I am using ESET Smart Security 3.0.672.0 and I downloaded Comodo Firewall Test Suite from http://www.testmypcsecurity.com/securitytests/firewall_test_suite.html and my score was only 10/340 running ESET firewall in automatic mode and with ALL the modules enabled. Why, ESET?
So does the interactive mode offer more protection than the automatic mode Personally speaking, I am not an advanced user and I do not want to set the firewall in interactive mode.
it's a firewall test, look n' stop fails badly too, as do many with no hips, i only used router firewall and never had a problem, every firewall i have tried drives me insane.. the eset one doesn't. the eset one is part of smart it's not a seperate process you wouldnt rely on it alone, these tests are IMHO a waste of time, most pc's i clean up have super anti everything installed and they still infected. if you want to bog your pc down with countless programs that pass tests feel free to do so, i like security programs to do the job with little resources and little interaction, which i find smart does very well. i have tried pretty much everything on the market and like very little. more thoughts on firewalls http://samspade.org/d/firewalls.html
I prefer to have a real firewall, i.e. a packet filter, than a program that is always annoying me with useless alerts...
Router (hardware) firewall + ESS = win. Used it for years, was using sygate firewall before Symantec bought them then ESET brought out ESS
Couldn't agree more. To my mind, choosing ESS by someone using router/hardware firewall is always a very good idea, because what that kind of person really needs is perfect antivirus solution (and ESET's product surely is one) and something mainly to control outgoing communication in an easy way. People who don't share their internet connection / don't use any router should think of a solution which strength is built upon sophisticated software firewall. Although I'm fine with ESET's idea of saving their customers from malware (to be short: "Don't worry about the simplicity of our firewall -- we provide you with the best antivirus, so if the firewall lets you down, the antivirus won't ever let the s*it land on your hard drive" -- that's how I see it), I'd rather not recommend ESS to my friends who don't use hardware firewall. And all that "firewall tests" exploring ESS firewall as it was a stand-alone solution makes me laugh. To my mind it's pure nonsense
In the Eset Documentation I read: Automatic mode The Personal firewall will automatically evaluate all network communications. This will allow all standard outgoing connections and block all non-initiated incoming connections. This mode is suitable for most users. Could anyone explain what connections are "standard" and what "non-standard"?
Well, I will rephrase my question. In the ESET documentation it is written that: Automatic filtering mode is a default mode. It is suitable for users who prefer easy and convenient usage of the firewall with no need to define rules. The automatic mode allows all outbound traffic for the given system and blocks all new connections initiated from the network side. But it written also that: Automatic mode The Personal firewall will automatically evaluate all network communications. This will allow all standard outgoing connections and block all non-initiated incoming connections. This mode is suitable for most users. What is true? There is a difference between "all outbound traffic" and "all standard connections". Does ESS allow ALL outbound traffic? Or does it block applications which use ports that are mainly used by malware?