test”, and respond to the firewall request “Allow once”. The program should report "Firewall Penetrated". This step is needed to check that your Internet connection, as well as the server that is used for testing, is working properly. Next, you need to click the “Test” button again, and respond to the firewall request “Deny once.” The program should display the message “Unable to connect”, which means that the firewall has successfully blocked the connection.

At the last stage of checking, the EXE file of the LeakTest program must be renamed so that its name matches the name of the browser file (for Internet Explorer it is IEXPLORE.EXE, for Opera - OPERA.EXE, for other browsers the name of the EXE file can be found in the shortcut properties in "Start"). When you try to run a program or when you try to establish a connection, the firewall should issue a warning that the program is not the one for which the rule was created (or issue a request about what to do with the connection being established, as in the first stage of testing). If this does not happen, and the connection is established (the message “Firewall Penetrated” appears), then any virus or Trojan will be able to bypass the firewall simply by renaming its executable file, which means it makes sense to think about changing this firewall to another.

Firewall is a system of special software developments that are designed to create a filter for network connections. A firewall (firewall, firewall) performs the function of allowing or denying programs of various kinds and nature access to the contents of the operating system. To implement this action, there is a special list of rules, according to which network activity is checked.

Firewall identifies dangerous contacts and thereby denies access to suspicious programs, files, and addresses. It also carefully checks information coming through active ports and blocks unnecessary ports in certain situations; monitors the operation of active programs and the installation of new programs. Simply put, a firewall plays the role of initial protection of your computer from possible attacks through network connections.

Setting up Firewall in Windows XP

In order to enable the Firewall in the Windows XP OS, you must enter the control panel through the “start” button. In the search bar, enter “firewall” and then click on the line “Windows firewall”. On the left side of the window, click on “Turn Windows Firewall on or off.” You may need to enter or confirm your administrator password.

To turn off Firewall, you should follow a similar algorithm to enter the Windows Firewall section and select the “turn off Windows Firewall” operation for network connections where necessary.

Setting up Firewall in Windows Vista/7

In the Windows 7 operating system, the process for disabling Firewall will be as follows. Through the search function of the Start panel, enter the line shell:ControlPanelFolder, in the window that appears, click on “Windows Firewall” (in the Control Panel section). In the left part of the window, select the “Disable Windows Firewall” section and select the appropriate parameters for the specified networks, saving the results. But in this case, we still need to disable the firewall service.

To do this, enter services.msc into the search bar through Start, the “services” window should appear, in which you should select the firewall section. Next, click on the “stop” function in the “general” menu and select disabling startup from the proposed list. We return to the “start” panel and enter msconfig in the search line, in the “services” menu, uncheck the firewall, and confirm. If you do not perform these steps, the Firewall will start every time you turn on the system. And finally, select “exit without rebooting”. To complete the operation of enabling Firewall, you will need to first activate the service and only then the firewall itself. But to perform this action, you must remove all other firewalls. You need to follow the steps described above in reverse order to enable the firewall in Windows.

You should not think that a firewall can serve as a replacement for an antivirus - this is not the case, these programs work together. There are cases where antivirus software manufacturers include firewall features in their antivirus packages. The firewall, as a rule, must be active and check the incoming data flow to the computer, otherwise the system may be infected with malware.

Windows firewall settings are crucial in ensuring the security of your computer and the data stored on it when working on the Internet and local networks. The firewall configuration operation is carried out using standard Windows methods and does not require special computer knowledge.

Instructions

  • Click the "Start" button to open the main menu of the system and go to the "Control Panel" item.
  • Expand the "Windows Firewall" link and check the "Enable (recommended)" box on the General tab to launch the firewall.
  • Select the Don't Allow Exceptions check box to suppress blocking notifications and prevent the creation of an exception list.
  • Go to the Exceptions tab and apply the checkboxes on the fields of the applications that you intend to allow incoming connections.
  • Click the Advanced tab to disable the firewall for a specific connection and configure advanced ICMP filtering options.
  • Click the "Default" button to restore the original firewall settings.
  • Use automatic creation of application exceptions when running a program that expects a connection to a specific port to access the network.
  • Click the Block button in the Windows Security Alert window to completely block the selected application from connecting to the network.
  • Click the "Unblock" button to create a rule that allows the selected application to connect to the network.
  • Click the "Delay" button to refuse the connection at this time.
  • Return to the Exceptions tab and click the Add Program button to create a rule that allows the selected application to access the network if it is known in advance that it is necessary.
  • Click the “Add port” button to create a rule for connecting from the network to a service running on this port.
  • Click the Edit Scope button to specify the range of addresses from which connections can be made to the specified application or port.
  • Go to the Advanced tab and use the checkboxes in the network connections fields in the Network Connections Settings section to enable the firewall service for each one.
  • A firewall, or as it is also called a firewall, firewall and firewall, monitors and controls system connections between your computer, the network and the Internet in order to promptly detect and prevent attacks and intrusions. Programs of this class are especially useful in cases where it is necessary to control the Internet activity of installed applications.

