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From: Camper on 18 Dec 2009 19:02

"Daddy" <daddy(a)invalid.invalid> wrote in message
news:hgg5vp$cg0$1(a)news.eternal-september.org...
> On 12/18/2009 8:41 AM, Bob Villa wrote:
>> On Dec 17, 2:06 pm, Daddy<da...(a)invalid.invalid> wrote:
>>> I'm asking for opinions on whether an outbound (software) firewall is
>>> still necessary, but first here's a little background to put my question
>>> in context.
>>>
>>> The reason I'm asking is because I have this "thing" about running a
>>> lean configuration.
>>>
>>> The question I'm asking is only applicable to users who are
>>> knowledgeable about security risks and conscientious in their practice
>>> of safe computing in the first place. I like to imagine myself in that
>>> group.
>>>
>>> If your outbound firewall is alerting you, that means you're already
>>> infected. Malware got past your own defenses and those provided by your
>>> malware detector. But those malware detectors are getting better all the
>>> time.
>>>
>>> My question boils down to this: Is the added overhead of a third-party
>>> software firewall - and the effort needed to understand what the he**
>>> it's doing - worthwhile in light of the advances being made by malware
>>> detectors?
>>>
>>> The better malware detectors are updated continuously and their response
>>> to zero-day exploits is getting better and better. They increasingly
>>> rely on behavioral analysis and they're getting better at it.
>>>
>>> Sure, there's nothing wrong with a belt-and-suspenders approach to
>>> security, but when do you say "enough"?. Do you need KIS if you have
>>> KAV? Still need NIS if you have NAV? Enough with the poetry...you get my
>>> drift.
>>>
>>> Daddy
>>
>> From what I have heard, if you are behind a hardware firewall with
>> good password protection...then all that is needed is the Windows
>> (XP,Vista,Win7) firewall.
>>
>> bob_v
>
> Thanks, RnR and Bob.
>
> Backing up is a critical part of PC security, and it's something I do
> regularly and in several different ways. In fact, if my computer were to
> be infected - something I've been able to avoid thus far - I'd be more
> likely to just restore a good backup rather than dealing with the
> infection. Today's malware is just too good at what it does.
>
> A hardware firewall - which, for most people, is a NAT router, possibly
> with SPI - will prevent unsolicited packets from entering a network. But
> if a user willingly downloads that infected e-mail attachment, a router
> won't stand in the way.
>
> The argument in favor of having a software firewall even if you're behind
> a router is to protect your computer from the other computers on the
> network.
>
> Daddy

If my memory serves me correct the in built Windows Firewall in Vista
provides both incoming and outgoing protection, while with XP it provides
incoming protection only.


Camper.

From: RnR on 19 Dec 2009 13:35
On Thu, 17 Dec 2009 15:06:44 -0500, Daddy <daddy(a)invalid.invalid>
wrote:

>I'm asking for opinions on whether an outbound (software) firewall is
>still necessary, but first here's a little background to put my question
>in context.
>
>The reason I'm asking is because I have this "thing" about running a
>lean configuration.
>
>The question I'm asking is only applicable to users who are
>knowledgeable about security risks and conscientious in their practice
>of safe computing in the first place. I like to imagine myself in that
>group.
>
>If your outbound firewall is alerting you, that means you're already
>infected. Malware got past your own defenses and those provided by your
>malware detector. But those malware detectors are getting better all the
>time.
>
>My question boils down to this: Is the added overhead of a third-party
>software firewall - and the effort needed to understand what the he**
>it's doing - worthwhile in light of the advances being made by malware
>detectors?
>
>The better malware detectors are updated continuously and their response
>to zero-day exploits is getting better and better. They increasingly
>rely on behavioral analysis and they're getting better at it.
>
>Sure, there's nothing wrong with a belt-and-suspenders approach to
>security, but when do you say "enough"?. Do you need KIS if you have
>KAV? Still need NIS if you have NAV? Enough with the poetry...you get my
>drift.
>
>Daddy


I know I'm a bit late to make this post but maybe this might help add
to some of the other posts too.....
http://www.microsoft.com/security/firewalls/faq.aspx

One thing tho I need to correct one or two posts regarding xp as an
outbound firewall and that's incorrect. It is an inbound firewall. In
other words, if the malware manages to get thru to your system, it has
free reign to create keylogs or whatever and to send them back out
freely with the xp built-in firewall.
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