Windows Firewall Control (WFC) by BiniSoft.org

Nice catch. There is a bug where the default starting profile for the toggle is always High Filtering instead of the current one. This is why on first hotkey press, it goes first to No Filtering. It will be fixed in the next release.

The list is populated on data grid refresh when the rules are loaded. If you remove some rules and those groups don't exist anymore, on next refresh of the rules, this list will be updated. Works as intended.

Do you use Medium Filtering profile? In Low Filtering profile there are no notifications since everything without a block rule is by default allowed.

This must the funniest bug ever It will be fixed in the next release.

 

It's here:

 

Windows Firewall Control v.6.9.6.0

Change log:
- Fixed: Global hotkey to toggle the filtering profile does not use the current profile on first use.
- Fixed: Company logo is missing on top area.
- Fixed: Some group names from Windows 11 are not properly recognized/displayed.

Download location: https://binisoft.org/download/wfc6setup.exe
SHA1: b221af85206abc69d7da0407e7df48c3458dcb31
SHA256: 7fd0b150c25d78a13ce83183bf226e5cf5658994f975076ed247334afd08f464

Thank you for your feedback and your support,
Alexandru Dicu

P.S.: 3 releases in 24 hours, like in the good old days when the development was active on daily basis. Thank you all for your feedback and your continuous help

 

How nice to be young again...

I analyzed the Italian language file and corrected several inaccuracies as well as better translated the strings:
In Italian:
080 = Blocca (senza regole)
105 = Connessioni in uscita (ed in entrata, se configurate) che non hanno una regola autorizzativa, sono bloccate. Sono consentite connessioni solo per quei programmi con una specifica regola di autorizzazione.
107 = Connessioni in uscita (ed in entrata, se configurate) che non hanno una regola di blocco sono consentite. Sono bloccate connessioni solo per quei programmi con una specifica regola di blocco.

In English (default) original:
080 = Block
105 = Outbound connections that do not match a rule are blocked. Only the programs with an allow rule are allowed.
107 = Outbound connections that do not match a rule are allowed. Only the programs with a block rule are blocked.

In English (default) review suggestion
080 = Block (no rules)
105 = Outgoing connections (and incoming, if configured) that do not have an authorization rule are blocked. Connections are allowed only for those programs with a specific permission rule.
107 = Outgoing connections (and incoming, if configured) that do not have a block rule are allowed. Connections are blocked only for those programs with a specific blocking rule.

If you agree, tell me where to send you the translation...
Good evening

 

Ty ty

 

Was wildcard option removed?

 

There is a "." after winstore ... so the right name would be "WINSTORE.APP.EXE".

Greetings

 

Using Windows 11 (23570.1000) with WFC v.6.9.6.0 I am unable to delete an invalid rule. The rule for "Modern Setup Host", which I usually allow when updating Windows 11. I guess this may be related to the path of the rule...

"C:\$WINDOWS.~BT\Sources\setuphost.exe"

The rules panel just refreshes when using delete and the rule is still there. I can delete the rule via Windows Defender Firewall with Advanced Security without problems. Is this a known bug, do you need any more info, for fixing this or am I the only one with this problem?

 

There is something special about this path. I can usually create a new firewall rule for a non existing file through netsh.exe. However, for this path, I can't create such rule, not from WF.msc, not through netsh.exe:




So, I created the folder and added a file in that path. Now, I was able to create a rule for it, but only if the file existed on disk.

Anyway, I can see the rule in WFC and delete it without problems if the file is there on disk.



If I remove the file and the rule is invalid because the file is missing, I can't remove it:



There is a COM exception inside NetFwTypeLib.INetFwRule (Microsoft side) when you create/delete a rule under C:\$WINDOWS.~BT if the file is missing. I did a workaround in code and the problem will be fixed in the next release. Thank you for reporting this problem which exists in WFC since 2010 Exotic scenario.

 

Something is going on with the Log connections options, in the Connections Log. Haven't tested if actual WFC functionality is affected but:

I always turn off "Allowed connections" and of course "Blocked" is enabled. Now, quit and restart WFC. "Allowed" is enabled and "Blocked" is turned off.

