Reliable firewall for windows 7. Other firewalls and firewalls for Windows

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What is the best firewall ( Firewall) for Windows - this question plagues many Internet users, paid or free, software or hardware. This question can be answered immediately and almost unambiguously: the best firewall ( Firewall) this is a hardware one, but the best firewall ( Firewall) this is the one that is adjusted with straight hands...

As previously mentioned the best firewall ( Firewall) this is hardware, prices for which sometimes reach 50-70 thousand. but today’s topic will be a brief analysis of software firewalls ( Firewall) For Windows in terms of reliability/performance ratio...

Firewall (Firewall) an important element in your PC security arsenal. Unfortunately, the standard firewall ( Firewall) for Windows does not provide the desired functionality and blocks or allows only incoming connections, while all outgoing connections are allowed by default, although the reliability of the built-in Windows firewall (Firewall) without doubt.

The most popular firewalls today ( Firewall) for personal PCs this is:

You need to decide what is the decisive factor for you when choosing - ease of use or reliability/performance?! Above given list of the most common firewalls (Firewall) for Windows, in order of preference by our citizens. We will not delve into the details of each product, but will consider only the main points of the first two...

Agnitum Outpost Firewall Pro

Agnitum Outpost Firewall Pro developed by domestic programmers and is the most preferred firewall ( Firewall) among ordinary ordinary domestic users who almost never look at " Task Manager". Agnitum Outpost Firewall Pro more convenient to use and provides more extensive information about ongoing network events around your PC..

Easy to use and provides good statistics about what is happening on the network, but ease of use does not mean reliability/performance! Ease of use " Agnitum Outpost Firewall Pro"costs the user an overexpenditure of system resources and, in some places, regular BSOD. So for example the combination NOD32 v4.0 + Outpost Firewall 2.x called regular BSOD, Outpost Firewall older ones are more voracious for system resources, especially when downloading large files via fast network connection and from servers with good returns!

The versions of " Outpost Firewall"above the 6th in which the process" acs.exe"When downloading large files over a fast network connection and from servers with good returns, it devours from 15 and up to 50% system resources, and sometimes even higher! And here it doesn’t matter setting the rules or disabling them all additional features- eats up system resources ( CPU+Memory) no matter what and even in idle state ( CPU 8-15%)!!! In version " Outpost Firewall 7.5"named" Performance Edition":)) "acs.exe"When idle, it behaves less aggressively, but the time it takes to download large files over a fast network connection and from servers with good performance still eats up from 15 and up to 50%

Version" Outpost Firewall 4"not so voracious, but crashes were often observed when changing user accounts and more! No offense to the company's programmers" Agnitum"but they are still very far from products like" Comodo Firewall Pro", "Comodo Internet Security " or " Checkpoint Firewall-1"! Whatever one may say, Western developers are achieving greater success in the software field than domestic ones...

Comodo Firewall Pro

After long wanderings in search of the best firewall ( Firewall) my choice finally settled on " Comodo Firewall Pro 3.14"which is different from" Outpost Firewall"remarkably stops attempts at incoming connections and does not wildly devour system resources - when idle it uses no more 0-2% CPU and 3-4 MV. In addition, when complete shutdown or fall" Comodo Firewall Pro 3.14"which is unlikely, there is no access to the network, which cannot be said about " Outpost Firewall".

The program is able to independently analyze each potential threat and, if necessary, issue an appropriate warning. Wherein " Comodo Firewall" recognizes more than 10,000 various applications according to various categories ( for example, “safe”, “spyware”, “adware”, etc.).

"Comodo Firewall"also has proactive protection, proactive protection includes HIPS ( Host Intrusion Prevention Systems) - a system for repelling local threats. The task of HIPS is to monitor the operation of applications and block potentially dangerous operations based on specified criteria.

Main characteristics " Comodo Firewall Pro":

- Full constant control and protecting your personal computer from Internet attacks, Trojans, hackers, malicious scripts and other unknown threats.
- Free updates - Comodo Firewall Pro will notify you about the availability of updates and, after your consent, will install them.
- Full control for the activity of programs on the Internet.
- Control over software updates.
- Real-time traffic monitoring gives you the ability to instantly respond to possible threats.
- Simple, intuitive multilingual interface ( including Russian).
- Free for home and other online users.

