View Full Version : Good free firewall?
brickout
07-14-05, 12:30 PM
Hi all -
My computer at work is on an always-open broadband connection, with only the WinXP firewall protecting it. It has anti-virus, spyware, etc., but no good firewall.
The boss doesn't want to pay for one. It's only for my computer, so we're not looking for a business-licensed one.
Any suggestions?
I love Outpost.
Kerio is okay.
Haven't tried zonealarm in a long time.
Xenocide
07-14-05, 12:45 PM
www.smoothwall.org running on a spare machine
brickout
07-14-05, 01:18 PM
Sweet...Will checkout Outpost and Smoothwall. I don't like the free version of ZA so much, either.
Thanks
WarriorII
07-14-05, 01:39 PM
I was reading the Quick start guide... & it formats your hdd?!?!?!?!
wtf? its a firewall !
is this correct?
if this is so, it just lost my vote.
brickout
07-14-05, 03:38 PM
^^^Which firewall is that?
I think smoothwall runs on Linux and people usually just use that box as a hardware firewall.
SolidxSnake
07-14-05, 03:58 PM
AVG All the way. Updates every day, haven't gotten a single virus.
Lonew0lf
07-14-05, 04:05 PM
I second Outpost Firewall. It has lots of features and is a excelent program, has full reporting of everything and control over what processes can access internet as well which I was after. All the others I found were more for the home user who just wanted a security program, but I wanted to see what was going on.
I started going through lots of different firewalls but as soon as I tried outpost I knew that it was the one.
There is a Free version and a Pro version.
Link to free - http://www.agnitum.com/download/outpost1.html
(and no, I don't work for Agnitum, just a happy customer!)
Randyman...
07-14-05, 06:07 PM
I'm having fantastic luck with the SP2 Firewall. Get behind a NAT Router, and run Windows SP2 Firewall and Kasperskey AV, and Spybot w/Tea Timer and SpywareBlaster. This has kept me 100% virus + spyware free, and I go to some pretty "dangerous" sites reguralry ;) . Norton would ALWAYS let stuff in, especially Malicious Java Script. Kaspersky blocks all of this stuff very well. Works for me on a daily basis, and the only part that I had to pay for was the $34.95 for Kaspersky. The rest was free.
Basic Port Forwarding and stuff is easily handled in SP2 Firewall. I can use WinMx and Bit Torrent/Azerus w/o any issues, and close the ports easily when not needed. It's already integrated into your OS, and serves me well...
Rock on :cool:
I don't believe that the XP firewall can block outbound traffic. So that and most hardware firewalls and nat routers appear to only block incoming traffic, whcih is why I prefer the software firewalls for more control. I believe it would be the most critical security tool for every personal computer, anti-virus software would be a distant second.
Randyman...
07-14-05, 06:29 PM
What all would need to be blocked from leaving your PC (besides DoS attacks)? Just curious what outbound traffic you would need to block assuming you have no spyware sending info out (which I have none since going to Kaspersky from Norton P.O.S ;) ). Otherwise, what you send out is controlled by you, right? Thanks - I'm still learning about uber security (especially for my brand new WiFi network).
:cool:
Many times non-internet programs will attempt to connect to the internet. Sometimes for legiitimate reasons like automatic program updates and such, but other times, they will want to connect to the internet for no good reason. So that's one area where software firewalls come into play - to control & monitor these program connections. This also could be useful if you're trying out new, unfamiliar software.
WarriorII
07-15-05, 01:02 AM
i was speaking of smoothwall. :(
just d/l'd outpost & gonna give that a go.
:cool:
zonealarm is what i use ....
zonealarm is what i use ....
za has become sooo bloated over the last year or so, makes not having a firewall worth the risk imo.
WarriorII
07-15-05, 09:08 AM
I second Outpost Firewall. It has lots of features and is a excelent program, has full reporting of everything and control over what processes can access internet as well which I was after. All the others I found were more for the home user who just wanted a security program, but I wanted to see what was going on.
I started going through lots of different firewalls but as soon as I tried outpost I knew that it was the one.
There is a Free version and a Pro version.
Link to free - http://www.agnitum.com/download/outpost1.html
(and no, I don't work for Agnitum, just a happy customer!)
