Firewalls

Comodo Firewall

Comodo Firewall is the best choice for users seeking a full featured security suite. It has a robust and a very active HIPS or application monitoring feature called "Defense+", which matches or exceeds the security performance of pay products. Comodo also provides a "memory firewall" which in their words, “Cutting-edge protection against sophisticated buffer overflow attacks.” Comodo allows for much control and customization, with a plethora of additional settings to adjust for the curious or for the paranoid. This latest release of Comodo is suitable for both lightly-skilled users (still must have knowledge of installed programs) and technically advanced users.

Comodo includes a very effective Sandbox component to limit how many applications and new software installations affect your computer. The use of sandbox protection helps to limit the negative effects of malware if some terrible infection manages to enter your system. Comodo Firewall boasts a “Default Deny Protection” for applications. Though they maintain a lengthy list of known safe applications in their database, if an unknown application attempts entry through the Firewall, Comodo will deny the application and ask the user what to do. The new release contains many new features while allowing experienced users to maintain absolute control over their system by controlling ports, protocols, and complete configuration command.

During installation, it gives you a choice between two levels of security. The "Firewall Only" mode and the Comodo Internet Security (includes antivirus, antimalware, and additional features). After installation Comodo automatically selects "Safe Mode" which maximizes proactive protection to a high level, and is the best mode for most users. It will generate numerous popup alerts for applications not in its trusted vendors list (you can browse this list to see if you trust the vendors: go to the Defense+ tab > "Common Tasks" > "View My Trusted Software Vendors"). When you answer "allow" and "remember your answer" to popup alerts for an application, Comodo creates a custom policy for it. Some of its policies are fairly liberal.

In the more liberal "Clean PC Mode", Defense+ automatically treats all applications on your drive as safe (but if any malware is currently hidden on your drive, it too would be considered safe). Applications still receive some minimal monitoring for Comodo's two protected lists ("my protected registry keys" and "my protected COM interfaces") and for running as an executable, or more/less monitoring depending on their custom policy. And new files get sent to a list of files "waiting for your review" in the "Summary" page. Files listed for review will be considered possibly unsafe and will provoke popup messages, as if in Safe Mode, until their custom policies are made.

Comodo limits the frequency of alerts by automatically treating some programs as safe and allowing some applications to access the Internet. You can additionally automate the behavior of Defense+ by one or more of these methods for treating applications as safe:


* Have it "remember your answer" to all popup alerts when an application first runs, which works for some applications (because some custom policies set this way are close to "trusted" status). But if an application still nags you, click "More Options" in the alert and use the drop down box to select "trusted" or "blocked" (etc.), if available, or set an application to trusted manually ("Defense+" > "Advanced" > "Computer Security Policy" > "Edit..." > "Use a Predefined Policy"), which finally ceases popup alerts and most intrusion prevention for that application.

* Add files to the lists of "My Own Safe Files" or "My Trusted Software Vendors" in the interface (see the "Defense+" tab), which is most helpful for "Safe Mode" or "Paranoid Mode".

* Use the "Clean PC Mode" (right-click the tray icon and select it under the "Defense+ Security Level"). But make sure to scan and remove any malware first.

http://www.comodo.com/

Download: http://www.comodo.com/home/download/download.php?prod=firewall

(Admin: I use this one after trying out numerous others over the years, paid and freeware included)

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Online Armor Free

Excellent proactive security performance. Includes a "run safer" feature to reduce rights for specific risky applications, a helpful security wizard to minimize popup alerts, and the ability to monitor key logger activity and host files. It handles the installation of new programs better than any other tested product. You can also close its tray icons to save memory and it still functions fully.

It doesn't have automatic updates or a built-in help. It's mandatory to enter an email during installation, and it has a pre-checked option to send it anonymous information. There's also an advertisement popup for its commercial product (you can check to disable them).

http://www.tallemu.com/products-online-armor-free.php

Download; http://download.cnet.com/Online-Armor-Free/3000-10435_4-10426782.html?part=dl-6274383&subj=dl&tag=button

I have now uninstalled Comodo Firewall. It was updated and then it was hanging up my system on shutdown.

I've been using AVG for years, never had a problem. It combines all security programs into one package.

Besides which, Windows Firewall is more than adequate.

The_Amber_Spyglass wrote:I've been using AVG for years, never had a problem. It combines all security programs into one package.

Besides which, Windows Firewall is more than adequate.

I use Avast for anti-virus and have had good luck with it.

Yeah, I may just go with using the stock firewall. I'm back using ZoneAlarm for the time being. See my Comodo rant I made.