vistafirewallcontrol.freeforums.org

[RangerXus]

Greetings:

I am running Windows 7 32-bit.

I am using the Windows 7 Firewall Control Free beta v4.1.9.59. I have noticed that sometimes the control and edit application windows open up with "always on top" so I cannot have the window go behind other windows that are opened. This does not always happen--usually the windows will go behind other windows that I have opened. I cannot duplicate the problem at will, but it has happened a few times. If I close (exit) the control panel via the icon and then restart the icon from the start menu the it works correctly again. Since the control and edit application windows do not have minimize buttons, it is my opinion that they should not use the always on top function. To understand an alert, I may want to see the program window that created the alert which may be impossible to do since the edit application window is using always on top is active. I think this must be a bug since it is not consistant.

Otherwise this version seems very stable. I like the individual buttons on the edit program window (I was using an older version 3.6.0.1).

Also, is there a reason that Windows 7 Action Center does not recognize your free version as a firewall in its list?

Also, do you plan on changing the way the program reacts to new attempts to go outside/inside. It seems you block new requests and the program fails. When I set the rule to outgoing or enable all, I have to restart the program. I use other firewalls on other machines that usually allow me to answer the firewall alert and then the program goes on its way.

Also, and I may be asking too much, but do you ever intend on letting the free version block \windows\ programs. I can understand limiting the Microsoft provided programs as an incentive to get paid subscribers, but other programs such as shockwave store programs in the \windows\system32 folder and also possibly viruses. It would be nice to at least be able to have the ability to manage non Microsoft provided programs in the \windows folders. Since you have provide so much more capability to the product, allowing this doesn't seem to me to nulify the additional value of the paid for version. I personnally rely on the Windows 7 built-in firewall and use your free version to manage outgoing programs only.

Thanks for provide a nice free add-on to Windows 7 Firewall.

[VistaFirewallControl]

We had a user convinced us to use on-the-top as much as possible recently. We had some doubts but decided to implement that. You are probably right. On-the-top is too annoying.
If the on-the-top appearance could be implemented in full, there could be a related option is settings. Otherwise there is no sense to be semi-on-the-top.
The forced on-the-top will be excluded in the next build.

>Also, is there a reason that Windows 7 Action Center does not recognize your free version as a firewall in its list?

The option was excluded. The action center does not detect any firewall presence actually. The logic is different. There is a documented way to notify the action center to list/unlist a firewall, AV, etc.
The way requires too many redundant, additional, not security related options


>Also, do you plan on changing the way the program reacts to new attempts to go outside/inside.

Unfortunately, no. The reason is simple. Blocking notification is the only way to get runtime information from WindowsFilteringPlatform (WFP, the security core W7FC is based on).
So there is no simple way to detect new apps without the initial block made. Typically applications are able to re-establish the blocked connection automatically and the process goes smoothly. Anyway the problem arises on the application detection only, so only once per application.
W7FC is not able to wait (suspend connection attempt) the user decision as it’s the pure WFP client.
Theoretically the problem can be solved by implementing a special kernel driver, however the kernel driver presence will affect W7FC 100% unconditional compatibility with other security products.


>Also, and I may be asking too much, but do you ever intend on letting the free version block \windows\ programs.
>ability to manage non Microsoft provided programs in the \windows folders.

We should consider that. Is there a trusted way to separate the Windows\programs into 2 categories?

[RangerXus]

Thanks for repying so fast.

Yes, the always on top can be annoying especially if not consistant. I agree that if a settings option could be selected to turn it on or off for all firewall control windows that would be better. Possibly even better yet would be to have a pin on the firewall control windows (especially control and edit application) that when pressed by the user would turn on always on top for just that window until the user either turns it off on that window or the window is closed. This would be helpful for the rare time that you want it to remain on top. I would think that pin setting should definitely be reset to off when a window is closed and not remembered for the next time that same type window opens. This is all just my opinion.

I understand about the complexity of having Action Center recongize your firewall... the coding necessary adds no functionality to the program. This is not a problem for me... was just curious.

I also understand your point about the inital block of programs. It can be frustrating to restart installations, etc. as they do not always restart cleanly, but it is not a big issue for me and how I use your program now. If I used Windows Firewall Control as my only firewall, I think that would be an issue for me though.

I am not technically proficient enough to give a definitive answer on how to know the difference between the MS provided windows programs and non windows programs in the \Windows folder structure. But one thought that comes to mind is that the owner of MS provided OS Windows files are owned by the Trusted Installer. All the programs in that structure not part of the OS such as Adobe's Shockwave and Flash are not owned by TrustedInstaller. Maybe that would be a reasonable way to group the programs.

Thanks again for your reply. I will be looking for the next beta that fixes the always on top problem.