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The best firewall. What is the best firewall for Windows


Few people think about setting up a Firewall until they encounter problems with the security of their Windows 10 computer, laptop or tablet. You can be smart and download the best free Firewall for Windows 10 before problems arise and set everything up perfectly. In this article, we will tell you about the best firewalls, create a rating, and you can decide for yourself which option suits you best.

What is Firewall

Before we talk about the best firewalls, it would be useful to know what a firewall is. This word comes from the English – Firewall, and means the protective screen of your device. Firewall controls incoming and outgoing traffic, thereby preventing outside interference into your device and preventing the theft of personal data. Very often you can find another name - Firewall, in this context we're talking about about the same thing.

Firewall rating for Windows 10

The operating system initially has a built-in Firewall, which provides decent protection for the OS. However, fine tuning the built-in Firewall is no different, so you should choose a third-party solution. But before installing a third-party solution, you will probably need to disable Windows firewall 10. This is necessary just in case you want to install a firewall from third party developer. Otherwise, it is possible that the utilities will conflict with each other. Among the best firewalls for Windows 10, we would like to highlight the following: All of the firewalls listed are free and have earned the title of the best thanks to the experience of hundreds of users. Let's look at each option in more detail.

Windows 10 Firewall Control

Windows 10 Firewall Control is a small utility that allows you to fine-tune the built-in firewall. A convenient interface in Russian and truly comprehensive settings that are suitable even for system administrators - that’s what made Windows 10 Firewall Control the best firewall.

Comodo Firewall

Comodo Firewall– exists as an independent product, and is also part of the antivirus. Installs on any version of Windows 10 - 32 and 64 bit, and works completely unnoticed, without loading the system or slowing down the computer. If after setting up the firewall you start having performance problems, then the problem is different. Find out by following the link.

Kaspersky Anti-Virus

Many of you know it as a regular antivirus, even if it is part of . But it's not easy antivirus program, this is also a Firewall. Firewall is included in most modern versions of Kaspersky, from the regular version to the business version. This utility, unfortunately, slows down the system a little, but it reliably protects your device.

Most others also include a firewall; you don’t have to limit yourself to the three options we’ve given in this article. But there are situations when it is necessary to disable the Firewall; you will learn more about this in the following video:

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  • Useful programs for Windows 10

Which one is the best best firewall (Firewall) for Windows - this question plagues many Internet users, paid or free, software or hardware. This question can be answered immediately and almost unambiguously: the best firewall ( Firewall) this is a hardware one, but the best firewall ( Firewall) this is the one that is adjusted with straight hands...

As previously mentioned the best firewall ( Firewall) this is hardware, prices for which sometimes reach 50-70 thousand. but today’s topic will be a brief analysis of software firewalls ( Firewall) For Windows in terms of reliability/performance ratio...

Firewall (Firewall) an important element in your PC security arsenal. Unfortunately, the standard firewall ( Firewall) for Windows does not provide the desired functionality and blocks or allows only incoming connections, while all outgoing connections are allowed by default, although the reliability of the built-in Windows firewall (Firewall) without doubt.

The most popular firewalls today ( Firewall) for personal PCs this is:

You need to decide what is the decisive factor for you when choosing - ease of use or reliability/performance?! Above given list of the most common firewalls (Firewall) for Windows, in order of preference by our citizens. We will not delve into the details of each product, but will consider only the main points of the first two...

Agnitum Outpost Firewall Pro

Agnitum Outpost Firewall Pro developed by domestic programmers and is the most preferred firewall ( Firewall) among ordinary ordinary domestic users who almost never look at " Task Manager". Agnitum Outpost Firewall Pro more convenient to use and provides more extensive information about ongoing network events around your PC..

It is easy to use and provides good statistics about what is happening on the network, but ease of use does not mean reliability/performance! Ease of use " Agnitum Outpost Firewall Pro"costs the user an overexpenditure of system resources and, in some places, regular BSOD. So for example the combination NOD32 v4.0 + Outpost Firewall 2.x called regular BSOD, Outpost Firewall older ones are more voracious for system resources, especially when downloading files big size via quick network connection and from servers with good returns!

