What type of Firewall do you use?

[Asphyxium]

I use ESET Smart Security, which includes a firewall, anti-spyware, anti-malware (Nod32) and more.

 

I also use a D-Link router which has some kind of hardware firewall. I prefer software ones as they include intrusion detection and countermeasure.

[opencandy_is_malware]

I'm not interested in local machine software egress filtering. For everything else there's $0 pfSense

 

http://pfSense.org

 

$200 used box including dual NIC (at least: core2duo, 4gigs ram, preferably ssd for silence)

 

 

pfSense can be a roll your own hardware firewall appliance. With its own package system one can easily add snort et al without the tiresome upselling of untangle.

 

I prefer other strategies to secure the windows user desktop

[mta]

I'm not interested in local machine software egress filtering. For everything else there's $0 pfSense

 

Isn't that what pfSense does.

It's a locally installed firewall program and as such, monitors all incoming & outgoing (or to use that sexy word - egress) traffic.

 

I see @opencandy_is_malware has been banned - that was a brief and sensational rise and fall....

[armirza1]

i am new to laptops..i need a very effective firewall to protect my system..the firewall i had installed on my pc was not very good so i want a better one for my laptop now

[mta]

security solutions are very subjective.

ask three people for their views and you'll get three different answers, complete with three different reasons why.

what works for one person, for whatever reason, isn't suited for someone else.

 

in a nutshell, all the 'paid-for' firewalls are, as you'd expect, excellent, but having said that, I have tried two free ones in the past that were also excellent.

since they are not in competition with Piriform and I'm not suggesting malware advice, I guess I'm allowed to say them.

Kerio Personal Firewall was one, since bought out by Sunbelt, and I think, now not available.

the other is ZoneAlarm.

i guess others will chime in with their personal offerings.

 

but that's just my opinion, it's your security - you need to trust what you install.

check out the main players web sites to compare technical specs, check their forums (if they have them) to get a feel for current issues and known problems.

[hazelnut]

@ armirza1

 

You are banned for spamming the forum.

 

Good try.

[papaleguas49]

I use windows in built firewalll

[DennisD]

I use windows in built firewalll

 

XP's "one way" Firewall is all I've ever used.

 

I've tried quite a few two way third party firewalls, but very quickly came back to XP's own.

[Andavari]

I've tried quite a few two way third party firewalls, but very quickly came back to XP's own.

 

I remember having to configure two-way firewalls from scratch, I don't miss that at all because just missing a few key rules can leave the system more vulnerable than the firewall built into the OS.

[Nergal]

I use both. Also I use Chrome and Safary

Both, sounds like you're running two firewalls; you shouldn't do that.

[mta]

@nergal, by both, I think he means a software firewall and a hardware firewall.

 

@alanz, Chrome and Safari aren't firewalls by the way.

[Andavari]

Chrome and Safari aren't firewalls by the way.

 

Chrome "sort of is" on XP/Vista because the newest builds won't run at all.

[Pennsy_Nut]

This is a confusing situation to me. I have never used anything but Windows built in firewall. Oh, too many years ago, maybe when I had Windows ME, I tried the free Zone Alarm. But when I went beyond ME, I didn't feel the need to an additional firewall. So, as of today, I rely on Windows Fire Wall on my Windows 10. I ask y'all. Is this safe? For the average homeowner who does just normal PC and nothing fancy, should I be using something better? And if so, do I have to uninstall the Windows Fire Wall? And again, if so, how do I do that? It's not in the uninstall part of C Cleaner. All this is a mystery to me.

[mta]

G'day Pennsy and welcome to the forums,

 

if you ever go to a third party antivirus program or firewall program, the inbuilt ones in Windows will automatically detect that and turn themselves off.

 

and the inbuilt ones in Windows (since Win7) are just fine.

maybe not best of breed, but fine none the less.  (certainly better than nothing)

 

the AV software, Windows Defender, is perfectly adequate for everyday protection.  is there better?  well according to AV test labs, then Yes.

the last time I checked (maybe a year or so ago), all AV products (Norton's, Trend, McAfee, AVG etc etc) all scored into the mid to high 90%'s.

Defender however was below 80%.

 

now, they aggregate that overall score by factoring things like cost, ease of use, features and fluffy stuff like that, as well as actual anti-viral protection - so it all gets a little murky.

 

what works best is a multi-layered approach to security.

so use whatever AV and firewall you like but consider re-enforcing it all with MVPS Hosts file, MBAM, SpywareBlaster (all that sort of stuff) or whatever works for you and your setup.

