another Windows Firewall Control?

[Broadway]

Originally Posted by adrenaline7

...Any configuration advice please? ...

All you have to do is to set WFC to Medium Filtering and enable Learning Mode.

[alexandrud]

And finally...
As I promised to all of you, today I was able to finalize the new beta version 3.2.0.0.
This is available only here, for Wilders users. Only the final version will be published on the website after all the problems you may find in this version will be fixed.

What's new and good:
- No fee to upgrade to this new version.
- The new version scales fine on all DPI settings, due to using Windows Presentation Foundation.
- The program has now two components:
1. wfc.exe (Graphical User Interface)
2. wfcs.exe (Windows Service)
- WFC no longer requires elevated privileges at runtime because all the tasks are done by the WFCS service under LocalSystem account. Elevated privileges are still required at installation or update.
- Start with Windows does not use Task Scheduler anymore.
- Lock feature does not rely on GroupPolicy anymore and Windows Registry entries.
- Validations of the parameters of a new rule are made before it's creation.
- Multiple rule names are supported.
- Multiple selection in Manage Rules is supported. Also deletion can be made on multiple rules in the same time.

What's new and still to be worked at:
- This version requires a new activation code because the licensing system was changed entirely. Registered users can generate a new activation code from their accounts on our website.
- Memory consumption is a little high, but this is because of WPF and NET Framework.

Please report any bugs, or suggest new improvements, on this topic or at email: support@binisoft.org. Please try it and let me know if you like the new version.

Thank you for your patience and your support.
Alexandru

DOWNLOAD LINK: http://binisoft.org/download/beta/wfc.exe

Installation notes:
Even if this version can update previous versions, it is recommended to uninstall the previous version and do a clean setup.

Here is a new screenshot from this version.

[Cazandros]

The new registration code doesn't seems to work - I can't click the activate button after entering the activation code.

[majoMo]

.NET 3.5 isn't enough. It is required v. 4.0.

[alexandrud]

Originally Posted by Cazandros

The new registration code doesn't seems to work - I can't click the activate button after entering the activation code.

Please note that in the registered users area on our website, there is a separate link which leads you to a new page. The default page after you are logged in, generates activation codes for previous versions. You must click on "Get activation code for beta version 3.2.0.0", and then generate the activation code from this page.

Originally Posted by majoMo

.NET 3.5 isn't enough. It is required v. 4.0.

Sorry. I forgot to mention that the new version requires NET Framework 4. Some methods were easier to implement using NET Framework 4, and also it comes with a lot of enhancements.

[Cazandros]

@alexandrud: Thanks!

[Macolm]

Thanks for the great new version, here are some thoughts of mine about this version:

1.Multiple selection in Manage Rules to change multiple rules ( Allow/Block/Enable/Disable) at one time crashes WFC (almost every time).

2.Manage Rules window always starts maximized, couldn't remember previous closing state.

[alexandrud]

Originally Posted by Macolm

Thanks for the great new version, here are some thoughts of mine about this version:

1.Multiple selection in Manage Rules to change multiple rules ( Allow/Block/Enable/Disable) at one time crashes WFC (almost every time).

2.Manage Rules window always starts maximized, couldn't remember previous closing state.

1. Fixed. I had to comment one line of code.
2. Fixed. Added support for this.

Thank you for reporting these problems. Please let me know if there are any other problems. Also, if you would like to see other improvements please share your thoughts.

Download Link: http://binisoft.org/download/beta/wfc.exe
MD5: 2FEA011738804BB5D5497FD19A242894

Installation notes:
Because it has the same build number, please uninstall the previous beta version and do a clean setup with the new compiled version. The final version will be able to update the beta version.

System requirements:
- NET Framework 4.0

Supported Operating systems:
- Windows Vista, Windows 7 and Windows 8 Customer Preview
- x86 and x64 operating systems

Any other feedback is welcome.
Thank you for your support.

[alexandrud]

Tips & tricks:
In any window, press Esc key to close it.
In any window press Enter to continue.

In notification window:
- Press on program name to open the application folder.
- Press on remote address to start a WHOIS query in your default browser.

In main window:
- Press on "Windows Firewall" string to open Windows Firewall Control Panel applet.

[Cazandros]

Thank you. Until now the beta runs very well.

[Yanick]

Good job with the beta
I do have small problem whenever i choose medium filtering with blocked notification, WFC cut's internet access and i havent seen single notification about what was blocked. When il set it to low filtering internet works. Eny solutions?

