Windows 7 Firewall Control 4.0 released today

free and paid version available.

http://www.sphinx-soft.com/Vista/index.html

 

Re: Windows Firewall Control 4.0 released today

Thanks, I had a quick look at the product's pages to see if it'd interest me.
Unfortunately I'm at a loss as to how they define "perpetual license" (e.g. will v5 be a free upgrade?).
More important, they appear pretty secretive. Clicking on the Company Info link gave me no more than a "Contact Us" form and I didn't see any mention of who they are anywhere else on the site.
Thanks (again), but no thanks.

 

Re: Windows Firewall Control 4.0 released today

I think the 4 to 5 would require payment at a discount but not for sure. I have a license for the 3+ version but don't even use it anymore. Win 7 with outbound seems to work well now that I finally have it configured and tightened up.

 

Re: Windows Firewall Control 4.0 released today

i use the free version.

the options that the paid version offers are too technical for me anyway.

 

Re: Windows Firewall Control 4.0 released today

Perpetual in the sense that the version you have, you can use it infefinitely (IMHO misleading use of words). For example, i bought the 3.x version, to get the new 4.0 i have to pay again (they give 30% discount).

It's the best way to use the Win7 firewall with more ease, but IMHO it's definitely overpriced and i won't be paying again just to get 4.0, which from looking at the website, seems that is not really anything big worthing of getting the version "4" tag, just a way to ask for more money from people that had bought ver. 3.

The worst thing with their update scheme, is that if you were someone who bought it when it was ver. 3.5, you may have given 30 euros and in less than 6 months you are being asked to pay again to get ver. 4.

Also, the "perpetual" license, is theoretical, since it has online activation. If the company goes belly up, bye bye license. And doesn't seem a big company. In the forum there is always only 1 person hanging around, who seems to be the dev.

So i won't be upgrading.

The main drawback of the free version is that it doesn't filter connections if the executable is located in your windows folder and that secondarily that you can't make custom zones. The first is the most dangerous, since if a malware drops in C:\Windows and tries to phone home from there, your free version won't see it.

 

Re: Windows Firewall Control 4.0 released today

sorry if i'm being "noobish" but does Windows 7 own firewall protect from this by default?

 

Re: Windows Firewall Control 4.0 released today

No, you can check your default Win7 firewall settings. Default is "outbound that do not match the rules are allowed".

You can change the default to "blocked", but then you will have the headache of having to add manually new rule to allow every new specific executable you want to allow outbound.

That's why the paid version of Win7 Firewall Pro is worth its money (well, not sure about that actually, but anyway). Because it spares you the hassle.

Honestly, if i hadn't bought the paid version, i wouldn't run the free one because of that "shortcoming". I 'd pick some other firewall.

 

Re: Windows Firewall Control 4.0 released today

since Windows 7 own firewall does not protect from this by default then i guess i can live with that.

i'd be willing to get the paid version but if the company goes out of business then there is no way to activate it, as you said.

i'll write the company and ask them about this.

tnx for taking the time m8!

 

Re: Windows Firewall Control 4.0 released today

Those of you that have used the paid version I have a question.

Are you able to identify what exactly (by program) is being blocked?

 

Re: Windows Firewall Control 4.0 released today

When something is blocked, you get a small pop up near the systray that stays there for a few seconds informing you about the event. But you have the option to disable this kind of alert.

If you missed that, you have to go to the log in the installation directory where there is a "blocked" log, which has entries in this format:

14/11/2010|18:36:56|IPv4 TCP 137.254.16.78:80(49240)|C:\program files (x86)\java\jre6\bin\javaw.exe|Detection Outgoing

 

Re: Windows Firewall Control 4.0 released today

Okay, cool thanks.

WF doesn't display when something is blocked even though I have it checked so that's why I was thinking of getting this program.

 

Re: Windows Firewall Control 4.0 released today

The free version is excellent for users who don't have the experience or just don't want to mess with HIPS features. I have used it for awhile now on Windows 7 with WinPatrol for basic HIPS and really like it but it does have its faults.

