List of acceptable programs?

[msingle]

I've searched here and I can't find a simple but fairly exhaustive list of applications that ask for permission to access the Internet with a firewall like ZA or any other application based firewall.

I know you can go to ZA's site and get information on some of the most common ones when it first asks for permission but I'd like a little bit more complete list if it's available.

Any ideas?

Thanks.

[CrazyM]

Hi msingle

I am not aware of any complete list, but suspect such a list would be next to impossible to maintain. The number of Network/Internet enabled applications is probably huge and growing daily.

The total number of applications on any given system will vary from system to system as everyones set up will be different.

The other problem, based on your subject: List of acceptable programs?

How are you going to define acceptable? What may be acceptable for me, may be totally unacceptable for you.

I think most users will have to deal with each application when prompted and determine for themselves whether to allow, restrict or deny access to the Network/Internet.

Regards,
CrazyM

[msingle]

Hi CrazyM,

You, of course are right. My audience is people who have no clue what those messages mean when they pop up asking for permission to access the Internet. And they don't know what the programs are - heck as far as that goes they could be giving access to a Trojan horse or something like that. Instead of learning or trying to figure out what the program is they just hit okay and therefore are led into a false sense of security because they have an AV tool and a firewall.

So, I'm just trying to make it as easy for them as can be. Heck, there are messages that I can't find out what they belong to. I, of course, deny access until I can find out. So by acceptable I mean a list of "okay" programs but if it isn't on the list then they don't need to give it access.

Hope this is making sense.

Thanks for your response.

[pin]

it would be easier to compile a list of programs NOT to allow access, like spyware, adware, trojans, and other baddies.. i've never seen a list available for all these things, but separately they are all around the place.

[root]

Actually, it's not totally intimidating.
When you first install a firewall and hook up to the net, you are going to need to allow your browser out, but not in.On Win2K, you need to allow services.exe out to your ISPs DNS servers to remote port UDP 53. You also probably need to allow DHCP out to your ISP, either under services or as a global rule.
In XP change services.exe to SVCHOST.exe
I guess terminology may vary.
You need to allow your email client out to your ISPs email server, usually just tcp port 25.
You need to allow updaters for your security programs out.
Granted, there are a myriad of possible rules that will need to be made, But the basics can get people started.
Simple rules to go by - allow out, not in. In ZA when it asks act as server, the answer is no because that means allow incoming traffic. If you don't know what it is, block it. If something then doesn't work, allow it.
Unfortunately, from time to time, people are just going to need to come to a board like this one, and get some help while they are learning.

[kyte]

Then again if you dont allow some messenger programs (like ICQ, etc) to act as server, you cant do any direct connections. I suppose it depends on how you want to manage that kind of thing.

[J-Pop]

root,
I am in the process of deciding on a choice of which fire wall to use--using similar critieria as msingle mentioned. Thus, I read (closely) your helpful and common sense response.

Very logical guidelines, and practical too.

[root]

Thank you. I have been getting a lot of experience at the Outpost Firewall Forum trying to help people with problems and rules. My experience is mostly with Outpost so I am limited in the help I can give to users of other firewalls, but a lot of times, the questions are the same and the answers are the same, just different terminology.
That is what makes it difficult for people to come up with standardized rules. Terminology can kill you, switching from one firewall to another.

[yodafan]

hi msingle,

I'm not totally sure i understood ur question but i think i got it, your wondering which applications should be allowed?

Well first of all, if you don't know what the application is ... it should NOT be allowed, till u absolutely know its safe. For example if you don't know what that application is, you can do a search... if u highlight over the program that is trying to access the internet, in the ZA list of applications, you can see the directory from which the program is coming from and this might give u a better idea if to allow it to access the net. If its a program u are not aware of, u can also do searches on like google, to look up the application and learn what it is. Basically if u know ur computer better, you will get to know which programs to allow or not, and u can always ask here at this forum what a certain application is.

Msingle, you might want to give sygate personal firewall a try, its similar to ZA and takes less resources. I like urself use to use ZA and switch over to SPF 5. They are both free firewalls, but if ur happy with wut u got then i'd say stick with ZA because you probably know how to use it better.

YODA