Shoutbox

Aaah, damn. Why did Microsoft make their firewall block only incoming connections???

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Originally posted by Pure_BY
Aaah, damn. Why did Microsoft make their firewall block only incoming connections???

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If you have a malicious program on your PC, you're already screwed, IMO...

The XP firewall does a good job of stopping hackers/trojans/worms from getting in...

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Originally posted by WDZ
If you have a malicious program on your PC, you're already screwed, IMO...

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Sometimes. Most of the time if you know it's there, know what it is, you can remove it. If you do have outgoing protection then the maker of that malicious program won't have an easy time getting control over your PC; most of the time he won't even get control.

Also with outgoing protection you won't send any data that you didn't want  to the programmer.

Not all the time do you have to reformat after getting infected. You guys should check out:

http://www.windowsubcd.com/

This Boot CD boots into a Windows environment, just like a Linux Live CD. It has built in programs like a virus scanner that can help remove hard to get at stuff.

Try it out.

I guess there is the simplicity viewpoint. If people keep getting lots of popups asking for permissions for programs, they will probably get confused or a little worried.

Certainly the Windows Firewall is not as secure as a "proper" firewall program, or even a hardware solution. However, it provides a decent level of security for the masses, and many viruses would propagate much more slowly if everyone (without another firewall) were to enable it. That's why its enabled by default when you install SP2

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Originally posted by JeronimoCertainly the Windows Firewall is not as secure as a "proper" firewall program, or even a hardware solution. However, it provides a decent level of security for the masses, and many viruses would propagate much more slowly if everyone (without another firewall) were to enable it. That's why its enabled by default when you install SP2

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Good point. Only thing though, any computer illerate person, with any firewall will just click "yes" because they just want stuff to work. So having a firewall is basically useless for them.

I think if you're smart enough to choose to have a firewall, you should choose to have a good one. You have a choice between 0% cover, 50% cover, and 100% cover. What would you choose?

A computer illiterate just clicking "yes" to all the popups bascially has 0% cover.

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Originally posted by Alamarco2
A computer illiterate just clicking "yes" to all the popups bascially has 0% cover.

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Not totally accurate. I find people who are less skilled on computers actually take a lot more time reading dialog boxes and what not. Its the over confident people who have been around computers a bit that click in haste

But your point is correct to a fashion. Saying yes to everything is a security risk. However what would you chose - having no firewall, or having a firewall that pops up a dialog increasing the chance that you will block it

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Originally posted by Jeronimo
But your point is correct to a fashion. Saying yes to everything is a security risk. However what would you chose - having no firewall, or having a firewall that pops up a dialog increasing the chance that you will block it

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Ya good point again. Main point is to atleast have something.

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Originally posted by Jeronimo
Not totally accurate. I find people who are less skilled on computers actually take a lot more time reading dialog boxes and what not. Its the over confident people who have been around computers a bit that click in haste

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I don't know about that one. All of the knowledgable people I know read into what they are doing. They get that knowledgable from always reading into what they do.

I'm going to argue that you should use a Microsoft wireless router/firewall instead of the shitty software one built into XP SP2. It's so much better, allowing trusted applications to set up port forwarding (i.e. no dodgy Imatrojan.exe), and allowing you to have 128-bit WEP ! And the firewall is good too, someone tried to reverse IP me, and the firewall shut him out (either that or my internet connection just cut out ). I personally don't like software firewalls because it's just another process running that takes up valuable memory (I only got 256 mb, going for 1024 mb in new computer ). Anyways, another Cookie-type post, so I'll stop my pointless arguing. You should really choose what you like best.

Ok people, thanks! It looks like Internet Worm Protection of Norton is better than WinXP SP2 Firewall

Thanks!

Let me put it very very simply. If you're using Windows Firewall, you're driving a mini cooper wearing Kevlar armor - If you're using Norton Firewall or Zone Alarm, you're driving a tnak with triple thick re-inforced titanium wearing a complete body armor and holding an SMG and shotgun....

Let me re-instate:

WPF:


Nortan and Zone Alarm: