Windows Firewall Control (WFC) by BiniSoft.org

Hello alexandrud and everyone! Just a suggestion:

- Rules Panel/Create new rule: add "Browse to allow temporarily"
- Shell Integration: add "Allow temporarily"
- Add a WFC setting allowing the user to define the number of minutes for the above

These may help e.g. with installer files, where it might be best to preventively allow than to "block first, allow later from prompt" which can lead to installation issues and a need to repeat the process (and to avoid switching to Low Filtering).

 

@alexandrud I think the Smart App Control block is more related with the name of the exe (wfc) than signature or downloads numbers or trusted, But it's a supposition.

 

I also thought of that but it doesn't work even if you rename it to wfcUI.exe, for example. The problem is the signature in WFC case. Unfortunately, I do not have access to the signing system and I am waiting for another team to fix it.

 

Here it is. It finally works. The name wfc.exe was part of the problem. The other parts were fixed in code. I had to rename wfc.exe to wfcUI.exe and compile it like this so that the original filename is not wfc.exe anymore.

 

=)

 

Windows Firewall Control v.6.9.4.0

Change log:
- New: Added compatibility with Smart App Control from Windows 11. The process wfc.exe was renamed to wfcUI.exe.
- Improved: Replaced WCF with GRPC for inter process communication. WFC requires now NET Framework 4.6.2 or a newer version.
- Improved: Global hotkey which can toggle between Low and Medium profiles can now toggle between all profiles.
- Improved: User settings are now applied per user account. Only the settings from Security tab are still global per machine.
- Fixed: Main Panel opens multiple times if you press fast on the tray icon.
- Fixed: Secure Boot is not enabling High Filtering profile if wfc.exe is not running.
- Fixed: Installer does not work if there is a WCF related problem with .NET Framework installation.
- Fixed: After a failed policy import, notifications are not displayed anymore and a program restart is required to re-enable them.
- Fixed: Notification dialog becomes unresponsive if a program generates a lot of blocked connections.
- Fixed: WFC service fails to start if EventLog service is unavailable.
- Fixed: Shell Integration allows creating new firewall rules even if WFC is locked with a password.

Due to the fact that this build uses GRPC instead of WCF, the minimum required .NET Framework version is now 4.6.2 instead of 4.5.

Unfortunately, a clean install is required. You have to uninstall any previous version, select the third option in the uninstaller to keep the firewall rules, then install the new version while preserving the existing firewall rules.

Updated language strings:
310 = Toggle between filtering profiles
501 = Use the shortcuts below to launch various system utilities
934 = This field must be a numeric value between 1 and 300

Download location: https://binisoft.org/download/wfc6setup.exe
SHA1: 068b9f7bc2870cb1609d714526779067942c20f7
SHA256: 92965864dc52f619d4ba904bb26ac6a82efad62411ea7f3d7eeda4ee8a988cc7

Thank you for your feedback and your support,
Alexandru Dicu

 

@alexandrud

Thank you very much for new version!

There is another updated language string:

from ...
934 = This field must be a numeric value between 1 and 60

to ...
934 = This field must be a numeric value between 1 and 300

Greetings

 

Many thanks for the important update!

About the new switching between all profiles: I think both High Filtering and No Filtering can cause significant problems, like breaking critical connections (meetings, file transfers etc.) and turning all protection off. It seems there's no way to avoid them with the new profile "cycling", so I had to disable the HotKey.

I would hope for the previous way of switching between Low/Medium alone to be restored in some way.

 

There is a 2 seconds delay between when the hotkey is pressed and when the profile is changed. If the profile that you see in the system tray is not the desired one, press again the hotkey, then 2 seconds delay starts again. It allows you to not cycle between the profiles instantly. Many users requested to be able to switch to all profiles. This is why the delay was added. From Medium Filtering to Low Filtering (3 hotkey presses), from Low Filtering to Medium Filtering (1 hotkey press).

 

Thanks for the workaround. I will try remembering the 3/1 presses but obviously it is not a fail-safe method and I'll have to keep an anxious eye to the tray.