The versions of " Outpost Firewall"above the 6th in which the process" acs.exe"When downloading large files over a fast network connection and from servers with good returns, it devours from 15 and up to 50% system resources, and sometimes even higher! And here it doesn’t matter setting the rules or disabling all additional features - it devours system resources ( CPU+Memory) no matter what and even in idle state ( CPU 8-15%)!!! In version " Outpost Firewall 7.5"named" Performance Edition":)) "acs.exe"When idle, it behaves less aggressively, but the time it takes to download large files over a fast network connection and from servers with good performance still eats up from 15 and up to 50%

Version " Outpost Firewall 4"not so voracious, but crashes were often observed when changing user accounts and more! No offense to the company's programmers" Agnitum"but they are still very far from products like" Comodo Firewall Pro", "Comodo Internet Security " or " Checkpoint Firewall-1"! Whatever one may say, Western developers are trying to achieve great success in the field of software than domestic ones...

Comodo Firewall Pro

After long wanderings in search of the best firewall ( Firewall) my choice finally settled on " Comodo Firewall Pro 3.14"which is different from" Outpost Firewall"remarkably stops attempts at incoming connections and does not wildly devour system resources - when idle it uses no more 0-2% CPU and 3-4 MV. In addition, when complete shutdown or fall" Comodo Firewall Pro 3.14"which is unlikely, there is no access to the network, which cannot be said about " Outpost Firewall".

The program is able to independently analyze each potential threat and, if necessary, issue an appropriate warning. Wherein " Comodo Firewall"recognizes more than 10,000 different applications in various categories ( for example, “safe”, “spyware”, “adware”, etc.).

"Comodo Firewall"also has proactive protection, pro active protection includes HIPS ( Host Intrusion Prevention Systems) - a system for repelling local threats. The task of HIPS is to monitor the operation of applications and block potentially dangerous operations based on specified criteria.

Main characteristics " Comodo Firewall Pro":

  • - Full constant control and protection of your personal computer from Internet attacks, Trojans, hackers, malicious scripts and other unknown threats.
  • - Free updates - Comodo Firewall Pro will notify you about the availability of updates and, after your consent, will install them.
  • - Full control over the activity of programs on the Internet.
  • - Control over software updates.
  • - Real-time traffic monitoring gives you the ability to instantly respond to possible threats.
  • - Simple, intuitive multilingual interface ( including Russian).
  • - Free for home and other online users.

"Comodo Firewall Pro"by default it does not provide statistics on all rejected attempts at incoming connections, but if you create certain rules and properly configure it, you can get these statistics. My choice is definitely in favor of " Comodo Firewall Pro 3.14"and I think that it will remain unchanged... Why version 3.14, and not 4.x or 5.x? - yes, because version 3.x concentrates the most basic functions without unnecessary bells and whistles and is less demanding resources than 4.x or 5.x?...

According to the website matousec.com, Comodo products continue to occupy first positions among test participants: http://www.matousec.com/projects/proactive-security-challenge/results.php

The truth in " Comodo Firewall Pro"there are no useful features such as blocking active elements and the statistics are poor, but this drawback in favor of saving system resources can be compensated for by the "Firefox" browser and the "AdBlock" + "NoScript" plugins, and if necessary, we will collect statistics with other programs...

wipfw

wipfw is an analogue of the ipfw console firewall, but only for Windows. It has more features compared to the standard firewall from Windows XP. Can limit the number of connections from a specific IP address or range of IP addresses. It is possible to identify packets by the set flags SYN, FIN, etc.

Today we will talk about free firewalls, the better way to protect your system without extra funds for protection. We offer three popular software products at your discretion: Ashampoo Firewall Free, PC Tools Firewall Plus and Online Armor Free.

Let's start with the product Ashampoo Firewall Free developed by Ashampoo, it has an easy and informative interface, the list of languages ​​includes Russian, which will make it easy to configure.

To get started, just visit the manufacturer’s website, register, receive an activation code by email, which you need to enter in the program, and that’s it.

The program has two operating modes: simple and expert. Of course, the second mode is better, but even in simple mode you will get decent protection.

The program consists of five modules: Rules (configure the parameters of Internet connections), Statistics and Log (in them you will find information about the operation of the program and the status of your protection), Configuration (using it you can configure the operation of the program internally), Utility (contains a pop-up blocker windows, process manager, auto start, Internet surfing history)

The principle of operation of a firewall is that the program informs the user about unauthorized actions, offering to apply a rule for him. Also contains a learning function and can block all connections if necessary.