"Comodo Firewall Pro"by default it does not provide statistics on all rejected attempts at incoming connections, but if you create certain rules and properly configure it, you can get these statistics. My choice is definitely in favor of " Comodo Firewall Pro 3.14"and I think that it will remain unchanged... Why version 3.14, and not 4.x or 5.x? - yes, because version 3.x concentrates the most basic functions without unnecessary bells and whistles and is less demanding resources than 4.x or 5.x?...

According to the website matousec.com, Comodo products continue to occupy first positions among test participants: http://www.matousec.com/projects/proactive-security-challenge/results.php

The truth in " Comodo Firewall Pro"there are no such useful features as blocking active elements and the statistics are poor, but this drawback in favor of saving system resources can be compensated for by the Firefox browser and the AdBlock + NoScript plugins, and if necessary, we will collect statistics with other programs...

wipfw

wipfw is an analogue of the ipfw console firewall, but only for Windows. It has more features compared to the standard firewall from Windows XP. Can limit the number of connections from a specific IP address or range of IP addresses. It is possible to identify packets by the set flags SYN, FIN, etc.

A firewall, or as it is also called a firewall, firewall and firewall, monitors and controls system connections between your computer, the network and the Internet in order to promptly detect and prevent attacks and intrusions. Programs of this class are especially useful in cases where it is necessary to control the Internet activity of installed applications.

No other free product makes the user more sad than a firewall. And the reason is simple, the process of finding a suitable firewall necessarily involves a process of trial and error. Good firewall should protect the system without being too intrusive or difficult to manage and configure. This review will provide you with the best free firewalls (according to this site) available today. Like all reviews, recommendations and advice are made based on the experiences of different people. Therefore, if you have ideas or interesting opinions, they are always welcome.

Note: The reader should understand that powerful firewalls with flexible rules settings always require knowledge in the field of network design. However, even in their case there should be more or less clear way administration.

There are two types of firewalls - programs and hardware devices. Firewalls, presented as programs (which will be discussed in this article), are installed on your computer and run in background in order to closely monitor the system’s actions in real time. As with many security features, to avoid potential conflicts going as far as manual removal files from boot disks, it is recommended to install only one firewall. Hardware firewalls are usually special device with logic hardwired into the circuits and modules optimized for filtering (for example, special processors whose instruction system includes operations with IP addresses). You can use software and hardware firewalls together. For example, modern routers typically include a built-in firewall and, depending on the type of router, it may not only be firmware (as device programs are called), but also partially implemented at the chip level.

Having a basic firewall has long been critical to keeping your computer safe, which is why many antivirus programs are gradually incorporating some firewall functionality. Simple firewalls, like the default Windows Firewall, allow you to restrict access to your system and personal information, silently protecting you from incoming threats. As part of the review, we will look at several basic firewalls that allow you to protect Windows a little better than a standard security tool can do, for example, they monitor attempts by programs to open outgoing connections to the Internet (this action refers to outgoing threats).

Note: The reader should understand that the standard windows firewall provides fairly limited capabilities for protection against outgoing threats. Third Party Applications usually offer a wider range of options.

Proactive firewalls offer more advanced protection, including intrusion detection and prevention systems based on the collection of statistics on program behavior and heuristic analysis, which allows them to protect the computer from a wider range of threats. These firewalls strive to create strong two-way protection, stopping not only incoming threats, but also protecting you from programs transmitting your personal information to the Internet. The disadvantage of such firewalls is that they are more difficult to use and require more money.

It is important to understand that today, having a firewall and antivirus (either separately or as a single solution) is considered the minimum required basic approach to keeping your computer safe.

Note: You can find many on different parts of the site useful information about security, such as a review of intrusion detection and prevention programs for home use.

Tips and precautions:

Before installing security products, including antiviruses and firewalls, you should consider creating a full disk image. By creating such an image, you can restore your system back to previous state in cases where, after installing and configuring protection tools, critical errors appear in the system, for example, due to incorrect installation components or you have changed critical system settings. In addition, images allow you to cope with complex viruses or simply random conflicts in the system. For example, some system drivers may simply be incompatible with each other, causing your system to suffer. Beginning with Windows Vista Ultimate, the system includes a standard backup and recovery tool, but you can also use free programs to create a disk image.
For check complete removal Third-party firewalls and other security tools are advised to use uninstallers, since services, registry entries and other system objects may remain after removal.

