Has anyone defeated the PC Flank Leaktest?

I failed the PC Flank Leaktest from:

http://www.pcflank.com/

Has anyone found a free firewall that makes this test fail?

Thanks

 

Online Armor, Comodo

 

I tried with the version of PCFlank downloaded from Matousec, and it told me that my "firewall has failed the test" and that data was send to the internet, even if the computer had no network connection, so I wouldn't put too much trust in PCFlank test....

 

Are both of these FREE?

If so, which one is the better?

 

Yeah good point. It said I failed the test, and when I clicked on results, the text I typed didn't even show up in the results

Is there a possiblity that PC Flank leak test is a scam? And that they have made a deal with the 2 firewall companies they claim are the only 2 firewalls that stop the leak?

 

I don't think it's a scam... It is possible that they don't evaluate corectly the condition for test fail/success. As for their claim that only 2 firewalls pass the test, this claim is outdated ("PCFlank's Leaktest vs. selected commercial firewalls, as of October 16, 2006").

 

The results can be incorrect, this is mainly due to how the test works.

PCflank uses OLE (Object Linking and Embedding) control of the browser. If this control is actually blocked, then you will have a "Passed" but if the leak is prevented by other means (such as the interception of data transfer) then is does give a "Fail".
I agree that the test could be done better, and that actually a conncetion/data transfer should be varified by the leak before it gives the "fail alert"

 

Yes, Comodo is completely free, and Online Armor has free version which has the same security level as paid version, but is limited in advanced setup. I cannot say which is better for you. It depends on your personal prefferences. Comodo has a lot of tuning. OA is more quiet (I'd say intellectual), but its free version is limited in setup. Though, its paid version has some unique features which determinded my choice toward Online Armor paid.

 

The problem with all leak tests is their function is limited to sneaking past the firewall. Real malware has to do other things which make detection far more likely. You might take a look at Sunbelt Software's response to Matousec on his leak test results page .

 

I tested this test with Comodo and Online Armor and they both pass this test with flying colors.

 

I tried the PCFlank Leak test with Vista Firewall Control and Webroot Firewall, and they both failed the test.

I then installed latest COMODO, and it passed the leak test

I will stick with using COMODO from now on.

 

If you are behind a router, and do not have a hardware firewall activated in theat, you will fail even with a software firewall. therefore, it does not mean you are going to die if you fail.

 

Why is that? I mean, why would you fail even with a software firewall?
I have a router with firewall enabled, but I'm still looking for a software firewall to complement it.

 

I will rephrase what Stem said above: PCFlank attempts to control Internet Explorer using OLE. If it manages to do that without being stopped by a security application, it considers that your security application fails the test. It doesn't bother to check if the data it tried to send to the internet was actually sent.

 

So it has nothing to do with the firewall in your router being broken or anything?

 

Exactly. Absoloutely nothing to do with it.

 

I have never ever gotten reliable results on the PC Flank tests... I simply don't trust it at all. I don't think it's a scam or anything, but it's not right either....

 

I got Comodo and Online Armor to pass the PC Flank test with ease. Something to keep in mind about the reliabilty of this test and that site. When I was using ZAAS it would block me from even going to that site cause its a known spy site in there eyes.

 

Or ZAAS knows they will fail the tests there, hence their reason to block the PC Flank website

 

Your firewall/HIPS must intercept and block the OLE control for a pass:-

 

Running the test through Sandboxie configured for only your browser to connect seems to pass with no submitted data showing even though the results show a fail.

 

Then you need to check with Vendor if OLE control is intercepted and blocked.

I dont know how clearer I can make this.

If your firewall/HIPS correctly intercepts and can block OLE control then your firewall/HIPS will be given a passed.

I have just installed OA onto VM (due to ongoing thread by Escalader), I ran the PCflank test, this was intercepted correctly:-



When this is blocked, then the popup (post 20) shows that the leak as failed (firewall passed the test).
(In post 20, I was using HIPS (PS))

 

Thank you Stem. Thats the same results I got using Comodo, ZAAS and Online Armor.

 

Agreed.
I ran this sanboxed inside SandBoxie configuated to not allow any programs in the sandbox internet access except my browser.
Said I failed.
Tried it again this time the same setup as well as disconected from the internet using the quick disconnect of AlphiaShield and the results said I failed. How was this sent with no connection?
It was not. This test is not reliable at all.

 

The actual test is reliable. It is only the result that is confusing.

As I have mentioned, the actual test is the ability of the firewall/hips to intercept OLE.

Come on, this is getting irritating trying to explain this.