another Windows Firewall Control?

AWESOME!! Sure can't wait for this stable version. Downloading the beta and will give some feedback for a Vista Ultimate machine.

---Edit---

Looking good so far, though haven't come across any malicious IPs that Malwarebytes or PeerBlock are blocking at this moment.
One minor (no big deal) downside I've been coming across is that I have to manually close the WFC in order to update. If I run the update process without closing the current WFC process, it just shows it's running and closes the update window after like 5-10 seconds without updating the program; in other words, it doesn't move the up to date WFC.exe file to the installation directory unless I close the currently running process.

 

This looks like a great front end to Windows Firewall. I'm wondering if it will work for me.

1. I block all incoming and outgoing connections by default. For any applications that require Internet access, I manually create both incoming and outgoing rules. From the excellent youtube video, it seems that WFC's interface only allows you to quickly create outgoing rules. Is there a quick way to copy an outgoing rule and change the copy to an incoming rule? Or maybe some other way to create both incoming and outgoing rules for an application quickly?

2. Also, do the filtering modes affect settings for incoming connections in any way, or do they only change settings for outgoing connections?

3. Finally, will installing the program make any changes to my existing firewall settings? Thanks for reading.

 

1. In the Rules tab from the main interface you can check the radio button named "Outbound and inbound rules". This will allow to quickly create outbound and inbound rules as well.

2. The filtering modes affect only outbound filtering. Inbound filtering is left always to it's default state, to block all inbound connections.

3. It will not make any changes to your Windows Firewall settings. Also, at uninstallation you can choose to restore the rules before installing WFC, to left them unchanged or to restore to default rules.

If you heave any further questions, please use this forum.

Off topic but on topic:
I work to reorganize the Learning Mode wihich will include a new mode, in which the user can auto allow trusted digitally signed applications and to be notified only for untrusted applications. The new notifications system will include a slider similar to the one from changing the Profiles.

 

Awesome!! This just keeps getting better and better! Getting closer and closer to the advanced AVG Firewall features without the system hogging

 

Off topic but on topic:

This is a fantastic idea!

Werderforever (Thomas)

 

Hi Alexander,
I've just discovered W7starter and your tool a few days ago. Seems very nice and really not expensive! Problem is that I am old and that I have a very small laptop (therefore a very small screen). Using the touchpad is difficult for me and my sight is not that good! The -small- problem is that when I open the window 'Manage Rules' it is diffficult (at least for me) to resize it! it took me 5 minutes to discover the only possibility (in the right lower corner) and 5 minutes more to resize the window (because a part of the window was hidden either at the top of the screen or behind the taskbar etc..). So, would it be possible to add more resizing features to that window? (along the sides, all the corners etc..). Thanks in advance!
Is your soft compatible with WinPatrol?
Thanks again.

 

i am using it with winpatrol so it works fine. i like the program apart from a few minor niggles

it use around 70-80k on my pc according to the windows task manager and there also seems a delay of up to 10 secs before the prompt to allow access pops up. i hope development of the program is kept going, more developers could learn a few lessons for you.

Gazzer

 

I will try to add this feature. This is a tough one for WPF borderless window. A lot of code to implement this. I will try.

The memory consumption is normal. There are hundreds of objects that are kept in the memory in order to provide real time synchronization with Windows Firewall. For comparison, the service from Malwarebytes Antimalware uses 60MB. WPF applications have a larger memory footprint than classic applications. We must live with it. There is no memory leak in WFC. A delay in showing notifications can appear for some applications on some system configurations. This is under observation because, at this time it is not determinable. On some systems, a delay of a few seconds appear but on majority of system configurations there is no delay. Usually, there is no delay.

 

Unfortunately, to create resizing borders on a WPF borderless window require some calls to user32.dll. When calling user32.dll methods, in some circumstances, random errors appear at system reboot. This kind of problems were fixed in version 3.5.0.0 by removing any calls to shell32.dll. Since then, those crashes were gone. If I make the window resizable from any borders I must rely again on calls to shell32.dll and I will introduce again the same bug described here:

https://www.wilderssecurity.com/showpost.php?p=2092616&postcount=915

Sorry, but this is not an easy task. Even if the window will be resizable from any border, the title bar will be out of the screen. I will check for the current screen resolution and if the resolution is smaller than the default size of the window I will make the window to fit the screen.

 

i have a few suggestions for future versions.

tighter integration with the windows firewall. i think it would be a good idea to use or import the current configuration of windows firewall, this would speed up the configuration process and make things easier. after initially using the windows firewall config it could then continue with its own interface but at the same time keep in sync.

it would be very useful to have a summary page or tab to review the current rules and make changes if needed.

 

Isn't that already part of it It shows all initial Windows Firewall rules (prior to installation) with white background in it's Manage Rules window; which you can access by right clicking the notification area icon.

