SP2 Windows Firewall good or bad ?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Ahmed Anis
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A

Ahmed Anis

Is it true that the SP2 Firewall only checks incoming, but not outgoing? I
recently uninstalled Norton Firewall and planning to contiue with just the
built in XP SP2 firewall. Am I in greater danger now?

Please help in these issues, thanx in advance!
 
Yes, it is true, ICF only controls inbound..
The danger you are in is largely determined with how well you are able
to control what come into the computer.
If you completely control what goes to the computer, there will be
nothing to send anything undesired out.
However mistakes can be made and a full featured firewall will alert
you as something unauthorized is attempting to leave.

Inbound firewall protection protects your computer.
Outbound protects your personal data.
 
Ahmed said:
Is it true that the SP2 Firewall only checks incoming, but not
outgoing? I recently uninstalled Norton Firewall and planning to
contiue with just the built in XP SP2 firewall. Am I in greater
danger now?
Please help in these issues, thanx in advance!
Click to expand...


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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You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on
having both at once. - RAH
 
Ahmed Anis said:
Is it true that the SP2 Firewall only checks incoming, but not outgoing? I
recently uninstalled Norton Firewall and planning to contiue with just the
built in XP SP2 firewall. Am I in greater danger now?

Please help in these issues, thanx in advance!
Click to expand...
 
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