Internet Connection Firewall

Question

Hello,

May I have your opinion?

I was using the built in Windows XP ICF ( Internet Connection Firewall ) and then I downloaded and installed Zone Alarm Free Version. Even with the ICF enabled and Zone Alarm running at the same time I'm amazed at what gets past the Windows XP Firewall according to the Zone Alarm reports. Are the Zone Alarm reports accurate? I would love just to use the built it ICF for security, but after viewing Zone Alarm reports my mouth droped open. Is the Windows XP firewall that poor of a firewall. It secures your ports, but beyond that, what does it do for you. Should I stick with Zone Alarm for just go with the Windows XP Firewall.

I'm not very smart when it comes to protecting a computer from getting attacked or hacked. All information welcome.

Thanks,

INTERNET2000

purrplexed · Answer

Zone Alarm is reporting what was blocked so I don't think ICF is letting stuff through. Why are you using two Firewalls? Zone Alarm can block incoming and outgoing and I believe the ICF just blocks incoming. I would just use the ZoneAlarm and disable or shut off the ICF.

Is the Windows XP firewall that poor of a firewall. It secures your ports, but beyond that, what does it do for you.

That is a firewalls main purpose.

Denny Denham · Answer

INTERNET2000,

Firewalls and antivirus programs do not coexist well together. Choose one and disable the other. If you are running both ZoneAlarm and ICF there is a good chance that they are interfering with one another and that accounts for the items that ICF is "missing."

INTERNET2000 · Answer

Thanks for the reply!

gryjhnhpe · Answer

I run both with no problems as Microsoft said use XP Firewall to stop Blaster Worm until patch can be downloaded.
ZA Help says; A firewall guards the "doors" to your computer—that is, the ports through which Internet traffic comes in and goes out. The firewall only lets traffic through the ports that you have specified can be used.

However I had to disable XP Firewall & left ZA active to increase download speed for AutoPatcher Torrent link
so XP Firewall was blocking some ports but ZA didn't block those ports used by Torrent download.

As to ZA report perhaps it is blocking some ports before XP Firewall checks ports.

Message Edited by gryjhnhpe on 11-16-2003 08:24 AM

INTERNET2000 · Answer

Thanks for the information!

joat77 · Answer

Follow Denny's advice and use only one firewall. Zonealarm works very well.

To check your firewall competency you can go to Gibson Research at http://grc.com/intro.htm and click on "shields up" and then the "shields up" link on the second page. Have it probe all your ports and also your common ports.

gryjhnhpe · Answer

joat77 wrote: Follow Denny's advice and use only one firewall. Zonealarm works very well. To check your firewall competency you can go to Gibson Research at http://grc.com/intro.htm and click on "shields up" and then the "shields up" link on the second page. Have it probe all your ports and also your common ports.

I used above link with ZA shutdown & XP Firewall enabled & it gave all ports in Stealth mode.
I disconnected from internet started ZA & disables XP Firewall & ZA gave the same results as XP all ports in stealth mode.

I set XP Firewall to Log successful connections & dropped packets with Setting , Security Logging tab

Then connected to internet again with ZA disabled , the XP Firewall Log showed successful connections & dropped packets.

I cleared XP Firewall Log C:\WINDOWS\pfirewall.log started ZA & connected to internet & ZA Log showed entries but XP Firewall Log didn't show any , so ZA checks Ports before XP Firewall can.

Message Edited by gryjhnhpe on 11-19-2003 11:33 AM

INTERNET2000 · Answer

Wow, Thanks for all the great information.

Windows General

Internet Connection Firewall

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