    No other free product makes the user more sad than a firewall. And the reason is simple, the process of finding a suitable firewall necessarily involves a process of trial and error. A good firewall should protect the system without being too intrusive or difficult to manage and configure. This review will provide you with the best free firewalls (according to this site) available today. Like all reviews, recommendations and advice are made based on the experiences of different people. Therefore, if you have ideas or interesting opinions, they are always welcome.

    Note: The reader should understand that powerful firewalls with flexible rules settings always require knowledge in the field of network design. However, even in their case there must be a more or less clear way of administration.

    There are two types of firewalls - programs and hardware devices. Firewalls, which come in the form of programs (which are discussed in this article), are installed on your computer and run in the background to closely monitor system activity in real time. As with many security features, to avoid potential conflicts that may even involve manually deleting files from boot drives, it is recommended to install only one firewall. Hardware firewalls are usually a special device with embedded logic and filtering-optimized modules (for example, special processors whose instruction set includes operations with IP addresses). You can use software and hardware firewalls together. For example, modern routers typically include a built-in firewall and, depending on the type of router, it may not only be firmware (as device programs are called), but also partially implemented at the chip level.

    Having a basic firewall has long been critical to keeping your computer safe, which is why many antivirus programs are gradually incorporating some firewall functionality. Simple firewalls, like the default Windows Firewall, allow you to restrict access to your system and personal information, silently protecting you from incoming threats. As part of the review, we will look at several basic firewalls that allow you to protect Windows a little better than a standard security tool can do, for example, they monitor attempts by programs to open outgoing connections to the Internet (this action refers to outgoing threats).

    Note: The reader should understand that the standard Windows firewall provides fairly limited capabilities for protection against outgoing threats. Third-party apps usually offer a wider range of features.

    Proactive firewalls offer more advanced protection, including intrusion detection and prevention systems based on the collection of statistics on program behavior and heuristic analysis, which allows them to protect the computer from a wider range of threats. These firewalls strive to create strong two-way protection, stopping not only incoming threats, but also protecting you from programs transmitting your personal information to the Internet. The disadvantage of such firewalls is that they are more difficult to use and require more money.

    It is important to understand that today, having a firewall and antivirus (either separately or as a single solution) is considered the minimum required basic approach to keeping your computer safe.

    Note: There is a lot of useful security information available throughout the site, such as an overview of intrusion detection and prevention programs for home use.

    Tips and precautions:

    • Before installing security products, including antiviruses and firewalls, you should consider creating a full disk image. By creating such an image, you can restore your system back to its previous state in cases where, after installing and configuring protection tools, critical errors appeared in the system, for example, due to incorrect installation of components or you changed critical system settings. In addition, images allow you to cope with complex viruses or simply random conflicts in the system. For example, some system drivers may simply be incompatible with each other, causing your system to suffer. Starting with Windows Vista Ultimate, the system includes a standard backup and recovery tool, but you can also use free programs to create a disk image.
    • To verify the complete removal of third-party firewalls and other security tools, it is recommended to use uninstallers, since services, registry entries, and other system objects may remain after removal.

    Basic firewalls and firewalls

    Preface or a few words about the built-in windows firewall

    The built-in Windows Firewall is a more common choice of users, as it allows you to protect your computer from incoming threats and does not bombard you with pop-up messages. Also, the Windows firewall does not require installation (we are talking about versions of Windows where a firewall is included by default) and practically does not conflict with other programs. In addition, many average users cannot properly respond to pop-up notifications due to a lack of basic network knowledge.

    So if you need to scan your system for viruses and you do not want (need) the additional capabilities of third-party firewalls, in other words, the level of risk is very low, then Windows Firewall may be exactly the solution you need due to its simplicity and undemanding.

    Alternatively, you can download a third-party firewall and replace the standard Windows firewall with the base one for easier control of outgoing connections and for additional features. Most two-way firewalls are limited to simple questions like allow or deny Internet access for unknown programs. And also, many firewalls automatically configure access to a pre-configured list of programs (often this list includes most popular applications) and save your decisions in their database. So, after some time, you will hardly see any notifications.

