Which Windows Firewall Do You Use?

[Conf1rm3d_K1ll]

I's just like to add to R_A_'s list of test sites another one I've come across.


You can get to the test site by clicking here. The page claims to test your security against such things as Malicious Web Page's (Java, Active X), Malicious File Attachment Demos (Java, .exe VBS) amongst other things.......Check it out...

[Ouroboros]

Other...

I have to agree with RemoteAccess...
I also use Agnitum's Outpost Firewall, and have had absolutely no problems with it thus far. It is almost infinately customizable, and has features that not many others do...Ad blocking being the most important to me, as I unfortuately use a dial-up connection. DNS cacheing and Attachment filtering are also very handy to have. If you have kids, the content filtering is also useful, although each and every website, etc. must be entered to be blocked. Active content (i.e. ActiveX, Java, VBS) can also be filtered in much the same way that IE does it (Enable, Disable, Prompt). And as RA said, it does allow one to answer ICMPs with Stealth(no reply) or Normal(report port as 'closed'). And the most striking thing to me was, that in the options section, clear as day, a box to be checked or unchecked for "Allow NetBIOS communication"...doesn't get much easier than that. The only complaint that I have is that the logs for the aforementioned filters take up a reasonable amout of space, and fill up very quickly, but the space allowed for them is also adjustable.
I used to use ZoneAlarm, but after numerous glitches and a negative opinion or two from a couple of IT guys that I know, I wanted to try this one...so far so good.

Ouroboros

[smirc]

Thanks everyone for the positive feedback. I'm using this info for a uni assignment. All comments were appreciated .

[trevorf]

I use ZA, I have no idea whats so special about pro version though. Using the newer version 3 something. I hardly get any alerts though about unwanted connections or anything. But then also I do use an OpenBSD router with pf, blocking all inbound ports.
Seems like there is alot of disagreement to use of ZA, I tried tiny once, and norton's one, but both did something strange to my computer, so never used it again. I guess, overall I've heard a bunch of problems with most of these win filewalls, so I don't really know.

[prodikal]

i use zone alarm and sygate

[CrittendenIV]

I swear by AtGuard 3.22 for software.


Currently I use a hardware solution for the NAT ability.

[chefer]

Vote for other, I don't really hold the greatest of confidence in software based firewalls for windows any more. Most of them seem to work, but when they fail, boy do they ever fail. I've resorted to a FreeBSD based Firewall/Router to accommodate this kind of needs, and I've done away with windows based boxes behind it..

[fiber-x]

I would have voted "Other" because I also am a hardware firewall fan. I used Zone Alarm Pro before Hardware and it is the best "Software" firewall available.

[service_pack]

NAT+Tiny
Easy to configure and you're able to lock things down fairly good

[CyberSpyder]

Zonealarm is good but if you want really good security use linux.