Basic firewalls and firewalls

Preface or a few words about the built-in windows firewall

The built-in Windows Firewall is a more common choice of users, as it allows you to protect your computer from incoming threats and does not bombard you with pop-up messages. Also, the Windows firewall does not require installation (we are talking about Windows versions, where firewall is included by default) and practically does not conflict with other programs. Additionally, many average users are unable to properly respond to pop-up notifications due to the lack of basic knowledge network devices.

So if you need to scan your system for viruses and you do not want (need) the additional capabilities of third-party firewalls, in other words, the level of risk is very low, then Windows Firewall may be exactly the solution you need due to its simplicity and undemanding.

Alternatively, you can download a third-party firewall and replace the standard firewall with it Windows basic for easier management of outgoing connections and for additional functions. Most two-way firewalls are limited simple questions type allow or deny Internet access for unknown programs. And also, many firewalls automatically configure access to a pre-configured list of programs (often this list includes most popular applications) and save your decisions in their database. So, after some time, you will hardly see any notifications.

And as an option, you can also use proactive firewalls by first disabling heuristics and analysis in them. In addition, this option may be even more suitable, since proactive firewalls, due to their complexity, simply contain a larger list of preliminary rule templates and access settings.

This is a well-made firewall for controlling outgoing and incoming operating system connections, which is suitable for users of any level. ZoneAlarm protects the system from intrusions and also controls program access to the Internet. The firewall has an easy to understand interface. You can configure security settings to suit your own needs, including shared (public) files and printers, network settings, and more. You can even turn off the firewall if necessary (by the way, quick access The standard Windows firewall is madly lacking this capability). All setup is done using simple elements controls (sliders and others), so in most cases you will need a few clicks of the mouse. To make it easier for users to get used to the program, when starting for the first time, ZoneAlarm prompts you to scan installed programs and setting access permissions/denies for them. Please note that this first scan does not always allow you to set the access correctly.

The first time after installation, you will have to monitor and adjust the actions of ZoneAlarm to make sure that all programs have a sufficient level of Internet access. But, pop-ups are very simple and are presented in an "allow/deny" format with a checkbox to remember the selected action. Even novice users can easily figure it out (the name of the programs will also be indicated in the message).

You can set the program control level that suits you. Low level involves learning mode (the firewall remembers all programs that use the network), disabling protection and a minimum number of pop-up windows. The middle level assumes that any access to a trusted network or the Internet will be done with permission. High level is not provided in the free version of ZoneAlarm. You can set any of the levels at any time. Using the "Smart Defense Advisor" module, Firewall will suggest the most commonly accepted option for non-rule programs by users around the world. You don't have to use this module (although it will be very useful for beginners).

Setting up Internet zones includes a trusted zone, which implies local network with shared files, printers, etc., and an Internet zone for access from the network. Each zone has a simple control format of 3 options: "no security" (firewall disabled), "medium" (exchange/sharing of resources such as files and printers) and "high" (allows use of the network, but blocks someone on the network accessing your system). Medium level is recommended for home networks with more than one operating system, and for cases where devices (routers, routers) require this. A high level is recommended for single machines with Internet access (for example, there is only one computer at home and there is no internal network), as well as for public places where you are going to go online (WiFi in restaurants, etc.).

Overall, ZoneAlarm Free offers basic two-way protection with hidden mode and protection against phishing. However, the firewall lacks heuristic and behavioral modules, as well as the ability to allow/block access between programs.

It is worth noting that from version to version, the firewall becomes a little lighter in terms of functionality. Perhaps this is only a temporary dynamic, but still.

