New Firewall interface in WinAV 21.11

[Pavel Krejci]

Redesigned WinAV firewall is going to be launched together with Business Hub 8.36 release. It includes a new look and layout of settings, and new advanced features. The new Firewall will be enabled in end-clients running 21.11.

Firewall Policies in Hub/Cloud Console
The controls for the new firewall will be available in the cloud consoles - see cloud console 8.36 release notes for more information.

Local Client Firewall
The Firewall component UI has been updated, with the tabs available: Networks, Apps, Logs, and Advanced.

Networks tab

• The user can view the current and recent networks, and see whether they are Trusted or Untrusted. Trusted = Private, Untrusted = Public.
  
• The user can expand Show Settings and change the trust option (if not controlled by policies), and also view the network details using the icon next to the Show/Hide Settings button

Apps tab

• Under Apps, the user can view the existing applications that have communicated on the device, their status (active/inactive), internet usage (last 24 hours of activity), and can immediately block the application.
  
• Under Blocked Apps, the user can view and unblock the blocked applications, as well as accessing the same context menu to turn on ask me mode, show the app details, and show the app rules.

Logs tab

• The Firewall Logs have been moved inside the UI under the Logs tab. The user can see the blocked applications, time, protocol, direction, and IP address.
• Expanding the entry will show the details of the connection, with a link to go directly to the rule triggered

Advanced tab

• The Advanced tab includes the new Firewall features where the user can enable/disable each one (managed devices should manage this setting from the policy)

Description of advanced features

• Leak Protection - Prevents the device from leaking potentially sensitive data by enabling packet rules to block certain types of communication.   
  
• Port Scan Alerts - Warns the user if hackers/malware attempts to scan the device for open ports.   
• ARP Spoofing Alerts - Warns the user about attempted ARP spoofing attacks.

[it305]

Hi there,

Network Tab, why is it Greyed out, we cant do anything with it, we cant set the network to Trusted nor Untrusted vice versa? we cant go to windows firewall settings or network settings to choose Private or Public network options, coz its being controlled by AVAST BUSINESS SECURITY the windows system says?! What now then....

Before the recent updates we were able to toggle and select them out, but now it cant again, multiple times when there are new updates to your software this issue always come about, this is very disrupting to our workflow, when suddenly out of nowhere we cant access our own network and wondering why, its because AVAST UNTRUSTED the network all by itself without us knowing of course, then if we want to change it back to TRUSTED we cant its GREYED OUT?!

Or it just shows UNTRUSTED at the UI Firewall Interface but we still can access our network PRIVATELY, so somewhere somehow there's something wrong here...

Kindly look into it and please have a solution to it as soon as possible...

thanks in advance,

Avast Business Security User

[it305]

Weird Situation with Win11 Upgrade and Public/Private Network Setting
Just wanted to post this in case others run into the same issue:

I upgraded my laptop (Lenovo Thinkpad X1 Yoga 5th Gen) from Win10 Enterprise to Win11 Enterprise, with Avast Business (multi-tenant) AntiVirus Pro Plus installed managed by a policy that turns off Avast Firewall but doesn't disable it - after upgrade completed, both WiFi and wired network that I connected to were showing Public and I could not change them to Private via PowerShell or Win11 Settings - they just reverted right back to Public.  Tried enabling Avast Firewall but I couldn't click to "Trust" the network in the Avast Firewall component interface on my PC.  Ended up removing Avast entirely and I could then change the network to Private, and then reinstalled and so far "Private" network is sticking.

Another user having the same issues....I bet not only him and me got lotsa I reckon?!