    And as an option, you can also use proactive firewalls by first disabling heuristics and analysis in them. In addition, this option may be even more suitable, since proactive firewalls, due to their complexity, simply contain a larger list of preliminary rule templates and access settings.

    This is a well-made firewall for controlling outgoing and incoming operating system connections, which is suitable for users of any level. ZoneAlarm protects the system from intrusions and also controls program access to the Internet. The firewall has an easy to understand interface. You can configure security settings to suit your own needs, including shared (public) files and printers, network settings, and more. You can even turn off the firewall if necessary (by the way, the standard Windows firewall lacks quick access to this feature). All configuration is done using simple controls (sliders and others), so in most cases you will only need a few clicks. To make it easier for users to get used to the program, when they first start, ZoneAlarm offers to scan installed programs and set access permissions/denies for them. Please note that this first scan does not always allow you to set the access correctly.

    The first time after installation, you will have to monitor and adjust the actions of ZoneAlarm to make sure that all programs have a sufficient level of Internet access. But, pop-ups are very simple and are presented in an "allow/deny" format with a checkbox to remember the selected action. Even novice users can easily figure it out (the name of the programs will also be indicated in the message).

    You can set the program control level that suits you. Low level involves learning mode (the firewall remembers all programs that use the network), disabling protection and a minimum number of pop-up windows. The middle level assumes that any access to a trusted network or the Internet will be done with permission. High level is not provided in the free version of ZoneAlarm. You can set any of the levels at any time. Using the "Smart Defense Advisor" module, Firewall will suggest the most commonly accepted option for non-rule programs by users around the world. You don't have to use this module (although it will be very useful for beginners).

    Setting up Internet zones includes a trusted zone, which implies a local network with shared files, printers, etc., and an Internet zone for access from the network. Each zone has a simple control format of 3 options: "no security" (firewall disabled), "medium" (exchange/sharing of resources such as files and printers) and "high" (allows use of the network, but blocks someone on the network accessing your system). Medium level is recommended for home networks with more than one operating system, and for cases where devices (routers, routers) require this. A high level is recommended for single machines with Internet access (for example, there is only one computer at home and there is no internal network), as well as for public places where you are going to access the network (WiFi in restaurants and so on).

    Overall, ZoneAlarm Free offers basic two-way protection with stealth mode and anti-phishing protection. However, the firewall lacks heuristic and behavioral modules, as well as the ability to allow/block access between programs.

    It is worth noting that from version to version, the firewall becomes a little lighter in terms of functionality. Perhaps this is only a temporary dynamic, but still.

    It will be a good choice for those who aim to use the built-in Windows firewall. Despite its name, the program is compatible with Windows XP and higher. In a few words, Windows 10 Firewall Control allows you to more conveniently and simply configure blocking and application access to the Internet in the standard Windows firewall. This firewall also adds a better way to manage outgoing connections. It is based on the Windows Filtering Platform, which also powers the standard firewall. Therefore, unlike most other firewalls, the application does not install any drivers on the system. The user interface is made very simple and clear. It displays only what the program can do, i.e. a block with settings to “allow/deny” access and nothing more.

    There are three modes in total - “normal”, “allow all” and “disable all”. The latter mode completely disables access to applications, regardless of firewall settings. The "allow all" mode is self-explanatory, meaning unhindered Internet access for all applications (similar to turning off the firewall). If you do not need to test something, then normal mode is recommended - Internet access for programs will be provided depending on individual settings.

    In normal mode, when the program tries to access the Internet for the first time (after installing W10), a pop-up window will appear with information about the application, publisher, etc. You can allow or deny access either one-time or permanently. If you select the first option, the next time you start the program the window will appear again.

    In addition to pop-up windows for selecting Windows 10 Firewall Control actions, small windows also appear in the lower right corner of the screen with access information (access blocked/allowed, etc.). These notifications can be turned off in Settings.

    That's basically all this firewall can do. The disadvantages include the fact that you will have to configure access for all your applications, from the browser to the antivirus, which can be somewhat annoying in its routine. However, Windows 10 Firewall Control allows for much easier and more convenient control over the built-in Windows firewall than the operating system offers.

    It is a lightweight firewall that is based on the standard Windows firewall. It is completely free of pop-ups, so this firewall may be ideal for those who need a "set it up and go do other things" solution. The installer for this program weighs only about 1 MB. Installation is simple, but, unfortunately, does not include the ability to select the installation location. After installation, the firewall runs in the background with an icon in the system tray. All program functions are accessible only from the system tray - there is no “main window” interface in it. In the pop-up menu, the user can select the necessary items, in particular, firewall mode, general network activity, add/exclude applications/processes and call up a dialog with firewall settings.