It will be a good choice for those who aim to use the built-in Windows firewall. Despite its name, the program is compatible with Windows XP and higher. In a few words, Windows 10 Firewall Control allows you to more conveniently and in simple form configure blocking and application access to the Internet in the standard Windows firewall. This firewall also adds more The best way management of outgoing connections. It is based on the Windows Filtering Platform, which also powers the standard firewall. Therefore, unlike most other firewalls, the application does not install any drivers on the system. The user interface is made very simple and clear. It displays only what the program can do, i.e. a block with settings to “allow/deny” access and nothing more.

There are three modes in total - “normal”, “allow all” and “disable all”. Last mode completely disables access to applications, regardless of firewall settings. The "allow all" mode is self-explanatory, meaning unhindered Internet access for all applications (similar to turning off the firewall). If you do not need to test something, then normal mode is recommended - Internet access for programs will be provided depending on individual settings.

IN normal mode, when the program tries to access the Internet for the first time (after installing W10), a pop-up window will appear with information about the application, publisher, etc. You can allow or deny access either one-time or permanently. If you select the first option, the next time you start the program the window will appear again.

In addition to the selection pop-ups Windows actions 10 Firewall Control, small windows also appear in the lower right corner of the screen with access information (access blocked/allowed, etc.). These notifications can be turned off in Settings.

That's basically all this firewall can do. The disadvantages include the fact that you will have to configure access for all your applications, from the browser to the antivirus, which can be somewhat annoying in its routine. However, Windows 10 Firewall Control allows for much easier and more convenient control over the built-in Windows firewall than the operating system offers.

Is a lightweight firewall that is based on standard firewall Windows. It is completely free of pop-ups, so this firewall may be ideal for those who need a "set it up and go do other things" solution. The installer for this program weighs only about 1 MB. Installation is simple, but, unfortunately, does not include the ability to select the installation location. After installation, the firewall runs in the background with an icon in the system tray. All program functions are available only from system tray- there is no “main window” interface in it. In the pop-up menu, the user can select the necessary items, in particular, firewall mode, general network activity, add/exclude applications/processes and call up a dialog with firewall settings.

The firewall settings dialog box is also quite modest. General settings, with the ability to set a password to protect settings. A section that specifies applications that are allowed to connect to the network. There is also a "Detect" function that will try to detect known applications so that the user does not have to add programs manually. In addition, TinyWall can recognize related processes of one application. For example, if you have a program that runs multiple processes, then adding the program to White list, all open connected processes will also have access to the Internet.

It should be noted that when adding a program to the exclusion list, the application is not limited to UDP and TCP traffic. Depending on the nature of the program, it may be more prudent to limit it to "outgoing" traffic only, for example.

The Special Exceptions tab allows the user to set additional parameters. In particular, choose to allow or block access for system services. If you are not very computer savvy, it is recommended to leave the settings as they are. On the maintenance tab, you can import/export settings, check for versions, and also go to the developer page.

Overall, TinyWall is a lightweight firewall that is a good choice for those looking for an unobtrusive and easy to manage firewall.

Firewalls and firewalls with intrusion detection and prevention systems

Preface or a few words about firewalls with intrusion detection and prevention systems

The following firewalls and firewalls provide more better protection networks, and also support various versions of intrusion detection and prevention systems. Every firewall comes with default settings, so very few adjustments may be required depending on the user's needs

Firewalls in this section require the user more knowledge and time for setup and familiarization than basic firewalls, but they provide a higher level of protection.

When choosing a suitable firewall, you should not rely on publicly available independent testing and other statements, since during testing the effectiveness is checked at maximum settings, while most users have a simpler level of protection (after all, you want to use the Internet, and not sit in trench with access to one site). Therefore, most firewall developers strive to ensure maximum “friendliness” of functionality, sometimes with a lower level of security settings (disabling monitoring of some indicators).

Please take these circumstances into account.

This is a solid firewall for those users looking for a full-featured security package. This product is mostly intended for experienced and tech-savvy users. Its intrusion detection system is called "Defense+" and matches or even exceeds the capabilities of paid products. Komodo firewall provides quite a lot of control and settings, which will especially appeal to curious and restless users whose task is to ensure the maximum level of security.

Comodo includes protection against buffer overflow attacks and a lightweight sandboxing option that allows you to check unknown applications and program installations to see how their launch will affect the computer's operating system. Using a sandbox limits the negative effects of malware. Komodo contains a long list of well-known tested applications, but if unknown application tries to gain access through the firewall, Comodo will first limit the program's actions and ask you what to do with it. In addition, all the functionality to control ports, protocols and configurations will be at your disposal.

