Windows 7 WARNING: Serious flaw in Windows 7 third party firewall software compatibility

makinjr

New Member
Joined
Dec 20, 2009
I have tested almost all third party firewalls and security suites. I have found out that there is something seriously wrong in W7.

In WinXP All software I tested filter network connections as expected. I can block incoming connections and control outgoing connections way I like.

BUT: in win 7 I found that this does not work so. ONLY Windows Firewall and Norton Internet Security 2010 filtered connections well - at least I was not able found any problems there. All other software filtered correctly only localhost (127.0.0.1) connections. They could not filter any inbound connections from the internet. Most of them were not able to detect outbound connection to the internet. Their log views and views of active connections showed no connections while I was browsing in the internet or downloading something.

I am not alone here. Some others have reported same problem.
It would be interested to know if any of you have same problem. Please run internet firewall tests and test your security software. There is few tests like Link Removed - Invalid URL quick test and Link Removed - Invalid URL. TRY IT! Do you have same problems? Block first all incoming connections and try to test your firewall software.

I have Thinkpad T500, W7, 4GB memory, 320 GB HD, mobile broadband modem from Ericsson (T500's). No routers or something like that between me and my mobile broadband operator.

My personal view is that something has changed in W7 so that in some situations firewall softwares are not able to detect and filter network connections at all. MS implemented new WFP (Windows Firewall Platform). Is this the cause? I can not say.

Can you find this problem? If you do, please report it here. I like to know. And perhaps many others like to here that too.

Best regards,

makinjr
Software Engineer

Tested software:
- Windows Firewall
- Norton Internet Security 2010
- FSecure Internet Security 2010
- Comodo Internet Security 3.14 and 4.0 beta
- Agnitum Outpost Pro
- Tallemu OnlineArmor
- PCtools firewall
- Kaspersky internet security
and so on (latest version of all of them, trial or free version)
 
Ok, It really is a compatibility issue. I found Microsoft document warning about possible compatibility issues with firewall and antivirus software because of changes in W7. Here is that document
Link Removed due to 404 Error

Problem is really specific to mobile broadband feature of W7. If you use other ways (like dialup or vendor specific software) for connecting internet, you may not encounter this problem.

In my system this has crippled my security! How can trust my security software? Only reliable firewall is Windows Firewall and Norton Internet Security 2010. I have a virus software than can check website content. Can I trust it? Can not be certain because antivirus software may also suffer compatibility issues with W7.
Most users wont ever test these things. They just blindly trust their software.

Anybody using W7 mobile broadband type of connection and have issues with their firewall? Have you tested your firewall? You should before trusting it!
 
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