    The firewall settings dialog box is also quite modest. General settings, with the ability to set a password to protect settings. A section that specifies applications that are allowed to connect to the network. There is also a "Detect" function that will try to detect known applications so that the user does not have to add programs manually. In addition, TinyWall can recognize related processes of one application. For example, if you have a program that runs several processes, then by adding the program to the white list, all open related processes will also have access to the Internet.

    It should be noted that when adding a program to the exclusion list, the application is not limited to UDP and TCP traffic. Depending on the nature of the program, it may be more prudent to limit it to, for example, only "outgoing" traffic.

    The Special Exceptions tab allows the user to set additional parameters. In particular, choose to allow or block access for system services. If you are not very computer savvy, it is recommended to leave the settings as they are. On the maintenance tab, you can import/export settings, check for versions, and also go to the developer page.

    Overall, TinyWall is a lightweight firewall that is a good choice for those looking for an unobtrusive and easy to manage firewall.

    Firewalls and firewalls with intrusion detection and prevention systems

    Preface or a few words about firewalls with intrusion detection and prevention systems

    The following firewalls and firewalls provide better network protection and also support various options for intrusion detection and prevention systems. Every firewall comes with default settings, so very few adjustments may be required depending on the user's needs

    The firewalls in this section require more knowledge and time from the user to set up and become familiar with than basic firewalls, but they provide a higher level of protection.

    When choosing a suitable firewall, you should not rely on publicly available independent testing and other statements, since during testing the effectiveness is checked at maximum settings, while most users have a simpler level of protection (after all, you want to use the Internet, and not sit in trench with access to one site). Therefore, most firewall developers strive to ensure maximum “friendliness” of functionality, sometimes with a lower level of security settings (disabling monitoring of some indicators).

    Please take these circumstances into account.

    This is a solid firewall for those users looking for a full-featured security package. This product is mostly intended for experienced and tech-savvy users. Its intrusion detection system is called "Defense+" and matches or even exceeds the capabilities of paid products. Komodo firewall provides quite a lot of control and settings, which will especially appeal to curious and restless users whose task is to ensure the maximum level of security.

    Comodo includes protection against buffer overflow attacks and a lightweight sandboxing option that allows you to check unknown applications and program installations to see how their launch will affect the computer's operating system. Using a sandbox limits the negative effects of malware. Komodo contains a long list of known, trusted applications, but if an unknown application tries to gain access through the firewall, Comodo will first restrict the program and ask you what to do with it. In addition, all the functionality to control ports, protocols and configurations will be at your disposal.

    During installation, you will have three options to install the firewall - "firewall only", "firewall with an optimal set of proactive protection" and "maximum proactive protection" (i.e. "Defense+", as mentioned earlier). After installation, Comodo automatically selects "Safe Mode", which will result in numerous pop-up notifications for applications that are not included in the list of trusted programs. If you select allow/deny and choose to remember the response, Comodo will create and save a custom rule for the application, which you can always edit from the general list.

    If you select Clean PC Mode, Defense+ will automatically mark all applications on your drive as safe. Please note that if there is a virus among the programs, it will also be considered safe, so use this function carefully and only in cases where you are really confident in the safety of the programs. However, these applications will still be monitored, albeit at a minimal level - checking Comodo protected objects (registry and COM interface), monitoring established rules, etc. Any files you add will be automatically added to the review list, flagged as potentially unsafe, and running them will result in pop-up messages as if you were using Safe Mode, until you set rules.

    Comodo reduces the frequency of alerts by automatically identifying programs as safe based on Internet access rules. However, you can further reduce the number of Defense+ alerts using one or more methods:

    • Immediately imply your answer as "remember answer" for all warnings. In other words, when any application is launched for the first time, the answer will immediately be assumed to be a permanent solution. However, you must use this setting carefully, as from time to time applications need to temporarily grant or deny access
    • Add programs to lists of safe or trusted files
    • Use clean computer mode. It is recommended to first make sure that the programs on your disk do not contain viruses and Trojans

    Overall, Comodo Firewall is a powerful firewall with a lot of flexible settings, which is perfect for providing a high level of protection. However, it is aimed at those users who have some knowledge of Windows device and networking. Beginner users are strongly advised not to use this firewall.

