Re: firewall removal
"dph" <dph@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:731A684F-545B-454B-AADE-35A81964C21F@microsoft.com...
| What is the best way remove a firewall that is interfering with a specific
| internet program?
I'll take the other side in this...
What program is it you are trying to contact the Internet with?
Why didn't you configure the firewall to allow access from the program to
the Internet?
Firewalls, for the most part, are specifically designed to monitor program
and application access from and to your computer or network, to the Internet
or other parts of your local network, and BLOCK incoming and outgoing
unwarranted [not allowed] access from either.
If a program is attempting access which exceeds the firewall designer's
ideas of that access [or the rules you have created depending upon the style
of firewall], the program/application will not be allowed to contact the
Internet AND/OR receive information from the Internet [or your network].
This is to ensure that ONLY the proper programs/applications/exe are used
which SHOULD contact the Internet [and/or your local network], AND in the
form which they are supposed to need [port, protocol, etc.], rather than
unfiltered/unmonitored access, which may be some hacker's use, spammer's
use, keylogger, or other style of hack, Trojan, worm, virus, or the like;
using some port or protocol which is not allowed within the firewall {and
which you don't want to occur for security reasons}. Which may be, perhaps,
piggy-backed on some allowed IP address/allowance claimed by [assigned to]
other programs or applications. Many provide additional protections by
checking MD5 signatures of the * allowed applications * for any changes
which MIGHT be or indicate a virus or otherwise.
By constantly checking actual programs/applications against their
assigned/allowed ports and protocols, in addition to checks made upon the
program/application itself, your Internet/networking experience becomes
distinctly more secure.
You become less susceptible to:
being used to bounce emails or potentially some illegal materials;
providing local sensitive materials or your ID and passwords;
being infected by something which might be used to harm you or your system;
proving a ready jump-off point [access point] to your friends and family's
computers [via email address hacks and other];
and other like activities.
In conjunction with other software, such as Anti-Virus and Anti-Spyware,
you provide protection not only to yourself and your network if any, but
just as importantly, you ensure YOU aren't used to infect others on the
Internet and/or your local network. Without a firewall and these other
programs, you ARE a readily available, discoverable, and usable point which
can be claimed by others who are NOT you....moreover, if you don't use these
programs, you will never know you are being used, your information was
stolen, or you are potentially infecting everyone you send email or files to
until its too late [and guess what, NO ONE is going to like you much after
that, they're going to think you were pretty stupid]...
These are NOT the only aspects of course [such as routers], for further
discussion see:
http://peoplescounsel.orgfree.com/ref/gen/security/certs_install.htm
http://peoplescounsel.orgfree.com/ref/gen/security/firewalls.htm
http://peoplescounsel.orgfree.com/ref/gen/security/NETWORKING.htm
http://peoplescounsel.orgfree.com/ref/gen/security/spyware.htm
http://peoplescounsel.orgfree.com/ref/gen/security/antivirus.htm
http://peoplescounsel.orgfree.com/ref/gen/security/vista_net_basic.htm
While you're there, and if you're interested in where the world is *really*
headed, check out the Expose Volumes briefed into the American Courts.
--
MEB
http://peoplescounsel.orgfree.com
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