During installation, you will have three options to install the firewall - "firewall only", "firewall with an optimal set of proactive protection" and "maximum proactive protection" (i.e. "Defense+", as mentioned earlier). After installation, Comodo automatically selects "Safe Mode", which will result in numerous pop-up notifications for applications that are not included in the list of trusted programs. If you select allow/deny and choose to remember the response, Comodo will create and save a custom rule for the application, which you can always edit from the general list.

If you select Clean PC Mode, Defense+ will automatically mark all applications on your drive as safe. Please note that if there is a virus among the programs, it will also be considered safe, so use it carefully this function and only in cases where you are truly confident in the safety of the programs. However, these applications will still be monitored, albeit at a minimal level - checking Comodo protected objects (registry and COM interface), monitoring established rules, etc. Any files you add will be automatically added to the review list, flagged as potentially unsafe, and running them will result in pop-up messages as if you were using Safe Mode, until you set rules.

Comodo reduces the frequency of alerts by automatically identifying programs as safe based on Internet access rules. However, you can further reduce the number of Defense+ alerts using one or more methods:

Immediately imply your answer as "remember answer" for all warnings. In other words, when any application is launched for the first time, the answer will immediately be assumed to be a permanent solution. However, it is necessary to use carefully this setting, since from time to time applications need to temporarily grant or deny access
Add programs to lists of safe or trusted files
Use clean computer mode. It is recommended to first make sure that the programs on your disk do not contain viruses and Trojans

Overall, Comodo Firewall is a powerful firewall with a lot of flexible settings, which is perfect for providing a high level of protection. However, it is intended for those users who have some knowledge of Windows device and networks. Beginner users are strongly advised not to use this firewall.

The former commercial firewall is now free without restrictions. This proactive, multi-layered security solution includes behavioral blocking technology that monitors and checks for viruses, spyware, malware, process and application security, the registry, and more along with standard firewall protection. Private Firewall can certainly be called a multifunctional firewall with an intrusion detection and prevention system.

The program's user interface may seem a little confusing and cumbersome. There are a lot of customizable options, so sometimes it can feel a bit lacking in sorting. Of course, each section contains quite a lengthy reference with explanations, but still. The training mode allows you to resolve all program actions within 180 seconds, which is ideal for quick setup rules for newly installed programs (no need to create dozens of rules for each port, protocol and address). However, be prepared that the first launch of the firewall may lead to blocking of a number of seemingly well-known programs.

You can set different security levels (high, low, and custom) for your internal network and the Internet. In other words, for example, if you have home network a couple of computers or a printer, then there is no point in limiting them in the same way. You will also have three profiles at your disposal - Home, Office and Remote. You can set the appropriate settings for each and easily switch as needed, especially useful for laptops. One more useful function is that you can block outgoing mail in one click, which is convenient when you have started mail client and you don’t want the application to send emails randomly or on a schedule.

Overall, Private Firewall is a fairly effective firewall that has fairly good ratings on the Internet. However, the graphical interface and ease of use will be more appreciated by tech-savvy users. A beginner will simply be confused.

The firewall is a good choice for users who want flexible security settings without compromising ease of use. Its interface is carefully organized and retains its functionality (it can be easily navigated regular users). For example, alerts are simplified but just as functional, so you can quickly and easily set up rules or apply actions. In addition, the firewall remembers all responses in pop-up messages without the need to create additional rules, notifies you of all configured rules in training mode, and notifies you of all automatically applied rules, for example, for browsers when changing versions.

The free version lacks many of the additional features of the paid version, such as the ability to disable an active connection. However, there are plenty of opportunities. You can choose 5 levels of protection, ranging from completely blocking connections to allowing all actions, including the average manual learning mode "Rules Wizard". In addition, the Outpost firewall controls various dangerous application activities, including memory injection, driver loading, and access to critical system objects (registry, files). Also, the Outpost database includes quite a lot of pre-configured rule templates, so setting up Internet access for applications will most often consist of a couple of mouse clicks.