Laptop which now has WFC, has been installed fresh only Mse and WFC + all windows updates. Windows 7 x64 Ultimate

[alexandrud]

Originally Posted by Yanick

Good job with the beta
I do have small problem whenever i choose medium filtering with blocked notification, WFC cut's internet access and i havent seen single notification about what was blocked. When il set it to low filtering internet works. Eny solutions?

Laptop which now has WFC, has been installed fresh only Mse and WFC + all windows updates. Windows 7 x64 Ultimate

I installed and tested the new version of Windows Firewall Control on the following operating systems:
- Windows 7 Home Premium x86 German
- Windows 7 Home Premium x86 English
- Windows 7 Home Premium x64 English
- Windows 7 Ultimate x64 English
- Windows 8 Consumer preview x86 English
- Windows 8 Consumer preview x64 English

On all operating systems I tested successfully from the default user which is created at installation (an admin with UAC enabled):
- install and uninstall
- activation
- creating rules using Learning Mode and the buttons from the main window
- deleting multiple rules from Manage Rules window
- enabling / disabling multiple rules at a time in Manage Rules window

Things that didn't work but I will take care of soon:
- Lock is not working as expected on 64bit systems

Please verify if previous version 3.1.0.3 works in your case. If version 3.2.0.0 is not working also the previous version should not work. They use the same routines.

[Macolm]

Is it possible to create service based rules like WFwAS does? e.g., Win32Time. Any difference between svchost.exe based rule and service based rule?

[alexandrud]

Originally Posted by Macolm

Is it possible to create service based rules like WFwAS does? e.g., Win32Time. Any difference between svchost.exe based rule and service based rule?

There is no such a feature because this has sense only for svchost.exe. This can be tweaked from WFwAS. WFC offers a quick access, using a shortcut in the main window, to WFwAS which is executed with the highest privileges possible.

WFC creates at installation a service based rule for svchost.exe for Windows Update. The truth is that setting a general rule for scvhost.exe is a real headache.
Allowing svchost.exe full access to remote ports 80:443 is the "easiest to use" option.

You can read the following post how to set rules for svchost.exe. There are pretty much of them:
http://www.wilderssecurity.com/showp...57&postcount=2

[Macolm]

Originally Posted by alexandrud

There is no such a feature because this has sense only for svchost.exe. This can be tweaked from WFwAS. WFC offers a quick access, using a shortcut in the main window, to WFwAS which is executed with the highest privileges possible.

After creating a Win32Time rule in WFwAS, WFC woudn't show equivalent entry before restart manually. "Refresh rules list" seems not function well in this case.

[alexandrud]

Originally Posted by Macolm

After creating a Win32Time rule in WFwAS, WFC woudn't show equivalent entry before restart manually. "Refresh rules list" seems not function well in this case.

Indeed. I will fix this too. I was thinking to create at installation all the rules for svchost.exe from the post I recommended you before, but enable only some of them.

[majoMo]

Can user to do 'Import Policy...' from v. 3.1.0.3 to v. 3.2, without any troubles?

[alexandrud]

Originally Posted by majoMo

Can user to do 'Import Policy...' from v. 3.1.0.3 to v. 3.2, without any troubles?

Yes, this problem was resolved since version 3.0.0.2.
Later edit: But to be sure, save your policy also using WFwAS. Just in case.

[majoMo]

I'm glad have asked. I didn't know there was a problem about...
Time to try newest beta version - after to install .NET 4.0 (with a snapshot uninstaller).

[alexandrud]

New beta available 3.2.0.1
This build has version 3.2.0.1. I did this to make the new version to update the previous beta. The final version probably will be set to 3.3.0.0.

What's new:
- New: On options tab I added a new checkbox named "Enable notifications for system applications". If this one is checked you will receive notifications including for "System" and "svchost.exe". If this remains unchecked you will receive notifications only for your regular programs. Please note that this checkbox is available only when "Learning Mode" is checked.
- New: The text items from the cells in "Manage Rules" are now trimmed if they are longer than the cell width. If the text is trimmed, a tooltip is available on mouse over on the cell.
- Fixed: "Learning Mode" not working on some systems due to insufficient user privileges to read the security events.
- Fixed: Refreshing the firewall rules in "Manage Rules" did not work until restarting the program.
- Fixed: The selected tab item was reset to the first one at hiding of the main window. Now the last tab viewed is remembered.
- Added a rule for WIndows Time Service in the list of optional recommended rules. This is available at installation.
- Renamed the optional recommended rules with the prefix "WFC - ruleName". Also they have now description of their purpose.