 

@AmigaBoy

Yes, here too!

 

Likewise.

 

Hi!

Unfortunately, something is wrong with the new version (at least for me)!

After starting Windows, the system tray icon does not turn green and the error is, "Can't connecting to windows firewall control service!".
I quit the program, stop the service and restart it, then start the program and the icon is green and working fine.
Unfortunately I have to do this after every Windows startup, because I always have this problem!

The service is set to automatic, not delayed. Reinstallation has been done, also with a clean profile.
I also tried cleaning with the Malwarebytes Support Tool, but unfortunately this did not help.

Any idea what else to try? Or the concrete solution?!

Thank you!

 

I've also ran into a problem I've seen before, which doesn't always occur. Perhaps it's related to Secure Profile (enabled), not sure.

Trying to add an inbound rule with no group, to the WFC group in the Rules Panel. But it's not being added. A simple refresh will reveal this (empty group entry). The workaround is to set the -currently disabled- Secure Rules to "Disable unauthorized...", and then enable Secure Rules.

After the detection of the above groupless rule and the suggestion to add it to the WFC group, it will be added successfully by WFC.

 

Windows Firewall Control v.6.9.7.0

Change log:
- Fixed: Can not delete invalid rules located under C:\$WINDOWS.~BT folder.
- Fixed: Adding multiple rules at once to the same group fails if the rules have no description set.
- Fixed: Can not create a duplicate of a temporary rule.
- Fixed: Notifications are disabled after WFC restart and must be re-enabled again.
- Fixed: When unchecking the 'Blocked connections' in Connections Log, the notifications still appear as enabled when they are in fact disabled.
- Added back translations for Chinese, Dutch, Polish, since they were updated to the current version.

Download location: https://binisoft.org/download/wfc6setup.exe
SHA1: 00d42ce20765f920b575de3b090a871ec1178020
SHA256: 4705777f045450023b739e9e87c73c9d53f158faf788fe720a23df8cf2d89280

Thank you for your feedback and your support,
Alexandru Dicu

It seems that the major changes that were made in version 6.9.3.0 created some new bugs and also helped to discover older bugs. The first 3 fixed bugs from the changelog existed since many years ago.

Have a great weekend!

 

At least I haven't this problem WITHOUT Secure Rules activated till now (tested few times only) not tested with Secure Rules activated. So that could really a problem related to Secure Rules ...

 

I think the file gets deleted after an update or when I do a storage cleanup in the Windows settings app removing a previous Windows installation.

Thanks for looking into this and the super fast update. Awesome support.

 

Secure Rules=enabled I think will not allow rules without a group name to exist. I mentioned Secure Profile because I remember issues with Windows permissions.

 

Ahh, yes - of course. I had forgot the sense and mechanism of secure rules, sorry.

 

Malwarebytes Support Tool does not apply to Windows Firewall Control. Please give more details. Does the service start when you restart the operating system or does it remain stopped? Do you have these two processes (wfcUI.exe and wfcs.exe) in Task Manager?

This problem was fixed in version 6.9.7.0. A rule with a null description will fail to be added to an authorized group from Rules Panel right click context menu.

 

Yes, the service is up and running, both processes (wfcUI.exe and wfcs.exe) start! In the meantime upgraded to version 6.9.7.0. Now it does not print the error and starts fine. Instead, it shows a Win 11 notification that the firewall is off, and I can click on the message to start it. If I do not click on the message, just close it, the firewall is still started! Strange.

 

In Windows 11 you can't stop the firewall service. However, it can be in off state, meaning the filtering is disabled. Is Windows Firewall in off state on each Windows startup?

 

Yes, that's right! I get this message every time I start Windows.

 

In this case, open the user guide https://binisoft.org/pdf/guides/Malwarebytes-WFC-User-Guide.pdf#page=46 and check the topic "The profile changes out of nowhere". Search for events with ID 2082 and you will find out which software messes with your firewall. Please reply here when you find the culprit. Thank you.

 

Always C:\Windows\System32\netsh.exe!

Sorry for Hungarian language.
https://i.imgur.com/8lId9Yp.jpg