The installer will ask you if you want the firewall to train for a week (using auto-learning mode and manual training "Rules Wizard"). In this mode, the firewall will automatically set rules for known safe applications.

Overall, Outpost Firewall Free is a good choice for those looking for a balance of functionality and interface.

The firewall differs from its counterparts in that it comes with additional security modules, namely the registry, pop-up blocker and parental controls - something like a packaged solution. Firewall is less customizable than the previous firewalls listed in the review, but many standard sections are still available. Three levels of protection - off (turns off the firewall), custom (allows you to configure rules for connections) and high (blocks all connections). Each section in the program interface is designed quite cleanly. Alerts generally provide clear and concise information.

The registry protection module provides control and security of the registry for modifications, with the ability to configure specific sections. The parental control module, as the name suggests, limits available list sites, but you need to manually add each site. The module problem is in logic. You can only allow certain websites, you cannot just block individual sites. The pop-up blocker monitors browser behavior and blocks pop-up ads and more. All three of these additional modules can be disabled individually. AVS Firewall also comes with a monitoring utility so you can check the amount of network traffic passing through for each application.

During the installation of this firewall, the installer automatically installs the AVS Software browser. Unfortunately, there is no option to opt out, but after installation you can remove it separately without any consequences for the firewall.

Overall, AVS Firewall is a pretty good firewall that will appeal to those who need to provide more security than in the case of basic firewalls, and who do not want to delve too deeply into the specifics of the network design.

Note: AVS Firewall is no longer supported by the manufacturer.

Other firewalls and firewalls for Windows

Although you rarely see old ones OS, such as 98 or Me, but still they should not be left unprotected, especially if they are not hidden behind other systems with firewalls. Therefore, if for some reason you use them, then here is a small list of firewalls and firewalls for Windows 95-2000. Please note that these firewalls are no longer supported by the manufacturers and may contain errors or lead to problems that, most likely, no one except you will consider. However, having an opportunity is better than not having one.

Sygate Personal Firewall (Windows 2000/XP/2003) [no longer supported]
NetVeda Safety.Net (Windows 95/98/Me/NT/2000/XP, requires registration) [no longer supported]
Filseclab Personal Firewall (Windows 95/98/Me/NT/2000/2003/XP 32-bit) [no longer supported]

Most users, when deciding on computer security, limit themselves to installing commercial or, believing that this is quite enough for “one hundred percent” protection. However, this is not quite true.

The Internet is full of dangers and in most cases, it is through the network that malicious applications penetrate the computer, and then, having nestled in, they themselves begin to transfer the personal data of an unsuspecting user to the network, or use the computer to distribute spam or as a proxy server.

Therefore, it is so important that on each computer, in addition to installing good firewall or as they also say firewall. In that small review we bring to your attention seven best free firewalls: Ashampoo Firewall Free, PC Tools Firewall Plus, Emsisoft Online Armor Free, ZoneAlarm Free Firewall, Filseclab Personal Firewall Professional Edition, Outpost Firewall Free and Comodo Firewall. The choice is yours.

Ashampoo Firewall Free

First on our list is Ashampoo Firewall Free. Like most programs developed by the company, this firewall has a convenient and colorful interface with Russian language support and a built-in settings wizard.

To use the program, you must go through a simple registration procedure on the manufacturer’s website. In this case, a free code will be sent to the user's mailbox, which can be used to register Ashampoo Firewall.

Immediately after installation, the wizard will offer to configure the program by choosing one of two modes: “Simplified” and “Expert”. In most cases, it is recommended to use Expert mode.

The program has five main modules or sections. In the “Rules” section you can configure connection parameters for programs that use the Internet. The “Statistics” and “Journal” modules are purely informational. Here you can view data about all connections and events.

The “Configuration” module is intended for internal settings of the firewall itself. The “Utilities” section contains four additional tools, namely, a process manager, a utility for clearing Internet surfing history, and a pop-up blocker.

Ashampoo Firewall Free works approximately as follows: when an application for which there are no established rules tries to establish a connection, the firewall notifies the user about this, offering to create a new rule for this program, that is, allow or block its access to the network.