And many more bug fixes which I don't remember now

What is not yet ready:
- Lock feature does not work as expected on x64 bit operating systems.

Please report bugs and suggest new improvements on this topic or at: support@binisoft.org.

Thank you for your support.
Alexandru

DOWNLOAD LINK: http://binisoft.org/download/beta/wfc.exe

Installation notes:
Even if this version can update the previous beta version, it is recommended to uninstall the previous version and do a clean install.

Below is a new screenshot with the new improvements:

[ghodgson]

Thanks Alexandrud,

I see now there are 2 services running, in the earlier version the memory footprint was miniscule at less than 1MB. The new Beta version's services wfc.exe 32 is running at 80,636K and the other wfcs.exe 32 at 13,844K on my Win 7 64bit PC.
Is this larger footprint the norm now ?

Gordon

[Macolm]

One suggestion: could "Browse to allow" remember last used folder? Would be convenient when adding multiple rules from the same folder.

[Alcyon]

Version 3.2.0.1 (beta) on Win7x64:





I haven't verified yet if it's working well with EMET (it wasn't the case with v3.1.0.3 ).

[alexandrud]

Originally Posted by ghodgson

Thanks Alexandrud,
I see now there are 2 services running, in the earlier version the memory footprint was miniscule at less than 1MB. The new Beta version's services wfc.exe 32 is running at 80,636K and the other wfcs.exe 32 at 13,844K on my Win 7 64bit PC.
Is this larger footprint the norm now ?

The previous versions were developed under Windows Forms technology. Indeed, the old wfc.exe had a memory footprint of 1-2 MB in idle mode. With Learning Mode enabled, the used memory could have been even 12 - 14 MB of RAM memory. Even more, if you have opened "Manage Rules" it could have used even 18-20 MB.

The new version is developed under Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF) technology and consists on two executable files:
- wfc.exe which is the GUI, takes at start-up around 20MB. Even an empty project with a window which says "Hello world !" consume at start-up at least 16-18MB of memory when using WPF. So, wfc.exe consumes at least 16-18 MB at start-up and can go up to 80-90 MB, in the worst scenario. In my usual tests it didn't consumed more than 60MB with "Manage Rules" opened and "Learning Mode" enabled. This is when wfc.exe may consume the largest amount of memory. Actually it is not used all by wfc.exe. It is used by the NET Framework runtimes which tends to reserve a much larger amount of memory, even if it is not used.

- wfcs.exe which is a Windows service which does all the tasks. It can consume from 8 up to 30MB of memory when multiple tasks are requested.

Unfortunately, NET applications have much larger memory footprint than the classic executable files. Fortunately, the memory is pretty cheap. 10 bucks a module with 1GB DDR3 at 1333MHz.

Originally Posted by Macolm

One suggestion: could "Browse to allow" remember last used folder? Would be convenient when adding multiple rules from the same folder.

Yes it can. Actually I work now to a solution to be able to select multiple exe files into the same folder. This will simplify even more the process. You can select 3 or 5 exe files and allow/block all at once.

Originally Posted by Alcyon

Version 3.2.0.1 (beta) on Win7x64:
I haven't verified yet if it's working well with EMET (it wasn't the case with v3.1.0.3 ).

The final version will be compiled to run in also in 64bit mode. It will not appear anymore with *32.

[alexandrud]

New beta available 3.2.0.2

What's new:
- New: Selection of multiple executable files from the same folder is now permitted. In this way a user can create multiple firewall rules, all together, for programs which require to allow/block multiple executable files.
- Update: Last browsed folder is now remembered.
- Fixed: The new executable file runs in 64bit mode on 64bit operating systems. The Task Manager from 64bit operating systems will display correctly "wfc.exe" instead of "wfc.exe *32".
- Fixed: Lock feature works now on 64bit operating systems.

DOWNLOAD LINK: http://binisoft.org/download/beta/wfc.exe

Installation notes:
Even if this version can update the previous beta version, it is recommended to uninstall the previous version and do a clean install.

Please report bugs and suggest new improvements on this topic or at: support@binisoft.org.

I'll do some more tests on various operating systems and if no more problems will be reported, I will publish to the website the final version which will be 3.3.0.0.

Thank you all for your support.
Alexandru