@alexandrud, just a little suggestion for the future update:
Instead of having to implement resizing areas all around the "Manage Rules" window, why not just implement a method for keeping it's last (when it was last in view) dimensions and on screen coordinates in the registry? It appears you already have a method for this after session start up, but the dimensions always reset to the default on the next session start up. Implementing such will require the user to only resize the Window once.

Also the resizing area can be easily pointed out to the user on first opening of the "Manage Rules" window using a prompt/ok window stating "The WFC Manage Rules Window Can be Resized Using the Bottom Right Corner".

 

Importing and exporting the current firewall rules is part of Windows Firewall Control since earlier versions. Use the "Policies" tab from the main window of WFC to export or import your rules. There is a summary page with all the rules. It is called "Manage Rules". There you can see and edit all of your rules, including settings that you can't modify even from WFwAS interface.

Saving the window position after the program closure was part of WFC until version 3.4.0.0. I will introduce this again. The problem that myk1 had is that the title bar was out of the screen. In this case even if you resize the window from the left, bottom or right border, you can't move the window because you can move it only from the title bar, which is not on the screen.

 

Thanks to have understood what I said! (but saving the previous settings is a good idea!)

 

Version 3.5.0.6 available
Thank you for your feedback and your support.

What's new:
- New: Learning Mode has now 4 modes.
High - Corresponds to the old Learning Mode enabled + notifications for System and Svchost.exe. This level assures maximum notifications.
Medium - Corresponds to the old Learning Mode enabled. Notifications are displayed for all programs, excepting System and Svchost.exe.
Low - This is a new one. Digitally signed applications are allowed silently and notifications are displayed only for unsigned applications. A page refresh or reconnect is required to have effect.
Disabled - all notifications are disabled. This is the default level for unregistered users.
- New: Main window can be closed with ESC key.
- Fixed: Duplicate notifications can appear when Learning Mode is enabled and PeerBlock or Malwarebytes Anti-Malware are used.
- Updated: On application exit, the position and state is saved for Manage Rules window and restored at restart.
- Updated: Default size of Manage Rules window was reduced to display properly on lower resolutions. Now, the default size is 600x600. After resizing, the new size will be remembered.
- Updated: Manage Rules window is displayed again in the taskbar when it is opened.

This version was tested on Windows 8 RTM x86 and Windows 7 Pro x64.

Download location:
http://binisoft.org/download/wfc.exe

Your feedback is welcome.

Have a nice day,
Alexandru

And the new interface:

 

One small issue I had was when I went to upgrade by running wfc.exe from my desktop and having NOT closed down the previous version. It gave me an application error rather than prompting me to upgrade until I closed the application completely from the system tray. After that, it upgraded perfectly.

I am also still occasionally getting very long delays before notifications are displayed.

 

Just tested with http://iptest.malwarebytes.org/ and it works. No notifications from WFC anymore only from MBAM

Same here. (Win 7 Ultimate x64)

 

This happens only with the previous version, because it has the same internal build as the final version. This will be ok from the next version. Thank you for reporting this.

This is under observation. Unfortunately I did not found the source of the delay, not even in debug mode. It occurs randomly. I promise that this will be improved.

 

I just noticed that traffic seems to be let through BEFORE a notification is displayed in the latest version for me with Medium Filtering and Medium Notifications. I don't have time to verify whether it is the case with all applications, or just a random occurrence tonight. It may just be signed applications that it is allowing by default.

 

Please check your rules. Probably, the connections was possible without a notification with "Medium" notification level if a rule already existed. Only the "Low" notification level creates automatically rules to allow digitally signed applications.

 

I'm sorry to say but I'm getting both messages again (v 3.5.0.6)
(Both Sliders at Medium)

Message from MBAM



Message from WFC

 

In the scenario described did you had a rule for Firefox and this was a duplicate notification for an existing rule or a rule for Firefox did not exist at all ? If a rule for Firefox.exe already existed, it was a generic one to allow all traffic ?

 

Rule for Firefox already existed and it is a rule that allows all traffic for all Profiles and all local and remote ports.

 

> « Updated: Manage Rules window is displayed again in the taskbar when it is opened. »

- v. 3.5.0.6: in my system windows keeps in taskbar after closed (not always).

 

Congratulations for the post with number 1000. Normally, after you close Manage Rules window, the icon from the taskbar should disappear and only appear back when the window is opened. Please make sure that the window is not behind others when it appears in the taskbar but not seen on the screen.

As you can see in the screenshot below, the website is blocked by MBAM, WFC is set on Medium Filtering and Medium notifications level. Even if a rule to allow all connections for Firefox existed, there was no duplicate notification from WFC. Unfortunately I can't recreate the described scenario and I have tried on two different computers. I will investigate this.

 

I still see no connections logging feature.