Next on our list is PC Tools Firewall Plus. It is also completely free and in Russian. It has very good reviews in the fight against keyloggers and blocks unauthorized downloading of information from your computer by Trojan programs.

The advantage of the program is that it can be installed without any registration. A firewall provides a hidden presence on the network and protects the connection with passwords. You can also manually configure connection parameters. The program creates lists of IP addresses, tested ports and performs analysis network traffic.







Another interesting software product, Online Armor Free, was created by Emsisoft-GmbH. This software product simply has a huge set of tools to combat virus threats, network attacks, hidden scripts.

Pro active protection controls the operation of the program. Online Armor Free scans the system and detects dangerous applications by marking them.

It has convenient and easy navigation, allows you to create lists for ports, domains, IP addresses, and suspicious programs in startup. Has the ability to classify sites for potential threats.









Windows 7 Firewall Control Plus is a small free program that will help control applications trying to access the Internet. The program uses the built-in firewall mechanism of Windows XP/7/8/Vista, while offering additional features for controlling program access to the network and the Internet.

Outpost Firewall Free is one of the best network defenders, which is designed to protect your computer from threats emanating from the Internet - scanners, Internet worms, etc.

SoftPerfect Personal Firewall - free firewall network, designed to protect your PC from attacks from the Internet or via local network. SoftPerfect Personal Firewall offers customizable security using custom rules for packet filtering.

Comodo Firewall is one of the best firewalls. The manufacturers of this program, unlike others, offer a full version of the defender against network and Internet threats, free of charge. Comodo Firewall is easy to manage and is aimed at untrained users.

Comodo Firewall.

Free Personal Firewall from Comodo for Windows XP and Vista. Part of Comodo Internet Security. Program features: proactive protection; protection against Internet attacks; buffer overflow protection; protection against unauthorized access; Protecting system files and registry entries from internal attacks. Proactive protection includes HIPS (Host Intrusion Prevention Systems), a system for repelling local threats. The task is to monitor the operation of applications and block potentially dangerous operations based on specified criteria.

Official website: http://personalfirewall.comodo.com/inte...ewall.html

Free firewall created using a community solution. Designed to protect personal computers running Windows 2000 and XP. The point of a community solution is that a large group of experts network security prepares and publishes for public use settings for work, which are constantly updated, taking into account the emergence of new applications. These security settings can be downloaded for free from the community website. This approach of developers should allow even the most untrained user in security issues to easily configure their firewall for optimal operation, i.e. Protect your computer as much as possible.

Official website: http://force.coresecurity.com

Online Armor (Online Armor Security Suite)


Combines convenience and ease of use, reliability of protection. The program performs the function perfectly maximum protection and provides an excellent user experience. Online Armor received the "Best Firewall of 2008" award.

Official website: http://rus.tallemu.com

PC Tools Firewall Plus

This is a free, easy-to-use, but effective personal firewall for Windows that protects information stored on your computer from unauthorized access from local networks or the Internet. By controlling the operation of various applications, it blocks attempts by Trojans, backdoors, keyloggers and others malware damage your computer and steal your confidential information.

Official website: http://www.pctools.com/ru/firewall

There are many organizations on the Internet that specialize in spying on users. Some surf for marketing reasons, others spy on users of file-sharing networks to record illegal activities. At the same time, such organizations also come across honest users. Fortunately, most of these organizations use static IP addresses, which makes blocking them easier. Peer Guardian is very good at blocking these IPs. Supports lists of addresses that need to be blocked, automatic updates from the blacklist on the Internet. Blocks all types TCP protocols, UDP, ICMP, etc.

Official website: http://phoenixlabs.org/pg2

An effective and easy-to-use firewall that blocks hackers and other unknown threats when working on a local network or the Internet. Flexible settings and a convenient user interface will help you quickly protect your computer. In ZoneAlarm, you can set the security level for each program individually or use general setting rules for all programs. Using this firewall, you can instantly block access to programs trying to connect to the network and the Internet, and automatically scan attachments Email. The ZoneAlarm firewall is free for individual and non-commercial use (including government and educational institutions).