When you disable this function (learning mode), the dialog will not be shown, and all applications for which no rules have been set will be blocked automatically. You can also use the “Block all” option. In this case, the firewall will block all connections without exception.

PC Tools Firewall Plus

Next, we recommend that you pay attention to an excellent firewall called PC Tools Firewall Plus. Simple, free, with Russian language support, this firewall is one of the most reliable and effective, according to numerous user reviews. PC Tools Firewall Plus protects the system from unauthorized data transmission by Trojans, keyloggers and others malware, and also prevents them from penetrating the computer.

It also supports flexible management of network traffic, creation own rules, password protection of settings, hiding the presence of a PC on the network. The program is easy to install and does not require registration and system reboot as is the case with Ashampoo Firewall.

Connection parameters are configured in manual mode. It is advisable to do this immediately after installing the program, since by default PC Tools Firewall Plus marks some applications as unverified and therefore may partially block their operation. The firewall user interface has six to five main sections.

The Applications module is designed to manage programs and create rules for them. You can make a list of checked ports and IP addresses in the “Profiles” section, and if you want to analyze network traffic You can switch to the “Work” section. IN general settings you can adjust the level of protection, set up filtering, full-screen mode, and also set a password to protect PC Tools Firewall Plus itself.

Emsisoft Online Armor Free

Third place on our list is taken by a free firewall from Emsisoft GmbH called Online Armor Free. The program has a fairly impressive set of protection tools against all kinds of online threats, as well as blocking malware that uses the Internet. Online Armor Free includes four main protection modules: firewall, web filter, proactive protection and anti-keylogger.

A firewall and web filter provide reliable protection against information leakage from the user’s computer, and also prevent unauthorized attempts to access the system by malicious scripts.

The proactive protection module allows you to control the behavior of programs and, if necessary, limit their activities.

Online Armor Free automatically scans your system for potentially dangerous applications and flags them accordingly. The firewall uses updated online databases to determine the security level of applications installed on the system.

Online Armor Free has a fairly simple and user-friendly interface with Russian language support. The main menu is located on the left side of the working window, the right side displays the program status, the date of the last database update, and last news from the developer's website. Online Armor Free supports creating rules for programs, managing ports and devices, creating lists of ignored domains, controlling the startup of suspicious applications, as well as controlling permissions to change the HOSTS file.

The firewall's capabilities also include protection against spam, keyloggers, cookie blocking, site classification, and protection against forced address changes. home page browsers Internet Explorer, Opera and Firefox. Additional features of the application include support for virtual desktops, subnet scanning, as well as disabling HIPS and setting a password on the GUI.

ZoneAlarm Free Firewall

If the lack of the Russian language does not bother you, you can pay attention to ZoneAlarm Free Firewall - a very unique firewall in terms of design, designed to protect PCs when working on global and local networks.

The application has an easy interface with minimum quantity settings. Control supported user programs(access list), Internet traffic tracking, checking email attachments, detailed logging, blocking pop-ups and advertising banners.

In addition, the program has a cookie control function, which allows you to limit the transfer of confidential information to the websites you view. The user can set the protection level independently. You can download the ZoneAlarm web installer completely free from the developer’s website.

During the installation process of the package, in addition to the firewall, a number of additional protection tools are also installed - Web Identity Protections (web lock), Identity Protections (personal identification) and Online Backup (backup). After installing the firewall, you need to restart your computer.

Filseclab Personal Firewall Professional Edition

Filseclab Personal Firewall Professional Edition is another free, convenient and very simple firewall. The program supports the creation of individual rules for programs using step-by-step wizard, network access filtering, viewing connections in real time, logging, traffic monitoring. Filseclab Personal Firewall responds to attempts by “doubtful” or new applications to open a connection by displaying a pop-up window asking you to create a corresponding rule.

The program uses three main security levels, each of which is marked with a corresponding color: green, yellow and red. In addition, for each level it is possible to create personal rules. Filseclab Personal Firewall has a fairly simple interface divided into seven sections.

The “Status” section displays the volume of traffic and the number of transmitted packets; “Monitor” displays the listening ports and application connections.

In the Rules section you can set rules for specific application or domain.

The remaining sections are of an informative nature. There is no Russian language in Filseclab Personal.

