32 replies to this topic

[docta13]

Ok, I have been researching like a madman lately trying to figure out the best free firewall to use. I like the XP SP2 firewall for simplicity and its low resource consumption, but I just don't feel safe since it doesn't block outgoing threats. This is the reason I started my quest to find a good (free) 3rd-party firewall.

Recently I started testing out ZoneAlarm's free program, which I heard was pretty good. Since using it, it obviously takes up more system resources causing a slight system slowdown, but I can deal with it. It also takes a lot of upfront configuration when you open up internet connection-oriented programs that ask you to allow or deny those programs. After setting all of your normal programs to "Allow", you don't notice ZoneAlarm much after that. So it seems pretty decent at this point.

Now, I know that there are other free firewalls from companies like Kerio, Sygate, and Outpost, and I have yet to try these. Basically I just to hear everyone's input as far as which firewall they trust and for what reasons. Ease of configuration and stealthiness of the program is also a plus of course. Of course sticking with the XP firewall is also an option if you think that works.

Now let's hear those opinions!

[rridgely]

Zone alarm because of its ease of use.

[Andavari]

I'd also have to recommend ZoneAlarm for the same reason as already stated by rridgely - its ease of use, however my recommendation ends with version 5.5.094.000, and here's why. Every third-party software-based firewall I've ever tested have bugs in them I've been able to find, it's just a question of "can you live with the bugs."

There's also another thread with firewall discussion labeled:
What type of Firewall do you use?

[Eldmannen]

I use the firewall in Windows XP SP2.
You probably dont need something to block outgoing connections if you dont run things you dont know.

[docta13]

Eldmannen, on Aug 12 2005, 06:33 AM, said:

I use the firewall in Windows XP SP2.
You probably dont need something to block outgoing connections if you dont run things you dont know.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

seriously? because from what I've read XP, firewall isn't sufficient. The risk of outbound threats is serious enough to warrant a 3rd party firewall. I've been testing the newest ZoneAlarm free for the last few days and so far I am impressed with it. Hopefully I just won't run into some of the bugs that some people encounter with this program (and other programs, for that matter)

[mycky]

i use outpost pro after a problem with zonealarm. was recommened by tauran and since installing it found it to be really good

[docta13]

mycky, on Aug 12 2005, 07:38 AM, said:

i use outpost pro after a problem with zonealarm. was recommened by tauran and since installing it found it to be really good

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

what kind of problems can we be expecting with ZoneAlarm? I read about this one....but I personally haven't run into problems or ready about any other type of specific problems with ZoneAlarm. Should I really be that concerned or just go with it and see how it turns out?

[GreenWhite]

You can try Netveda Safety.NET 3.61 or CHX-I which are both gathering quite enthusiastic impression at the moment.

CHX-I is a bit more for the advanced users I think.

I am using Look'n'Stop at the moment but its not free.

[rridgely]

docta13, on Aug 12 2005, 08:47 AM, said:

what kind of problems can we be expecting with ZoneAlarm?  I read about this one....but I personally haven't run into problems or ready about any other type of specific problems with ZoneAlarm.  Should I really be that concerned or just go with it and see how it turns out?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I have been using Zone Alarm for two years and have never had problems. The only time it bothers me is when I'm playing online games (and only on servers that run punk buster).

[agumon]

i also using zonealarm... not yet encounter any problem... just that it uses a lot of system resources... but i think many programs now and in the near future will be hungry for resources...

[Jo-W]

docta13, on Aug 12 2005, 12:36 PM, said:

seriously?  because from what I've read XP, firewall isn't sufficient.  The risk of outbound threats is serious enough to warrant a 3rd party firewall.  I've been testing the newest ZoneAlarm free for the last few days and so far I am impressed with it.  Hopefully I just won't run into some of the bugs that some people encounter with this program (and other programs, for that matter)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thing is, it is easy to bypass outbound firewalls. It is possible to manipulate other software (ex. Internet explorer) which are allowed on your firewall, to send data and retrieve files and such. (im not talking about using internet explorer DLL's)
Also, if you dont get infected, there is no need for an outbound firewall.
The reason why outbound firewalls work is because there aren't many malwares which do this

[Andavari]

docta13, on Aug 12 2005, 07:47 AM, said:

what kind of problems can we be expecting with ZoneAlarm?  I read about this one....but I personally haven't run into problems or ready about any other type of specific problems with ZoneAlarm.  Should I really be that concerned or just go with it and see how it turns out?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

What I experienced could just be system specific, e.g.; a specific problem running on my systems. However I'm pretty good at finding bugs and faults in programs.

Jo-W, on Aug 12 2005, 03:35 PM, said:

Thing is, it is easy to bypass outbound firewalls. It is possible to manipulate other software (ex. Internet explorer) which are allowed on your firewall, to send data and retrieve files and such. (im not talking about using internet explorer DLL's)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Internet Explorer can be blocked by an outbound firewall, however just running explorer.exe to load a website will circumvent it which is completely silly, I surely don't understand why Microsoft will allow explorer.exe to fetch a website and then dump it into Internet Explorer. That's a huge security risk and is one reason why I deny explorer.exe any Internet access and have been doing that for approximately five years now.

Also using a software-based proxy server in the form of some ad filtering software can fool an outbound firewall by letting a blocked Internet Explorer access a web site.

[Andavari]

Mangix, on Aug 15 2005, 11:40 PM, said:

when i installed SP2 for XP, i was sort of happy but after 3 days, my Microsoft Firewall stopped working.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It can be disabled by malware.

[acooldozen]

I'm using Zone Alarm Pro and have had only one minor problem in a year.......I will be looking at the new AVG Firewall though.

[BopperBugger]

I wove for Sygate personal firewall (http://smb.sygate.co...pf_standard.htm) because I had some troubles with ZoneAlarm.

First the ZoneAlarm problem. I had it in my winXP for about a year or so.

My XP is a totally legally one, come with the computer (home version, Finnish language edítion, I know, it's ugly ) and it got funny symptom: files could not be transferred from XP to another, because computers in the same LAN just did not show in the local area network.

The problem was not directly ZoneAlarm related (because it remained even when I killed all the ZoneAlarm processes, hence leaving the machine without firewall) but still, when I uninstalled the ZoneAlarm the network neighbourhood started functioning normally! And for a bonus my computer's boot up time shortened -- or should I say recovered back to normal.

I predict there was some fishy in the combination of the network stacks of the winXP home edition + ZoneAlarm's automatic update. Something kept accumulating to the stacks and those got bloated. I have heard that XP professional + ZoneAlarm combination works perfectly, I do not know.

Then I switched to Sygate. I have to say that it is as easy to use as ZoneAlarm, but it eats less process power, has better log files and a fancy "backtrace" property that allows you to find out who is doing that port scan attack at you.

I have now installed Sygate to my old win98 as well and it's working nicely -- the version 5.5 is, I have to say. There actually was some trouble with 5.6 in win98 but it was more a cosmetic one. Everything is said to be fixed in version 5.7.

Or so they say. I do not know if there really is a free lunch in this world.

[Andavari]

From my experience Sygate Personal Firewall is just as buggy as ZoneAlarm. However Sygate does have one of the best logs available in a free firewall, and the ability to create twenty of your own customized rules is an added bonus that I deeply miss after switching to ZoneAlarm.

[agumon]

symantec is purchasing sygate...

[Andavari]

agumon, on Aug 21 2005, 08:09 AM, said:

symantec is purchasing sygate...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Another one bites the dust to a corporate gorilla!