Official website: http://www.zonealarm.com/security/en-us ... wnload.htm

GeSWall (GentleSecurityWall)

Useful, free firewall, protects your computer from intrusions and malware by isolating vulnerable applications. Application isolation is based on an access restriction policy that effectively prevents all types of known and even unknown attacks.

Official website: http://www.gentlesecurity.com

Outpost Firewall Free 2009

Provides reliable protection, in addition, you receive advanced protection against unauthorized program activity, which helps block unknown threats. Key features: two-way firewall; protection that cannot be turned off by hackers; application monitoring; has an intuitive clear interface; low requirements for system resources; network activity monitoring; support Windows Vista and 64 bit architecture.

Official website: http://free.agnitum.com

I ran into a serious problem. Young Windows was good, but it had a huge number of dangerous vulnerabilities that made it easy for hackers to penetrate the system. The only way out of the situation was to develop separate software that would monitor network activity and stop unwanted traffic.

Microsoft developed its own firewall and integrated it into Windows. Today we know this application as Windows Firewall. Unfortunately, the built-in firewall turned out to be not very reliable. Your computer still needs third-party applications to ensure network security. Here are the best free firewalls that will give you that security.

ZoneAlarm Free Firewall

ZoneAlarm Free Firewall - one of the oldest and most famous firewalls. Its first version was released back in 2000, and the most recent - in January 2017. The firewall can hide open ports, detect suspicious traffic and disable malware. ZoneAlarm Free Firewall also regularly communicates with the DefenseNet server, from where it obtains information about the most current threats. The firewall can protect the user’s PC when working through public Wi-Fi points. The only disadvantage of ZoneAlarm Free Firewall is that it may conflict with other programs that provide network security.

Comodo Firewall


If you don't like firewalls, they're too annoying frequent notifications, you should pay attention to Comodo Firewall . This program is quite “silent” and does not bother the user over trifles. Meanwhile, Comodo Firewall is quite reliable. The firewall monitors your network and compares system and application data with a huge list of dangerous files. On this moment this list contains information about more than 2 million threats. It is replenished daily.

PeerBlock


While many firewalls attempt to provide comprehensive protection, PeerBlock serves only one purpose. This firewall blocks access to your computer from known dangerous addresses. This - great choice, if you want to protect your privacy from ad networks, tracking software, government or private anti-piracy organizations and other Internet scoundrels. PeerBlock automatically updates the list of potentially dangerous addresses, but you can also change it manually.

TinyWall


TinyWall - a lightweight and silent firewall that does not irritate the user with pop-ups and notifications. Essentially, TinyWall can be considered a plugin that improves the performance of the built-in Windows firewall. The program is perfect for beginners, since it does not have any complicated settings.

OpenDNS


OpenDNS is not a downloadable firewall, but an Internet service that provides publicly accessible and secure DNS servers to everyone. You just need to specify the correct data in your router settings so that all your traffic goes through these servers. This is very convenient for users whose home network There are many Internet-connected devices, especially smart home gadgets.

Anti NetCut3


If you often need to use public Wi-Fi, firewall Anti NetCut3 can help you protect your system when connecting to a compromised point. This program is designed for the sole purpose of monitoring a specific network connection. All you have to do is specify which adapter to monitor. It could be Wi-Fi adapter, if you are connecting over the air, or LAN card, if you access the Internet via cable.

A firewall, or as it is also called a firewall, firewall and firewall, monitors and controls system connections between your computer, the network and the Internet in order to promptly detect and prevent attacks and intrusions. Programs of this class are especially useful in cases where it is necessary to control the Internet activity of installed applications.

No one else free product does not make the user more sad than a firewall. And the reason is simple, the process of finding a suitable firewall in mandatory involves a process of trial and error. Good firewall should protect the system without being too intrusive or difficult to manage and configure. This review will provide you with the best free firewalls (according to this site) available today. As with all reviews, recommendations and advice are made based on experience different people. Therefore, if you have ideas or interesting opinions, they are always welcome.

Note: The reader should understand that powerful firewalls with flexible rules settings always require knowledge in the field of network design. However, even in their case there must be a more or less clear way of administration.

