Server & Internet access ?

Discussion in 'other firewalls' started by StevieO, Aug 2, 2009.

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  1. StevieO

    StevieO Registered Member

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    On a Vista PC i use i've noticed ZA free v8 alerts me with both those whenever i launch IE or FF. In earlier versions of ZA on XP, i'm sure they only required Internet access and not Server access too.

    Any clues as to why ?

    TIA
     
    StevieO, Aug 2, 2009
    #1
  2. fax

    fax Registered Member

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    Hi!
    don't know how ZA free works but under ZA retail versions IE and FF are set automatically (by the remote ZA white list database) to allow internet access and the server rights only for the trusted zone. So, IE has HIPS (trust level) to SuperTrusted, blocked access to server rights to the internet (red cross) and the rest allowed.

    Cheers,
    Fax
     
    Last edited: Aug 2, 2009
    fax, Aug 2, 2009
    #2
  3. StevieO

    StevieO Registered Member

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    What i really want to establish, is why IE & FF require Server access when launched. This is before i visit ANY www ? as i have a blank page set as my home page.

    fax

    Thanx
     
    StevieO, Aug 4, 2009
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  4. fax

    fax Registered Member

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    The why I don't know but you can try to investigate it by monitoring IE/FF with tools likes sysinternals TCPViewer and Process Explorer to understand exactly what is happening behind the scene... including understanding if it is just server rights to the trusted zone (often needed for the correct functioning of some software and quite common) and server rights to the internet (less common, unless it is related to IM, P2P, VOIP, etc)

    Cheers,
    Fax
     
    fax, Aug 5, 2009
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  5. JRViejo

    JRViejo Super Moderator

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    StevieO, I'm using ZA Free 5.5.094.000 and my main browser is Firefox. While I don't get an alert when launching FF, every time the browser is updated (like the last 3.5.2 version), after FF is restarted, I get the Server Internet connection attempt ZA prompt. Of course, I deny it and check "remember this." Then, I go into ZA and confirm that the red X is there. From that point forward, FF works without a problem.

    According to this Mozilla's Configuring ZoneAlarm Free Firewall support article, it states "The entries in the Server column are not relevant" and by that I have to assume that FF does not require Server rights. As a matter of principle, I deny Server rights to all software and have blue question marks attached to a very few Microsoft processes.
     
    JRViejo, Aug 6, 2009
    #5
  6. Seer

    Seer Registered Member

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    Firefox is well known to do a TCP loopback connections (do a "netstat -a" at the command prompt to check) in order to communicate with its own SSL module (among other things). Since it is a localhost (127.0.0.1) connection, it will loop only within your PC and not in your network, let alone the internet. I think ZoneAlarm is a bit paranoid on this one, or simply lacking sufficient info on the comm (don't know, haven't seen ZA in ages).
    IE uses the same technique but uses UDP protocol instead of TCP.
    You can allow these connections without worries.
     
    Seer, Aug 6, 2009
    #6
  7. StevieO

    StevieO Registered Member

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    Hi guys,

    Informative answers there, which is what i was hoping for.

    Thanx a bunch,

    S
     
    StevieO, Aug 7, 2009
    #7
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