    The former commercial firewall is now free without restrictions. This proactive, multi-layered security solution includes behavioral blocking technology that monitors and checks for viruses, spyware, malware, process and application security, the registry, and more along with standard firewall protection. Private Firewall can certainly be called a multifunctional firewall with an intrusion detection and prevention system.

    The program's user interface may seem a little confusing and cumbersome. There are a lot of customizable options, so sometimes it can feel a bit lacking in sorting. Of course, each section contains quite a lengthy reference with explanations, but still. The training mode allows you to allow all program actions within 180 seconds, which is ideal for quickly setting up rules for newly installed programs (no need to create dozens of rules for each port, protocol and address). However, be prepared that the first launch of the firewall may lead to blocking of a number of seemingly well-known programs.

    You can set different security levels (high, low, and custom) for your internal network and the Internet. In other words, for example, if you have a couple of computers or a printer on your home network, then there is no point in limiting them in the same way. You will also have three profiles at your disposal - Home, Office and Remote. You can set the appropriate settings for each and easily switch as needed, especially useful for laptops. Another useful feature is that you can block outgoing mail in one click, which is convenient when you have launched an email client and don't want the application to send emails randomly or on a schedule.

    Overall, Private Firewall is a fairly effective firewall that has fairly good ratings on the Internet. However, the graphical interface and ease of use will be more appreciated by tech-savvy users. A beginner will simply be confused.

    The firewall is a good choice for users who want flexible security settings without compromising ease of use. Its interface is carefully organized and retains its functionality (it can be easily navigated by ordinary users). For example, alerts are simplified but just as functional, so you can quickly and easily set up rules or apply actions. In addition, the firewall remembers all responses in pop-up messages without the need to create additional rules, notifies you of all configured rules in training mode, and notifies you of all automatically applied rules, for example, for browsers when changing versions.

    The free version lacks many of the additional features of the paid version, such as the ability to disable an active connection. However, there are plenty of opportunities. You can choose 5 levels of protection, ranging from completely blocking connections to allowing all actions, including the average manual learning mode "Rules Wizard". In addition, the Outpost firewall controls various dangerous application activities, including memory injection, driver loading, and access to critical system objects (registry, files). Also, the Outpost database includes quite a lot of pre-configured rule templates, so setting up Internet access for applications will most often consist of a couple of mouse clicks.

    The installer will ask you if you want the firewall to train for a week (using auto-learning mode and manual training "Rules Wizard"). In this mode, the firewall will automatically set rules for known safe applications.

    Overall, Outpost Firewall Free is a good choice for those looking for a balance of functionality and interface.

    The firewall differs from its counterparts in that it comes with additional security modules, namely the registry, pop-up blocker and parental controls - something like a packaged solution. Firewall is less customizable than the previous firewalls listed in the review, but many standard sections are still available. Three levels of protection - off (turns off the firewall), custom (allows you to configure rules for connections) and high (blocks all connections). Each section in the program interface is designed quite cleanly. Alerts generally provide clear and concise information.

    The registry protection module provides control and security of the registry for modifications, with the ability to configure specific sections. The Parental Control module, as the name suggests, limits the available list of sites, but you need to manually add each site. The module problem is in logic. You can only allow certain websites, you cannot just block individual sites. The pop-up blocker monitors browser behavior and blocks pop-up ads and more. All three of these additional modules can be disabled individually. AVS Firewall also comes with a monitoring utility so you can check the amount of network traffic passing through for each application.

    During the installation of this firewall, the installer automatically installs the AVS Software browser. Unfortunately, there is no option to opt out, but after installation you can remove it separately without any consequences for the firewall.

    Overall, AVS Firewall is a pretty good firewall that will appeal to those who need to provide more security than in the case of basic firewalls, and who do not want to delve too deeply into the specifics of the network design.

    Note: AVS Firewall is no longer supported by the manufacturer.

    Other firewalls and firewalls for Windows

    Although it is rare to see older operating systems, such as 98 or Me, they still should not be left unprotected, especially if they are not hidden behind other systems with firewalls. Therefore, if for some reason you use them, then here is a small list of firewalls and firewalls for Windows 95-2000. Please note that these firewalls are no longer supported by the manufacturers and may contain errors or lead to problems that, most likely, no one except you will consider. However, having an opportunity is better than not having one.

    • Sygate Personal Firewall (Windows 2000/XP/2003) [no longer supported]
    • NetVeda Safety.Net (Windows 95/98/Me/NT/2000/XP, requires registration) [no longer supported]
    • Filseclab Personal Firewall (Windows 95/98/Me/NT/2000/2003/XP 32-bit) [no longer supported]