There are two types of firewalls - programs and hardware devices. Firewalls, presented as programs (which will be discussed in this article), are installed on your computer and run in background in order to closely monitor the system’s actions in real time. As with many security features, to avoid potential conflicts going as far as manual removal files from boot disks, it is recommended to install only one firewall. Hardware firewalls are usually a special device with built-in logic and filtering-optimized modules (for example, special processors, whose command system includes operations with IP addresses). You can use software and hardware firewalls together. For example, modern routers typically include a built-in firewall and, depending on the type of router, it may not only be firmware (as device programs are called), but also partially implemented at the chip level.

Having a basic firewall has long been critical to keeping your computer safe, which is why many antivirus programs are gradually incorporating some firewall functionality. Simple firewalls, like the default Windows Firewall, allow you to restrict access to your system and personal information, silently protecting you from incoming threats. As part of the review, we will look at several basic firewalls that allow you to protect Windows a little better than it can standard tool security, for example, monitor attempts by programs to open outgoing connections to the Internet (this action refers to outgoing threats).

Note: The reader should understand that the standard Windows firewall provides fairly limited capabilities for protection against outgoing threats. Third Party Applications usually offer a wider range of options.

Proactive firewalls offer more advanced protection, including intrusion detection and prevention systems based on the collection of statistics on program behavior and heuristic analysis, which allows them to protect the computer from a wider range of threats. These firewalls strive to create strong two-way protection, stopping not only incoming threats, but also protecting you from programs transmitting your personal information to the Internet. The disadvantage of such firewalls is that they are more difficult to use and require more money.

It is important to understand that today, having a firewall and antivirus (either separately or as a single solution) is considered the minimum required basic approach to keeping your computer safe.

Note: On different parts you can find a lot of sites useful information about security, such as a review of intrusion detection and prevention programs for home use.

Tips and precautions:

  • Before installing security products, including antiviruses and firewalls, you should consider creating full image disk. By creating such an image, you can restore your system back to previous state in cases where, after installing and configuring protection tools, critical errors appeared in the system, for example, due to incorrect installation of components or you changed critical system settings. In addition, images allow you to cope with complex viruses or simply random conflicts in the system. For example, some system drivers may simply be incompatible with each other, causing your system to suffer. Starting with Windows Vista Ultimate, the system includes a standard backup and recovery tool, but you can also use free programs to create a disk image.
  • For check complete removal Third-party firewalls and other security tools are advised to use uninstallers, since services, registry entries and other system objects may remain after removal.

Basic firewalls and firewalls

Preface or a few words about the built-in windows firewall

The built-in Windows Firewall is a more common choice of users, as it allows you to protect your computer from incoming threats and does not bombard you with pop-up messages. Also, the Windows firewall does not require installation (we are talking about Windows versions, where firewall is included by default) and practically does not conflict with other programs. In addition, many average users cannot properly respond to pop-up notifications due to a lack of basic network knowledge.

So if you need to scan your system for viruses and don't want (need) additional features third-party firewalls, in other words, the level of risks is very low, then the Windows firewall may be exactly the solution you need due to its simplicity and undemanding nature.

Alternatively, you can download a third-party firewall and replace the standard Windows firewall with the base one for easier control of outgoing connections and for additional features. Most two-way firewalls are limited simple questions type to allow or deny Internet access for unknown programs. And also, many firewalls automatically configure access to a preconfigured list of programs (often this list includes most popular applications) and save your decisions in their database. So, after some time, you will hardly see any notifications.

And as an option, you can also use proactive firewalls by first disabling heuristics and analysis in them. In addition, this option may be even more suitable, since proactive firewalls, due to their complexity, simply contain a larger list of preliminary rule templates and access settings.

This is a well-made firewall for controlling outgoing and incoming operating system connections, which is suitable for users of any level. ZoneAlarm protects the system from intrusions and also controls program access to the Internet. The firewall has an easy to understand interface. You can configure security settings to suit your own needs, including shared (public) files and printers, network settings, and more. You can even turn off the firewall if necessary (by the way, quick access The standard Windows firewall is madly lacking this capability). All configuration is done using simple controls (sliders and others), so in most cases you will only need a few clicks. To make it easier for users to get used to the program, when starting for the first time, ZoneAlarm prompts you to scan installed programs and setting access permissions/denies for them. Please note that this first scan does not always allow you to set the access correctly.

