Re: My Windows Firewall Keeps Turning off!

Rick Mc wrote:
My Windows Firewall Keeps Turning off!

Every time I turn it on and then turn off the computer, The next time
I turn it on again I get a Security box from McAfee security center
telling me my firewall is turned off.

Then I have to open "Windows Firewall settings" and turn it on again.

I have scanned with many different anti-virus and anti-spam programs
and none of then have picked up on anything that may be turning it
off.

and I have gone into my "Device settings" and made sure it was set to
"Automatic" and it is.

I thought it was because of the old "Norton internet security"
software I had installed because it once asked if I wanted "nis" to
use it's firewall instead, but I chose not to.

But it's the only thing i can think of that may have affected it in
some way.

and it all seemed to have started around that time.

thank you for any help you can give,

Rick mc

I suggest that you stop using the "windows firewall". Here is a link for a
much better one and it's free.
http://www.simtel.net/product.download.mirrors.php?id=53687

A while back I had several "services" that would change from automatic to
disabled when I rebooted, the windows firewall was one of them,
unfortunately a windows update really buggered my system up mandating a
repair install of my os, since that time
the services have stayed on the setting I put them at.(a bit drastic if you
don't have to do it).


Here's a little info. on the windows firewall


From www.spywareinfo.com



I promised myself a while back not to go on another anti-Microsoft rant,
that I would write calmly about any goofs they make. It has been a hard
promise to keep at times. And now, I must break that promise. If I don't
rant about this, I will burst at the seams.

The function of a software firewall is simple. It allows the user to control
the computer's access to other computers. To do that, it blocks attempts to
send unauthorized data out over a network, as well as the attempts of other
computers to send data to the protected computer. A proper firewall allows
data into or out of the computer, only when the user gives the firewall
permission to do so. I think most people will agree that this is an accurate
description of the proper function of a software firewall.

So I am left to wonder if the Microsoft programmers who designed the Windows
Firewall have lost their freakin minds. While the Windows Firewall will
block network access like any other firewall, the settings which determine
whether or not an attempt to access the network is permitted is stored in
the registry. Any piece of software is allowed to edit that part of the
registry and give itself permission to send or receive data over the
network.

There are several viruses, worms and spyware programs that edit the registry
settings for the Windows Firewall. Even if the user discovers a virus
infection and cleans it successfully, that computer can be reinfected at any
time, if the virus edited the firewall settings. Many network worms can
infect a computer if it discovers certain unsecured network ports. It
happened to me once, when I turned off my firewall and forgot to turn it
back on.

Changes to a firewall's settings should be possible only through the
firewall program's interface. Those changes should be saved into an
encrypted file, which cannot be altered by any other program. Those settings
should not EVER be written to the registry, where they can be altered by any
other program running on the PC. It takes only the smallest shred of common
sense to realize this.

Where was the common sense when they were creating the Windows Firewall?
This is like hiring security guards to keep gate crashers away from a party
but allowing the guests to write their own invitations.

But wait, there's more!

Someone discovered recently that the Windows Firewall interface won't even
tell the user about an opened port, if the registry entry granting it
permission has a malformed name. Not only can a malicious programmer give
his evil creation permission to bypass the firewall, he can hide the fact
that he's done it!

It is boneheaded mistakes like this which make it difficult to use Windows
safely. God help us all when Microsoft begins to make its own antivirus
software. The only reason Microsoft's antispyware program works well
probably is because Microsoft didn't write it.



P.S. Since this was written MS has developed it own anti-virus software,
One-care, "which is crap" and they also stopped MS anti spyware beta
(formally Giant anti- spyware) which worked well and replaced it with
Defender which is also "crap".
I trust my security to third party programs MS has proven to be inept when
it comes to security.

--
Mike Pawlak


.

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