Is the Windows XP Firewall enough?

  • Thread starter Thread starter JMF
  • Start date Start date
J

JMF

I know this is an old topic, but I thought I'd try to get the latest
opinions on this. I'm trying to decide whether to get another firewall.
Everybody says the problem with the XP firewall is that although it controls
incoming connections, it doesn't control outgoing connections.

I already have the free ZoneAlarm firewall on my Win2K computers, which
works fine. And I could add it to my new XP Home Edition computer. But
apparently some people complain that ZoneAlarm adds log files that grow
large, etc. etc. so I figured I'd avoid adding another firewall *if* it
wasn't really necessary.

What's the current consensus, if any?

Thanks for any inputs,

John
 
I use a hardware firewall in my router and a software firewall (Sygate
Personal Edition) - along with AVG Free and the Microsoft AntiSpyware Beta.
My system is on 24 hours a day - and I get hit with an attempted access at
least every other day.

Over the last 6 months of running this setup I've only had a few instances
of spyware and only 1 Trojan - and all were caught in time.

I've used Sygate since before Windows came out with a firewall. My main
objection to the Windows firewall is that you can't customize the permissions
as much, or a easily, as with Sygate.
 
Oops! Forgot to add...Don't run the 2 firewalls at the same time. Although
this may not affect your system's performance - there is the potential for a
conflict between the 2 programs.

Also, if you've got a firewall problem - how're you going to know which one
it's in?
 
I also have a netgear router, but I still experience the v.occassional
probe.
But by the same token I dont know what a popup is :)

Harry Ohrn said:
I use a router and no software firewall.

--

Harry Ohrn MS-MVP [Shell/User]
www.webtree.ca/windowsxp


JMF said:
I know this is an old topic, but I thought I'd try to get the latest
opinions on this. I'm trying to decide whether to get another firewall.
Everybody says the problem with the XP firewall is that although it
controls
incoming connections, it doesn't control outgoing connections.

I already have the free ZoneAlarm firewall on my Win2K computers, which
works fine. And I could add it to my new XP Home Edition computer. But
apparently some people complain that ZoneAlarm adds log files that grow
large, etc. etc. so I figured I'd avoid adding another firewall *if* it
wasn't really necessary.

What's the current consensus, if any?

Thanks for any inputs,

John
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
This is a little different,

I use the XP firewall along with Norton System Works - Anti virus program.
Norton protects incoming and outgoing mail so the XP firewall does just
fine.

I also use Microsoft Anti Spy ware.
I haven't had any problems with this setup.

Updates are automatic on all of my programs.

Jerry
 
To clarify this a little, do not run two software firewalls at the
same time. A hardware router firewall and a software firewall is OK
together.

Brian
 
jerrym526 said:
This is a little different,

I use the XP firewall along with Norton System Works - Anti virus program.
Norton protects incoming and outgoing mail so the XP firewall does just
fine.

I also use Microsoft Anti Spy ware.
I haven't had any problems with this setup.

Updates are automatic on all of my programs.
Click to expand...

I would have to suggest, after decades of doing this type of work, that
no user controlled firewall on any PC is ENOUGH. If you want enough, get
a NAT Router and install it as the first device, then make sure you
follow safe browsing/downloading practices, and make sure you are not
running as an Administrator level account when playing around.

No personal firewall product, running on the same machine you use, where
you get to choose on the fly, is going to protect you against all forms
of intrusion - you are bound to make a mistake at some point.
 
Leythos said:
I would have to suggest, after decades of doing this type of work, that
no user controlled firewall on any PC is ENOUGH. If you want enough, get
a NAT Router and install it as the first device, then make sure you
follow safe browsing/downloading practices, and make sure you are not
running as an Administrator level account when playing around.
Click to expand...

Interesting .. could you elaborate on that last point? What are the dangers
of running as an Administrator level account?

John
 
Interesting .. could you elaborate on that last point? What are the dangers
of running as an Administrator level account?
Click to expand...

You don't have to take my word for any of the above - just google and
search for best practices.

In the case of running as an Administrator, if something gets loose or
you run something you didn't mean to run, it has full administrator
access to the system - and if you are a domain administrator, well,
that's really bad.

If you browse the web using IE in default mode, you will run into many
things which want to do bad things to your system, running as a "User"
means they have less chance to do damage.

In the case of limited User accounts, they don't have permission to
install some applications, make system changes, etc...
 
Oh God no! .. the more the merrier, BE PARANOID! ... go here (Shields Up)
to test your system's security https://www.grc.com/x/ne.dll?bh0bkyd2
I use McAfee VS & FW, a router and I routinely update them (not the router)
ALSO: Get these free programs and run them after you reboot.

ADAWARE : http://www.lavasoftusa.com/software/adaware/ Removes malware,
spyware that Spybot doesn't

SPYBOT : http://www.safer-networking.org/en/download/index.html Removes
malware, spyware that Adaware doesn't

CCLEANER : http://www.ccleaner.com/ This baby removes all temp cache, and
other indexing crap on boot-up ... go into "options" and check off "at boot"
This stuff is probably clogging your system too

STARTUP INSPECTOR: http://www.windowsstartup.com/
You probably have too many startup items first of all. The inspector will
give you a consultative look at what runs in start-up and choose to delete
those startups that "snail" a boot up.

Then Defrag your computer ... You probably have file parts all over your
drive. Make sure ALL your anti-virus etc are all up-to-date...make sure you
keep those Windows Updates coming in.
 
JMF said:
I know this is an old topic, but I thought I'd try to get the latest
opinions on this. I'm trying to decide whether to get another firewall.
Everybody says the problem with the XP firewall is that although it controls
incoming connections, it doesn't control outgoing connections.

I already have the free ZoneAlarm firewall on my Win2K computers, which
works fine. And I could add it to my new XP Home Edition computer. But
apparently some people complain that ZoneAlarm adds log files that grow
large, etc. etc. so I figured I'd avoid adding another firewall *if* it
wasn't really necessary.

What's the current consensus, if any?

Thanks for any inputs,

John
Click to expand...


The song remains the same...

WinXP's built-in firewall is adequate at stopping incoming attacks,
and hiding your ports from probes. What WinXP SP2's firewall does not
do, is protect you from any Trojans or spyware that you (or someone
else using your computer) might download and install inadvertently.
It doesn't monitor out-going traffic at all, other than to check for
IP-spoofing, much less block (or at even ask you about) the bad or the
questionable out-going signals. It assumes that any application you
have on your hard drive is there because you want it there, and
therefore has your "permission" to access the Internet. Further,
because the Windows Firewall is a "stateful" firewall, it will also
assume that any incoming traffic that's a direct response to a
Trojan's or spyware's out-going signal is also authorized.

ZoneAlarm, Kerio, or Sygate are all much better than WinXP's
built-in firewall, and are much more easily configured, and there are
free versions of each readily available. Even the commercially
available Symantec's Norton Personal Firewall is superior by far,
although it does take a heavier toll of system performance then do
ZoneAlarm or Sygate.


--

Bruce Chambers

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