The first time after installation, you will have to monitor and adjust the actions of ZoneAlarm to make sure that all programs have a sufficient level of Internet access. But, pop-ups are very simple and are presented in an "allow/deny" format with a checkbox to remember the selected action. Even novice users can easily figure it out (the name of the programs will also be indicated in the message).

You can set the program control level that suits you. Low level involves a learning mode (the firewall remembers all programs that use the network), disabling protection and a minimum number of pop-up windows. Average level assumes that any access to a trusted network or Internet will be with permission. High level is not provided in free version ZoneAlarm. You can set any of the levels at any time. Using the "Smart Defense Advisor" module, Firewall will suggest the most commonly accepted option for non-rule programs by users around the world. You may not use this module(although it will be quite useful for beginners).

Setting up Internet zones includes a trusted zone, which implies a local network with shared files, printers, etc., and an Internet zone for access from the network. Each zone has a simple control format of 3 options: "no security" (firewall disabled), "medium" (exchange/sharing of resources such as files and printers) and "high" (allows use of the network, but blocks someone on the network accessing your system). Medium level is recommended for home networks with more than one operating system, and for cases where devices (routers, routers) require this. A high level is recommended for single machines with Internet access (for example, there is only one computer at home and there is no internal network), as well as for public places where you are going to access the network (WiFi in restaurants and so on).

Overall, ZoneAlarm Free offers basic two-way protection with stealth mode and anti-phishing protection. However, the firewall lacks heuristic and behavioral modules, as well as the ability to allow/block access between programs.

It is worth noting that from version to version, the firewall becomes a little lighter in terms of functionality. Perhaps this is only a temporary dynamic, but still.

Will good choice for those who aim to use the built-in Windows firewall. Despite its name, the program is compatible with Windows XP and higher. In a few words, Windows 10 Firewall Control allows you to configure blocking and application access to the Internet in a more convenient and simpler way in standard Windows firewall. This firewall also adds a better way to manage outgoing connections. It is based on the Windows Filtering Platform, which also powers the standard firewall. Therefore, unlike most others firewalls, the application does not install any drivers on the system. User interface made very simple and clear. It displays only what the program can do, i.e. a block with settings to “allow/deny” access and nothing more.

There are three modes in total - “normal”, “allow all” and “disable all”. The latter mode completely disables access to applications, regardless of firewall settings. The "allow all" mode is self-explanatory, meaning unhindered Internet access for all applications (similar to turning off the firewall). If you do not need to test something, then normal mode is recommended - Internet access for programs will be provided depending on individual settings.

IN normal mode, when the program tries to access the Internet for the first time (after installing W10), a pop-up window will appear with information about the application, publisher, etc. You can allow or deny access either one-time or permanently. If you select the first option, the next time you start the program the window will appear again.

In addition to pop-up windows for selecting Windows 10 Firewall Control actions, small windows also appear in the lower right corner of the screen with access information (access blocked/allowed, etc.). These notifications can be turned off in Settings.

That's basically all this firewall can do. The disadvantages include the fact that you will have to configure access for all your applications, from the browser to the antivirus, which can be somewhat annoying in its routine. However, Windows 10 Firewall Control allows for much easier and more convenient control over the built-in Windows firewall than the operating system offers.

Is a lightweight firewall that is based on standard firewall Windows. It is completely free of pop-ups, so this firewall may be ideal for those who need a "set it up and go do other things" solution. The installer for this program weighs only about 1 MB. Installation is simple, but, unfortunately, does not include the ability to select the installation location. After installation, the firewall runs in the background with an icon in the system tray. All program functions are accessible only from the system tray - there is no “main window” interface in it. In the pop-up menu, the user can select the necessary items, in particular, firewall mode, general network activity, add/exclude applications/processes and call up a dialog with firewall settings.

The firewall settings dialog box is also quite modest. General settings, with the ability to set a password to protect settings. A section that specifies applications that are allowed to connect to the network. There is also a "Detect" function that will try to detect known applications so that the user does not have to add programs manually. In addition, TinyWall can recognize related processes of one application. For example, if you have a program that runs multiple processes, then adding the program to White list, all open connected processes will also have access to the Internet.

