Avast WEBforum
Other => General Topics => Topic started by: Dijidog on June 02, 2009, 04:14:17 AM
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I have installed avast! and have run a quick scan .
My firewall is off..should I turn it on?
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Absolutely turn it on.
What firewall/OS is it?
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Windows Vista Home Premium (sounds like a restaurant ;) )
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Yep. It has a built in firewall that is adequate.
Need any advice on how to do that?
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Thanks. I turned it on when the alert came up. I think I turned it off by moving the resident protection slider without realizing it. I have to hold my mouse on it and move slowly and then the visual of the switch moves...kinda like lag. So I suppose that It stayed off when I finally figured out the slider with lag !
Thank you. I ran my first scan..no viruses ! Woot.
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Congratulations.
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Thank goodness^^
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-= You may also consider an antispyware/antimalware to scan your system like Malwarebytes Antimalware (http://malwarebytes.org) [in case, it slips over avast's defense ;) ]..
-= Congratulations too..
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Vista already got Windows Defender :)
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-= I have it always turned off.. ;) Don't know why.. Just like MBAM more..
-= By the way, I heard that Vista has a firewall different from XP..?
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Vista firewall is different from XPs. It has outbound protection. This is apparently difficult to set up from within the firewall.
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Vista firewall is different from XPs. It has outbound protection. This is apparently difficult to set up from within the firewall.
-= A.. :o Thanks..
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You might be interested in this. (http://www.sphinx-soft.com/Vista/index.html)
I have no idea how good it is. (I use XP)
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-= Very promising.. But I use XP.. By the way, is Windows Firewall enough or should I still download another firewall..?
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It's always good to download another third-party firewall (many good ones have been discussed on this forum already) because the built-in firewall works well for INCOMING protection, but does not do OUTGOING protection. A third-party firewall would help prevent third-party programs from accessing the internet and other computers in case you get infected.
Try comodo firewall, or zone alarm free. Be sure to make sure that you install the "FREE" versions, without any add-ons, or search around the forum or Google for other suggestions.
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-= ok.. I'll go for Comodo Firewall..
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Watch out, CIS Comodo Internet Security is the actual download, only install the firewall component as it comes with an AV.
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Be sure to make sure that you install the "FREE" versions, without any add-ons
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-= Oops.. Comodo was a big file.. It might take a lot of time in my slow connection so I searched for other Firewalls that are smaller in size.. I found this Agnitum Outpost.. Is it good..? Does it slow down internet speed..?
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I found this Agnitum Outpost.. Is it good..? Does it slow down internet speed..?[/font]
As any other firewall... it's a good one, why would it slow internet speed more than any other firewall?
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-= Oops.. Comodo was a big file.. It might take a lot of time in my slow connection so I searched for other Firewalls that are smaller in size.. I found this Agnitum Outpost.. Is it good..? Does it slow down internet speed..?
Presumably you are talking about the free version of the Outpost Firewall and it is 'very' good as essentially it has all of the protection features in the Pro paid version (which I have used for over 6 years) that got it good results in this firewall test. See http://www.matousec.com/projects/firewall-challenge/results.php (http://www.matousec.com/projects/firewall-challenge/results.php).
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It's always good to download another third-party firewall (many good ones have been discussed on this forum already) because the built-in firewall works well for INCOMING protection, but does not do OUTGOING protection. A third-party firewall would help prevent third-party programs from accessing the internet and other computers in case you get infected.
Try comodo firewall, or zone alarm free. Be sure to make sure that you install the "FREE" versions, without any add-ons, or search around the forum or Google for other suggestions.
A better way is Layered Protection:
1. anti virus application active and up to date and I choose avast!
2. malware detection active and up to date and I choose Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware
3. application detection active and kept up to date and I choose Windows Defender and WinPatrol
4. browser protection active and up to date with Web of Trust (WoT)
I choose not to run a software firewall as it is un-necessary:
http://www.besttechie.net/2008/08/20/malwarebytes-developer-interview <==software firewall discussion begins 8 minutes into the excellent video
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Why do you keep trotting out this tosh ???
Nothing has changed outbound protection is a must and to get that you invariably need to install a third party software firewall.
I thought that you were also using the Vista Firewall Control.
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I found this Agnitum Outpost.. Is it good..? Does it slow down internet speed..?[/font]
As any other firewall... it's a good one, why would it slow internet speed more than any other firewall?
Outpost Free 6.5 firewall slows my internet speed drastically! I don't know why, we've been through this before.
The only other fw that slowed down my internet that bad was the Sunbelt fw.
I'm running OA Full on one pc & OA Free on the other with little or no slowdown. :)
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Not for me it doesn't (whilst I have the Pro version the firewall function is the same) and I'm on dial-up.
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Why do you keep trotting out this tosh ???
Nothing has changed outbound protection is a must and to get that you invariably need to install a third party software firewall.
I thought that you were also using the Vista Firewall Control.
Not any more.
I just sat there doing nothing.
When anything was about to be changed either Windows Defender or WinPatrol alerted me before it could be activated.
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So for those that don't have windows defender and winpatrol, there would be nothing other than the outbound protection in a software firewall.
So it isn't just a simple case of you don't need a software firewall. If you haven't got one you need other applications that will hopefully alert you to changes or suspicious outbound activity.
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So for those that don't have windows defender and winpatrol, there would be nothing other than the outbound protection in a software firewall.
So it isn't just a simple case of you don't need a software firewall. If you haven't got one you need other applications that will hopefully alert you to changes or suspicious outbound activity.
That is a true statement.
By the way, I update Windows Defender daily as it does not update by itself but once per week:
http://www.microsoft.com/security/portal <== current v1.59.792.0
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-= Eh..? So, I'll go for Win Defender instead..? Okay, I'll start downloading.. Thanks for all the help..
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Windows Defender is not a firewall.
Don't let the OT discussion distract you. (Hard though it is.)
There are various sites around that offer a list of firewalls, some also offer reviews, (which of course are sometimes biased), one of the sites I find very useful for all sorts of security software is AndyManchester. (http://andymanchesta.com/)
This one (http://www.techsupportalert.com/) is quite useful, too. Just a couple of examples.
Popular firewalls that seem to work well with Avast include PCTools, OnlineArmour, Comodo, and of course the Windows firewall.
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-= rdmaloyjr said Outpost was heavy so, I'll go for Online Armor instead..? I'm sorry if I am being picky 'cause my pc is somehow, aged.. I'll consider upgrading the next 3 months.. ;D
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If you are short of resources (RAM?CPU) you may have to consider something that doesn't demand too much, such as the basic but very good (rules-based) Kerio 2.15.
But see how Online Armour goes. It has a HIPS component, too, and beyond that I don't know much about it, except that it's popular, well supported, and the forum is supposed to be helpful, with the developer taking an interest.
If OA is too demanding you may have to try something else.
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-= I have no problems with CPU or anything else but RAM..
-= 15% already in download..
-= Thanks to all.. :-\