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| Thread ID: 105046 | 2009-11-17 04:53:00 | Question about Firewalls | Tony (4941) | Press F1 |
| Post ID | Timestamp | Content | User | ||
| 830926 | 2009-11-17 04:53:00 | I was listening to a talk today by someone from Netsafe. At a couple of points she talked about "updating the firewall" (as well as antivirus etc). This confused me, as I have always thought of a firewall as a basically inert device (software or hardware) that has holes poked in it to alow specific things to pass, and also blocks to stop specific things (generalisation I know, but you get my drift). "Updating" is only necessary in the sense of changing the configuration of the holes or blocks, rather than being a regular necessity. Have I got that right? I'm happy to be proved wrong. |
Tony (4941) | ||
| 830927 | 2009-11-17 05:00:00 | Firewalls do get updated, as well as AV programs. They still have bugs , and vulnerabilities. And some do get new features added later | Speedy Gonzales (78) | ||
| 830928 | 2009-11-17 07:04:00 | This confused me, as I have always thought of a firewall as a basically inert device that has holes poked in it to alow specific things to pass Yeah, they may have bugs but most routers block incoming and software firewalls are mostly to block outgoing stuff. I have recently bought a new one (due to Win7 64bit) but was happily using Zone Alarm Pro version 4 up till now. And I never updated it. I'd test it now and then - still passed everything. So bollocks to updating them. |
pctek (84) | ||
| 830929 | 2009-11-17 09:52:00 | Yeah, they may have bugs but most routers block incoming and software firewalls are mostly to block outgoing stuff.That's an interesting point about hardware vs software firewalls. I've always assumed that since I have a hardware firewall in my router, I don't need the software firewall, as if nothing bad gets in, nothing bad will want to get out (assuming I'm also careful about virus checking and dodgy emails). | Tony (4941) | ||
| 830930 | 2009-11-17 10:24:00 | That's an interesting point about hardware vs software firewalls. I've always assumed that since I have a hardware firewall in my router, I don't need the software firewall, as if nothing bad gets in, nothing bad will want to get out (assuming I'm also careful about virus checking and dodgy emails). There is a long debate on that between tweak'e and Julie. As long as there's a firewall would be my take. |
Renmoo (66) | ||
| 830931 | 2009-11-17 18:37:00 | There is a long debate on that between tweak'e and Julie.Can you point me to the thread? | Tony (4941) | ||
| 830932 | 2009-11-17 20:44:00 | Can you point me to the thread? www.pressf1.co.nz Ah, the good old days. :cool: :lol: :lol: |
FoxyMX (5) | ||
| 830933 | 2009-11-17 20:52:00 | With regards to the original question, I used Sygate for years despite it now being obsolete, having been abandoned by Symantec who took it over from its original creators, but after suffering a few problems with certain apps being blocked and unable to resolve the issue I changed back to Outpost again. I believe that my problems were due to Sygate not keeping up with Windows updates. Outpost is OK but in order to gain more control over what it allows I need to get off my lazy butt and learn how to drive it better, so it currently lets through more than I would like. :( |
FoxyMX (5) | ||
| 830934 | 2009-11-17 21:55:00 | That's an interesting point about hardware vs software firewalls. I've always assumed that since I have a hardware firewall in my router, I don't need the software firewall, as if nothing bad gets in, nothing bad will want to get out (assuming I'm also careful about virus checking and dodgy emails). that sort of thinking is seriously flawed. unfortunately lots of commercial IT think that way and it bites them on the rear. i think classic example would be blaster infecting TVNZ (i think it was, it was all over the news at the time). they assume everything behind the firewall is safe, but then someone connected an infected laptop which then spread it around the relatively unprotected workstations. email is only one minor way of getting infected. must better to get trick someone to download the nasty themselves. |
tweak'e (69) | ||
| 830935 | 2009-11-17 22:51:00 | For application-control, what's wrong with the built-in Windows firewall? Seems to block applications as far as I'm aware, and it won't let things out unless you specifically "OK" it. That said, I disable my firewalls anyways and just use the routers NAT... But I'm the exception, not the rule ;) |
Chilling_Silence (9) | ||
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