privatefirewall free

Privatefirewall 7.0.20.29 released 10/13/09

Release notes:
-resolved Vista/Win7 signature validation issue
-updated Help File

http://www.privacyware.com/PF_support.html

Anyone tried this yet? I tried the prior version but it had some bugs (like allowing an application net access even though no action was taken). Stem, will you give this a roll ? Thanks!

 

I have looked at earlier versions, I did not at the time have any major issues with it, if I remember correctly there was just a problem with DNS lookups if the DNS client was disabled and no loopback interception.

I will have a look at this version later today.


- Stem

 

Will you check if these were fixed?

-When the firewall prompts you of an outgoing connection and you choose 'more info', the application connects (eg: updates)! No action was taken.

-When you click 'more info' in a Process Monitor alert, and click 'allow', check 'remember'. Run the application again and you get the same alert. You need to click 'allow' in the first alert to end this alert loop.

Thanks Stem.

Those who want to disable the splash screen for 6.1, merge this to the registry:

Code:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\PWI, Inc.\Privatefirewall 6.0\General Settings]
"SplashScreen"=dword:00000000

 

If you mean when checking the Details/options before allowing? then yes, it appears to be functioning correctly (on XP pro sp3).


- Stem

 

In the alert click details, don't click allow or deny. It will auto-allow the application even if you haven't clicked allow/deny yet. This was with 6.1 on an XP Home SP3. So this was fixed? Then great.

If you want to check 6.1,
http://privacyware.com/software/PF_6.1.20.27.exe

 

In the alert (this is for internet access) there is the "Details/options"



I clicked that, then waited,and firefox timed out.




- Stem

 

Yes, I'm talking about Internet Access. In 6.1, I did it with MBAM. I was updating MBAM and clicked 'details' and was reading the window and MBAM was already updating. I never clicked allow. The MBAM window shows that it is updating (downloading).

I reported this bug and as you say it seems fixed in v7.

 

Sorry for double-posting but did you encounter this:

-When you click 'more info' in a Process Monitor alert, and click 'allow', check 'remember'. Run the application again and you get the same alert. You need to click 'allow' in the first alert to end this alert loop.

Also, I'm interested to hear your other thoughts with this version. Is the dns problem still there? Thanks.

 

My reply in post 29 was also to indicate that function does appear to work (well, up to now), sorry if that was not clear.

The DNS problem appears to be resolved, but have still not seen loopback interception (not really a problem unless using a localhost proxy).

I did get a change of settings after boot, I will need to check again after a few more boots to see if any changes are made.

I thinks its main intention is to give basic application Internet control + HIPs, which it appears to do.


- Stem

 

localhost proxy like that of Ad Muncher and NOD32?

The firewall/HIPS settings were lost after reboot? Can you please elaborate?

Did you take a look at its logging? It's not customisable and Firewall logging is sparse - only dropped connections. No HIPS logging. It makes tracking of actions hard especially if you made a mistake and was unsure with the action taken.

It also had issues with my Asus bios updater. The updater reports too much connection on FTP. But with Windows firewall I can connect fine to the FTP using the updater. The firewall doesn't prompt me that the updater wants to connect out and it's set as Allow in Process Monitor.

Do you suggest using Training mode for Process Monitor to lessen prompts? In Training mode will it just filter what access rights are needed by your applications or will they be auto-allowed all rights?

 

I tried out the latest version and the firewall log problem STILL exists. You can never clear the log file in the advanced reports. You can clear the log in the firewall program, but the data is not being deleted, as shown in the advanced reports.

Unless someone knows something else?

 

Yes.

The setting for internet access was reset to default. But after re-setting it was then OK.

I did not see any change to how the logging is made from previous versions.

On a known clean system, yes.


- Stem

 

Has anyone been able to reproduce the problem I have here?

 

Privatefirewall 7.0 (Windows 7, Vista 32/64* bit compatible) - VERSION 7.0.20.32, posted 11/04/2009


http://www.privacyware.com/PF_support.html



RELEASE NOTES - 7.0.20.32, posted 11/04/2009
- modified GUI settings synchronization with service rules

RELEASE NOTES - 7.0.20.31, posted 10/21/2009
- updated driver certification for Windows 7 GA release
- fixed blue screen crash in observed in Windows 7 x32

Please tell your comments if you are using/testing this FW.

I like this FW personally.

 

I bought a brand-new computer two weeks ago that had Windows 7 on it, and downloaded/installed Privatefirewall 7.0 as Kerio 2.1.5 dosen't work on Win7.

Main reason I picked this was due to the download size (IIRC, something like 3 MB vs. 30MB+ for other firewalls listed on Snapfiles), as I use dial-up internet at home.

So far, I've been dissatisfied with Privatefirewall. I tell it to allow a program access, and it keeps asking. I create specific, manual rules to try to alleviate the problem, it still asks and/or refuses access.

Specifically:

• I use Avira AntiVir Personal; trying to updated the virus definition file doesn't work unless I turn Privatefirewall completely off. This is even after I create a manual rule to specifically allow access.
• Using my free PDF reader (SumatraPDF) results in Privatefirewall giving me an error on some "process anomaly" every few seconds. This is even if I'm not accessing an online document.
• Using XMPlay (audio player) results in a pop-up that prevents me from listening to streaming audio until about three or four tries, it finally lets the program connect. (In fact, the problem with streaming audio is why I finally registered here after reading the site for the past few days... I wanted some quick tunes while connected to the wifi and doing work at my college; 15 minutes later and the firewall finally lets XMPlay connect.)
• Reading about the opt-in publisher lists makes me think this firewall is all about making people's computers available to major companies, rather than providing security.

As this is my first real post here, may I ask: if I'm looking for help in finding a different firewall, should I post a separate thread in this forum? Thanks!

 

I had this problem with Webroot a while ago. It has to do with a parent process being blocked (check the log) but I forget how I dealt with it at the time.

I would turn off that feature. I can't see a situation where that would ever be useful that's not covered by any of the other HIPS features.

 

There is a big problem that I encountered while trying Privatefirewall v7.0.20.37 on Windows 7 x64: Privatefirewall doesn't allow multiple instances of itself to run. Thus, Privatefirewall will not run when logging into a second user account when another user account is still logged into.