It should be noted that when adding a program to the exclusion list, the application is not limited to UDP and TCP traffic. Depending on the nature of the program, it may be more prudent to limit it to, for example, only "outgoing" traffic.

The special exceptions tab allows the user to set Extra options. In particular, choose to allow or block access for system services. If you are not very computer savvy, it is recommended to leave the settings as they are. On the maintenance tab, you can import/export settings, check for versions, and also go to the developer page.

Overall, TinyWall is a lightweight firewall that is a good choice for those looking for an unobtrusive and easy to manage firewall.

Firewalls and firewalls with intrusion detection and prevention systems

Preface or a few words about firewalls with intrusion detection and prevention systems

The following firewalls and firewalls provide better network protection and also support various options for intrusion detection and prevention systems. Every firewall comes with default settings, so very few adjustments may be required depending on the user's needs

The firewalls in this section require more knowledge and time from the user to set up and become familiar with than basic firewalls, but they provide a higher level of protection.

When choosing a suitable firewall, you should not rely on publicly available ones. independent testing and other statements, since during testing the effectiveness is checked at maximum settings, while most users have a simpler level of protection (after all, they want to use the Internet, and not sit in a trench with access to one site). Therefore, most firewall developers strive to ensure maximum “friendliness” of functionality, sometimes with a lower level of security settings (disabling monitoring of some indicators).

Please take these circumstances into account.

This is a solid firewall for those users looking for a full-featured security package. This product is mostly intended for experienced and tech-savvy users. Its intrusion detection system is called "Defense+" and matches or even exceeds the capabilities of paid products. Komodo firewall provides quite a lot of control and settings, which will especially appeal to curious and restless users whose task is to ensure maximum level security.

Comodo includes protection against buffer overflow attacks and a lightweight sandboxing option that allows you to check unknown applications and program installations to see how their launch will affect the computer's operating system. Using a sandbox limits the negative effects of malware. Komodo contains a long list of known, trusted applications, but if an unknown application tries to gain access through the firewall, Comodo will first restrict the program and ask you what to do with it. In addition, all the functionality to control ports, protocols and configurations will be at your disposal.

During installation, you will have three options to install the firewall - "firewall only", "firewall with an optimal set of proactive protection" and "maximum proactive protection" (i.e. "Defense+", as mentioned earlier). After Comodo installations automatically selects "Safe Mode" which will result in numerous pop-up notifications for apps that are not included in the list trusted programs. If you select allow/deny and specify remember the answer, Comodo will create and save custom rule for applications that you can always edit from the general list.

If you select Clean PC Mode, Defense+ will automatically mark all applications on your drive as safe. Please note that if there is a virus among the programs, it will also be considered safe, so use it carefully this function and only in cases where you are truly confident in the safety of the programs. However, these applications will still be monitored, albeit minimum level- checking Comodo protected objects (registry and COM interface), monitoring established rules, etc. Any files you add will be automatically added to the review list, flagged as potentially unsafe, and running them will result in pop-up messages as if you were using safe mode, until you set the rules.

Comodo reduces the frequency of alerts by automatic detection programs as safe, based on Internet access rules. However, you can further reduce the number of Defense+ alerts using one or more methods:

  • Immediately imply your answer as "remember answer" for all warnings. In other words, when any application is launched for the first time, the answer will immediately be assumed to be a permanent solution. However, it is necessary to use carefully this setting, since from time to time applications need to temporarily grant or deny access
  • Add programs to lists of safe or trusted files
  • Use clean computer mode. It is recommended to first make sure that the programs on your disk do not contain viruses and Trojans

Overall, Comodo Firewall is a powerful firewall with a lot of flexible settings, which is perfect for ensuring high level protection. However, it is aimed at those users who have some knowledge of Windows device and networking. Beginner users are strongly advised not to use this firewall.

The former commercial firewall is now free without restrictions. This proactive, multi-layered security solution includes behavioral blocking technology that monitors and checks for viruses, spyware, malware, process and application security, the registry, and more along with standard firewall protection. Private Firewall can certainly be called a multifunctional firewall with an intrusion detection and prevention system.