Outpost Firewall Free

The next firewall, Outpost Firewall Free, is perhaps one of the simplest and least demanding firewall systems. In this respect, it is akin to the standard Windows firewall, which, as a rule, is constantly present in the system and does not show itself :).

Outpost Firewall is a fairly easy-to-use program designed to protect against external intrusions, as well as unauthorized transfer of data by applications installed on the user’s computer. Unlike other firewalls, Outpost Firewall Free requires virtually no preliminary configuration.

The application supports monitoring of all incoming and outgoing connections, tracking software activity in real time, and extensibility using built-in modules. In the event of a threat or network activity of “dubious” programs, Outpost Firewall will notify the user about this and offer to allow or block the application that has declared itself.

Outpost Firewall Free is very simple, not burdened with “unnecessary” functions user interface. Russian language, unfortunately, is missing.

However, this is not so important - the program is simple enough that even a novice user can understand it. A few settings allow you to adjust the level of protection if necessary (up to completely blocking connections), as well as create exception rules for various programs and services.

Comodo Firewall

And finally, we suggest you briefly familiarize yourself with another free firewall, Comodo Firewall. This powerful, feature-rich program with an impressive set of tools is initially bundled with Comodo Antivirus, Comodo Defense and the Dragon web browser, but can also be installed separately.

The firewall provides full protection from hacker attacks, Trojans, malicious scripts, keyloggers and other types of Internet threats. The application supports monitoring of incoming and outgoing traffic, working with ports, hiding a computer on a network, monitoring software and driver updates

Additional firewall functions include maintaining a detailed event log and integration into Windows Security Center, quickly switching between modes (from the system tray), protecting the system during startup, detecting unidentified files, viewing active processes and launching applications in a special sandbox (Sandbox).

With such a solid set of tools, Comodo Firewall has a simple Russian-language interface aimed at the inexperienced network settings user. All tools and functions of the application are distributed among four modules, and each option has a corresponding description.

Plus, the program is equipped with a system of interactive dialogues (pop-up windows), written in an extremely simple and understandable language for a novice user.

Bottom line

Choosing a good firewall can seem like a daunting task. And to make this job easier, let me give you a few free advice. First, when choosing a firewall, pay attention to the opinions of experienced users and software testers. As a rule, a really good firewall leaves a lot of positive reviews.

Secondly, a good firewall should not enter into unreasonable conflicts with system drivers, popular applications and antiviruses, as well as be able to work with Windows Security Center.

The presence of updated databases is also very desirable. In addition, a good firewall cannot be easily disabled from the Task Manager (this can be done with Filseclab Personal Firewall).

Thirdly, the firewall should not slow down the system in any way. For example, in this regard, the ZoneAlarm firewall seriously loses, since it is quite demanding on system resources and can slow down the work of a weak machine.

Also, before making your final choice, it is advisable to test the firewall using a special program 2ip Firewall Tester. Everything else, such as the presence of the Russian language, user-friendliness of the interface, external design, is secondary.

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Modern antivirus programs, such as Kaspersky Anti-Virus, include a built-in firewall. But you can download the firewall for Windows 7 separately from any antivirus solution. Moreover, the OS has built-in functions to protect your PC, but you should not rely only on their reliability.

Why do you need a firewall?

As we have already noted, a firewall is an integral link in the security chain not only of Windows 7 devices, but in general of all devices that have access to the Internet. Viruses and other threats await us on this network, which are difficult to fight alone. You can learn more about the need for a firewall on a PC from the following video:

The firewall prevents your computer from becoming infected even before the malware gets to your computer. HDD. Antivirus programs can recognize a virus when it is already on the disk, and a firewall can block its downloading. With a powerful firewall you can:

Secure your use of the Internet;
Configure automatic blocking of file downloads;
Protect your PC from viruses and spyware;

Among all the firewalls for Windows 7, we can highlight . This firewall stands out from all its competitors in that it is free and very powerful. But its power does not prevent the program from working so quietly that after installation you can completely forget about the presence of a firewall on your device. At the same time, Comodo Firewall has rich customization capabilities. The program was recognized as the best firewall for Windows 7, and that is why on this page you can download the Comodo Firewall firewall and not some other.