[Andavari]

To add to MTA's list above it also helps to install an adblocker extension in your browser, and then subscribe to Malware Domains List, and Malware Domains to block allot of websites that will try to infect your system. It also helps to subscribe to the Adware filters to block even more junk.

[mta]

exactly, thank you @Andavari I completely forgot to mention adblockers.

 

to get you started, I (and a lot of members seem to) use uBlock Origin.

with v52 of Firefox I see it's now pre-listed in Get Add-ons - very convenient!

[Pennsy_Nut]

Now y'all are confusing me. I just went to Firefox and added on this uBlock Origin. Thank you. Is there an equivalent for Chrome? And you verify what I asked? That Avast is better than Windows Defender. And I still ask. What else is required. Remember I'm a novice and a simple homeowner that uses my PC for normal everyday stuff. No facebook or such. Just online access to bank, online Mahjong, usual eMail through Google Mail and Thunderbird. What the heck is? "MVPS Hosts file, MBAM, SpywareBlaster (all that sort of stuff)"  I had SpyBot, but it don't work with Windows 10. Or? it did, but then I was advised that SpyBot isn't updated enough, or is obsolete, so best left off. So are you saying that "Spyware Blaster" is what I need? What protects against Trojan Horse? Just Avast? K.I.S.S.

[Andavari]

uBlock Origin is available in the official Google Chrome Store, when looking for it specifically type into the search box:

uBlock Origin

 

-------------

 

MVPS Hosts File:

Blocks bad sites, such as advertising and those that would infect your system with malware like viruses, trojans, worms, ransomware, etc. It will block allot of crap silently without ever bothering you.

 

SpywareBlaster:

Sets ActiveX killbits which prevent some malware from installing, and it also sets up websites to block. It saves all this into the registry to block the bad stuff or in the case of compatible browsers it also blocks bad sites in browsers such as Firefox, and it doesn't even have to be running to protect you as the protection is non-resident. It will block allot of crap silently without ever bothering you.

 

Malwarebytes ("MB, MBAM"):

Is a popular anti-malware or second opinion scanner which is available as Free or Premium. Free only finds things after they infect your system, Premium has real-time protection. It's traditionally used alongside your real-time protection antivirus solution to detect and clean malware that traditional antivirus software often misses or doesn't completely remove.

 

There's also Zemana Anti-Malware, somewhat similar to Malwarebytes but it's cloud-based and with a smaller footprint when installed. And there's also HitmanPro, another cloud-based anti-malware owned by Sophos.

 

All of the above three MVPS Hosts File, SpywareBlaster, and Malwarebytes are in my opinion must haves as it adds in layered security since just having one solution like only an antivirus installed will not protect your computer alone.

[mta]

and just to throw out the usual caveat - whatever programs you have in place, in whatever configuration, is no guarantee of a bullet-proof system.

 

DO BACKUPS   (see my signature) 

[Andavari]

DO BACKUPS

 

That's the best protection!

 

As long as the backup drive is not plugged in at all times.

 

Create the system backup, and then unplug the backup drive because if ransomware attacks it will encrypt everything including the backup(s) on the external USB hard drive if it's plugged in.

[theeban055]

SOFTWARE.

comodo was my favorite BUT its started missing my system files and blocking some of my softwares  and files.

now i use zonealarm and its pretty good but i'm not sure.

[Security Bulwark]

Hi,

I am using Packet-filtering firewalls it seems to be very protective and supportive and useful.

[jadinolf]

I use the one that is built-in to ESET Internet Security.

No complaints.

[sparks32]

I use COMODO Firewall, i think it's the best

no problems at all

[Nostromov]

On 9/4/2008 at 18:35, YoKenny said:

My ISP DSL SpeedStream 6520 modem has a built in firewall so I only use the Windows firewall just so that the Security Center does not nag at me that I am un-protected.

That's only a small part of the solution. The rest would be actual application handling and, unfortunately, the ONLY solution currently is Comodo (that is, one which is viable for a wide range of the general public to use); and it has to be set to 1) Advanced View and 2) Firewall to Custom Ruleset and 3) Auto-Containment to Enabled with the rest of the components to your liking and personal needs; mine are kept to off, as I'm always extremely careful what I run on the PC - and, also, how everything is configured (for example, using Firefox with a custom user.js and mozilla.cfg).

P.S. Not to mention a HUGE range of Local Group Policy, a self-healing hosts file and so on and so forth.

EDIT: As you can see from "NETWORK INTRUSIONS" in the screenshot - things are trying to run wild in the background - and I've only cleaned that log file minutes ago; everything that's not in use stays blocked because, why would we want it any other way, heh.