Is there a reason why the same HotKeys (as for 6.9.2.0) would not be accepted? I'm having trouble entering them, they get blanked immediately. I did try importing my 6.9.2.0 .wfs settings file, but that was probably a mistake. I did uninstall before installing the new version.

 

Did some more testing. Quitting WFC and reopening it, allows HotKey entering again. If you a blank a HotKey and try re-entering it, it will fail. Quit/Start fixes it again.

 

@alexandrud

[WFC v6.9.4.0]

- The rules with @ (MS Store rules) are now editable (at least the APPLY button is no more greyed out)? Is that desired?
That wasn't the case in pre v6.9.3.0 versions IIRC, or not?

- The following setting was not preserved for my restricted user account:

It was set to "Delete unauthorized rules".

BTW: the settings for my admin account were all lost (really all it seems) (maybe because I uninstalled/installed WFC over my restricted user account (over UAC with admin privileges).


[WFC v6.9.3.0 and probably v6.9.4.0]

- While uninstalling WFC the following screen is not really user friendly:



WHO checks that there is another option below, which is ...



The reason is maybe the (german) translation. However, a bigger windows would be sensfully there.


Greetings

 

TNX @alexandrud

I have corrected the "Italian" language to v.6.9.4.0

I don't remember if I sent it to you and how... sorry but... years go by LOL

Let me know

 

Something has changed about the register (where to apply the "rules" in IN or IN and OUT which until 6.9.2.0 was

"HKLM\Software\Classes\CLSID\{WD2827D4-F8E0-B379-I229-D89D12E4642A}" /v "Direction" /t REG_DWORD /d "2 or 0" /f

 

Thank you for reporting this. It will be fixed in the next release.

They were editable in the past too. Nothing changed here.

User settings are not preserved when you uninstall, only the firewall rules. unfirtunately, user settings from previous versions don't work with current version. You have to export them with the new version.

I was not aware of this. It will be fixed in the next release.

With the latest changes, most settings are located now under HKCU\Software\BiniSoft.org\Windows Firewall Control This makes user settings to be applied per user account.

 

Windows Firewall Control v.6.9.5.0

Change log:
- Fixed: Global hotkeys can't be set properly without restarting the software.
- Improved: Uninstall dialog will now resize to content so that it displays the entire content in all languages.
- Removed: Unmaintained language files were removed from the software.

Download location: https://binisoft.org/download/wfc6setup.exe
SHA1: da1a2207468f22704752956ab5871948e75b4c8a
SHA256: 9d49fcb5f3e7bc05db4da11ebfc793d71699762a1015ddcd7db19141dba9d5d4

Thank you for your feedback and your support,
Alexandru Dicu

 

Noticed a small inconsistency in this. It mostly works as you described, but if you quit and restart WFC (6.9.5.0), then the HotKey will do this:
Medium=>No Filtering=>Low=>Medium=>High=> etc.

Sometimes the above will be changed if you keep using the HotKey. If you pause for a moment, the expected order below will be used:
Medium=>High=>No=>Low=>Medium

Haven't yet tested what happens the first time WFC starts i.e. after a PC restart.

 

Sent updated file of the Spanish language version 6.9.5.0
Thank you so much

 

After installing v6.9.5.0, there are now authorized groups that have no rules. Can these groups be removed from the authorized groups? Windows 10.

 

V 6.9.5.0 Windows7 x64 not show notification , with 6.9.2.0 the notifications is displayed

 

Check the notification options, it disabled them for me. It should be a simple matter of re-enabling them.

 

In Dashboard --> Notification check the flag on Disabled (I think it's default)

 

the checkbox of notified is abilited , but it doesn't show anything , edit , I reinstalled WFC 6.9.5.0 without importing the preferences from WFC 6.9.2.0 and the notifications appear again.

 

Then I was wrong here, sorry!

Ahh, ok - I understand.

Not a big deal, it's also the first time I noticed it Thank you!


Thank you for v6.9.5.0 and greetings!

 

@alexandrud

The Malwarebytes logo is missing, see here:




Greetings.