WOW !!! the user guide is 98 pages !!!!!!
glad I can print it out at work. :D
-I currently use ZA & Kerio(?) tried using kerio alone but the pop ups from proggys asking
for permission was killing my game play.
with ZA it cut it back to an "understandable" level.
and now everything is peachy keen fine.
Like what was said tho... ZA is bloated. - like a MS app ! :p
that's why I'm looking for a more stream lined FW.
:cool:
sygate personal firewall is my fav.
www.sygate.com
I like it better than the xp sp2 firewall. It notifies more often of what's happening. Which i prefer.
I've been using the firewall built into my motherboard. Do you guys know if the nvidia firewall is any good?
BrutalDrew
07-15-05, 02:13 PM
Just stick with the windows firewall. Outbound filtering gives you nothing, but a false sense of security.
WarriorII
07-15-05, 02:19 PM
unless you're infected already.
:-/
BrutalDrew
07-15-05, 02:30 PM
unless you're infected already.
:-/
How would an outbound-filtering firewall help if you are already infected?
It would prevent you from infecting others if you had a trojan horse, wouldn't it?
Lonew0lf
07-15-05, 03:46 PM
Just stick with the windows firewall. Outbound filtering gives you nothing, but a false sense of security.
I find outbound filter very usefull when it allows you to block a particulat ap from accessing the net. For example I allow all activity for firefox, but block all activity from IE. I was amazed at how often IE tried to contact ms.com when it wasn't even running. Also I block internet access for media player, rm player, basically anything not firefox or emule.
Will windows firewall do that?
How would an outbound-filtering firewall help if you are already infected?
If you install zone alarm on an infected system that is infected with a trojan then when that trojan tries to call home or go to an irc server for instructions it will be blocked until you aprove it. Very simple, very clean, and very useful in the fight against trojans and other nasties.
BrutalDrew
07-15-05, 06:42 PM
Damage by a worm, trojan etc is minimized by running an inbound filtering firewall on all clients on the network. Host-based outbound filtering gets you nothing except a false sense of security. If something gets on your machine it doesn't matter anyway as. Zone alarm could easily be disabled by the trojan. The idea is to not let things get in your machine in the first place.
Host-based outbound filtering will not achieve any of these and is in no way more secure. It is more of a marketing thing then anything else.
I find outbound filter very usefull when it allows you to block a particulat ap from accessing the net. For example I allow all activity for firefox, but block all activity from IE. I was amazed at how often IE tried to contact ms.com when it wasn't even running. Also I block internet access for media player, rm player, basically anything not firefox or emule.
Will windows firewall do that?
Yes the windows firewall will allow you to do this.
Damage by a worm, trojan etc is minimized by running an inbound filtering firewall on all clients on the network. Host-based outbound filtering gets you nothing except a false sense of security. If something gets on your machine it doesn't matter anyway as. Zone alarm could easily be disabled by the trojan. The idea is to not let things get in your machine in the first place.
Host-based outbound filtering will not achieve any of these and is in no way more secure. It is more of a marketing thing then anything else.
Yes the windows firewall will allow you to do this.
You are kidding right? If you believe that it is just marketing and has no use whatsoever then you are dead wrong. Most things that the outbound firewall will alert you to are not from things that an inbound filter will stop. Like with everythhing thing security related it is best to use a range of tools and techniques to make your system as secure as possible. I find use in a firewall that alerts when a new program is trying to reach the net from my computer. It is fine that you do not see a use in it but to take your personal feeling on it and act like that should be the word of the entire tech community seems quite presumptious of you.
BrutalDrew
07-18-05, 06:18 PM
You can use any firewall you want, but that does not make you any more secure then if you were to use the windows firewall. If you some feature that some third party firewall has go ahead and use it.
threeme2189
09-19-05, 02:31 PM
zonealarm works for my grandpas pc just fine...(pIII 450)
I love Kerio :)
It tells you about everything connecing to and from your 'puter and it gives the option to stop the connection(s) or stop it asking you about the connections. It also has webfiltering and a pop up stopper (For 30 days anyways) But with FireFox and Kerio you cant go wrong.
threeme2189
10-01-05, 10:24 AM
i can only find the outpost pro 30 day free trial version. what happens after 30 days?
please pm me with the answer as im sure il forget about this thread.
:P
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