Here are my complaints:
1. When blocking a application, after you "enable all" you still have to close off that application and restart in order for it to connect. Default zone is "Disable all" and can not be changed.
2. Doesn't recognize in Windows Action Center as a firewall.
3. When installing it, you have to manually disable Windows default firewall or you will get notification from both. Also doesn't put a shortcut on your Desktop.
4. Shows "Log balloon" by default settings but doesn't let you view the network logs. So I believe it records invisible logs but don't know where it puts them.
5. On Win7, you have to right click on the program icon in your "Start Menu\ All Programs\Windows7FirewallControl\Windows7FirewallControl" and select Properties- Compatibility- change it to Windows Vista SP2 in order for it to close to your taskbar.- If you don't do this then it will remain open on your taskbar menu after you close it and take up space.

Besides these annoyances, Windows Firewall Control is still a great application and is extremely light on system resources runs very well with WinPatrol.

Thanks.

 

Re: Windows Firewall Control 4.0 released today

The following applies to the paid version, i don't know about the free one:

1) You can choose the default zone other than "disable all".
2) That's true, probably because it uses the native windows firewall engine.
3) You can have both this and Windows 7 native firewall active. It's what i have been having since version 3.0 and you don't get double alerts. You just have to be sure you don't have conflicting rules in the 2.
4) There is a blocked text log in the installation directory.
5) In options you have to untick "Windows 7 taskbar integration".

 

Re: Windows Firewall Control 4.0 released today

Thought so but wasn't sure. Thanks.

 

Re: Windows Firewall Control 4.0 released today

btw , how long is the trial period ? they didnt mention it on the web.
beside i only saw the register popup which come randomly when you use the software.


cheers

 

Re: Windows Firewall Control 4.0 released today

This is designed for windows7 but I installed it on XP and it worked just fine.

 

Re: Windows Firewall Control 4.0 released today

Bigc73542, WFC should works on XP also, screen from their website:

 

Re: Windows Firewall Control 4.0 released today

On XP -
does it only work as GUI for built-in Windowsfirewall or it has its own
firewall filter/ driver ?

SKA

 

Re: Windows Firewall Control 4.0 released today

Uses ► WFP and its own GUI

PS XP built-in firewall = lol
► http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_firewalls

 

Re: Windows Firewall Control 4.0 released today

The XP version works really well. The look and feel is that same as what one gets for Vista/7. I'm dual booting XP/Win 7 and have a license for the Win 7 version but I don't use it anymore. After noticing that they had an XP version in beta I decided to give it a try about a month and a half ago. I ran it for about three weeks with no problems. As of right now, I'm not running it in XP. I had some unrelated issues with Win 7 constant disk activity and using up all my ram and cache within a twenty four hour period after booting up and decided to roll the system back about two months which fixed the problem but I lost the XP firewall version and haven't reinstalled it.

 

Re: Windows Firewall Control 4.0 released today

someone experiences same fault like this?
w7fc fails announcing after this windows update
Vulnerability in Microsoft DirectShow ► http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2510030/en-us
Vulnerabilities in Windows Media ► http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/MS11-015.mspx

no popups - no blocking, nothing, win7/32&64bit.

i/we have tested installed versions and the portables including all betas after 4.0
► http://vistafirewallcontrol.freeforums.org/the-latest-betas-releases-t6.html

(the regular windows firewall incl service is off, malware defender is doing fine - WFP is working)

 

Re: Windows Firewall Control 4.0 released today

How often do they update the beta version of the firewall? I'm using the 64 bit free version right now.

 

Re: Windows Firewall Control 4.0 released today

Well, this was released since 4.0.144 (final non-beta), i.e. in 4 months. So, quite every a while I would say.

Sadly, the "need to restart application" misfeature is still there, so... not for me.

 

Re: Windows Firewall Control 4.0 released today

Trivial, not a problem for me.

Windows 7 Firewall Control on XP and 7 64bit.

 

Re: Windows Firewall Control 4.0 released today

i had it while using v3 and 3.5, but not anytime in v4.
no clue on what it depends...
anyway - the popup problem is still present here with win7/sp1/ms-update.