The program's user interface may seem a little confusing and cumbersome. There are a lot of customizable options, so sometimes it can feel a bit lacking in sorting. Of course, each section contains quite a lengthy reference with explanations, but still. The training mode allows you to resolve all program actions within 180 seconds, which is ideal for quick setup rules for newly installed programs (no need to create dozens of rules for each port, protocol and address). However, be prepared that the first launch of the firewall may lead to blocking of a number of seemingly well-known programs.

You can install different levels security (high, low and custom) for the internal network and the Internet. In other words, for example, if you have a couple of computers or a printer on your home network, then there is no point in limiting them in the same way. You will also have three profiles at your disposal - Home, Office and Remote. You can set the appropriate settings for each and easily switch as needed, especially useful for laptops. Another useful feature is that you can block outgoing mail in one click, which is handy when you've started mail client and you don’t want the application to send emails randomly or on a schedule.

Overall, Private Firewall is a fairly effective firewall that has fairly good ratings on the Internet. Nevertheless, GUI and ease of use will be more appreciated by technically savvy users. A beginner will simply be confused.

The firewall is a good choice for users who want flexible security settings without compromising ease of use. Its interface is carefully organized and retains its functionality (it can be easily navigated regular users). For example, alerts are simplified but just as functional, so you can quickly and easily set up rules or apply actions. In addition, the firewall remembers all replies in pop-up messages without the need to create additional rules, notifies you of all configured rules in training mode and notifies you of all automatically applied rules, for example, for browsers when changing versions.

The free version lacks many of the additional features of the paid version, such as the ability to disable active connection. However, there are plenty of opportunities. You can choose 5 levels of protection, ranging from completely blocking connections to allowing all actions, including medium manual mode"Rules Wizard" training. In addition, the Outpost firewall controls various dangerous species application activities, including memory injection, loading drivers, accessing critical system objects (registry, files). Also, the Outpost database includes quite a lot of pre-configured rule templates, so setting up Internet access for applications will most often consist of a couple of mouse clicks.

The installer will ask you if you want the firewall to train for a week (using auto-learning mode and manual training "Rules Wizard"). In this mode, the firewall will automatically set rules for known safe applications.

Overall, Outpost Firewall Free is a good choice for those looking for a balance of functionality and interface.

The firewall differs from its counterparts in that it comes with additional security modules, namely the registry, pop-up blocker and parental controls - something like a packaged solution. Firewall is less customizable than the previous firewalls listed in the review, but many standard sections are still available. Three levels of protection - off (turns off the firewall), custom (allows you to configure rules for connections) and high (blocks all connections). Each section in the program interface is designed quite cleanly. Alerts generally provide clear and concise information.

The registry protection module provides control and security of the registry for modifications, with the ability to configure specific sections. The parental control module, as the name suggests, limits available list sites, but you need to manually add each site. The module problem is in logic. You can only allow certain websites, you cannot just block individual sites. The pop-up blocker monitors browser behavior and blocks pop-up ads and more. All these three additional modules can be disabled individually. AVS Firewall also comes with a monitoring utility so you can check the amount of network traffic passing through for each application.

During the installation of this firewall, the installer automatically installs the AVS Software browser. Unfortunately, there is no option to opt out, but after installation you can remove it separately without any consequences for the firewall.

Overall, AVS Firewall is a pretty good firewall that will appeal to those who need to provide more security than the basic ones. firewalls, and who doesn’t want to delve very deeply into the specifics of the network design.

Note: AVS Firewall is no longer supported by the manufacturer.

Other firewalls and firewalls for Windows

Although you rarely see old ones OS, such as 98 or Me, but still they should not be left unprotected, especially if they are not hidden behind other systems with firewalls. Therefore, if for some reason you use them, then here is a small list of firewalls and firewalls for Windows 95-2000. Please note that these firewalls are no longer supported by the manufacturers and may contain errors or lead to problems that, most likely, no one except you will consider. However, having an opportunity is better than not having one.

  • Sygate Personal Firewall (Windows 2000/XP/2003) [no longer supported]
  • NetVeda Safety.Net (Windows 95/98/Me/NT/2000/XP, requires registration) [no longer supported]
  • Filseclab Personal Firewall (Windows 95/98/Me/NT/2000/2003/XP 32-bit) [no longer supported]