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Network (in)Security Interesting hacks and cracks. Info on firewalls, TCP/IP, encryption, networks, and security. The ins and outs of the phone system, caller services, how things work, what's illegal and what's not, cellular phones, beepers, telephony legislation, the PUC, ISDN, taps, who's listening, and switches. Talking about phones, hacking systems, technical advice, and such is completely LEGAL in the United States -- it's covered by the First Amendment. What's illegal is conspiracy to commit a crime. So if you say something like "Meet me at 2am so we can crack a can" or "I changed my cell phone's number myself" you are criminally liable. Stating "You can crack a can by doing thus-and-so" or "If you wanted to change a cell phone's number, you could do it like so" is perfectly OK. Posting passwords, calling card numbers, or credit card numbers is forbidden on this network. Posting such info will get you booted off the net.

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  #1   Add 655 to your ignore list  
Old 2008-10-18, 21:07
655 655 is offline
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Default What is a good free firewall?

I am trying to keep a valuable computer protected within very humble means. I don't have any money to spend on anti-virus or firewall software. I have downloaded AVG-free because to my understanding it is the best free anti-virus software. Would anyone disagree?

Also, I need a solid but barebones firewall for free. I need it to help keep my connection secure, not do my laundry for me.

Any suggestions?
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  #2   Add soul flayer to your ignore list  
Old 2008-10-18, 21:34
soul flayer soul flayer is offline
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U, S, and A
Default Re: What is a good free firewall?

Sunbelt
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  #3   Add oddballz194 to your ignore list  
Old 2008-10-18, 23:20
oddballz194 oddballz194 is offline
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I'm dead
Default Re: What is a good free firewall?

I hate to sound like Prometheum on this one, but...

GNU/Linux's IPTables is probably the best free firewall. Of course, this works best if you use the machine as the default route between your machine and the Internet. Set the rules to only allow incoming connections in the ESTABLISHED state, drop ICMP and UDP, and it'll be a really good machine to block outsiders from getting in.

Under Windows, I don't know if AVG is the BEST free antivirus, but it's probably as good as any other. Whatever you do, scrap Windows firewall for something else ASAP. ZoneAlarm used to be considered good; I don't know if it still is or not. Nearly anything will beat the built-in firewall, though.
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  #4   Add Syndicate_Pie to your ignore list  
Old 2008-10-19, 02:29
Syndicate_Pie Syndicate_Pie is offline
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Arrow Re: What is a good free firewall?

I heard Comodo has a good free firewall.
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  #5   Add zeusy to your ignore list  
Old 2008-10-19, 03:03
zeusy zeusy is offline
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Default Re: What is a good free firewall?

Quote:
Originally Posted by 655 View Post
I am trying to keep a valuable computer protected within very humble means.
Any suggestions?
I assume what you mean by valuable is valuable data.

Slackware/Zenwalk + iptables + LoopAES. OR
FreeBSD + pf + gbde.

All of the above is free.
Don't use a Linux based OS that uses a *common* package management system. OpenBSD is crap when it comes to out of the box on the disk encryption.

There's a lot of graphical interfaces for iptables.
Fewer for pf, give pfw a try.

+ my basic home hardening guide
Quote:
Originally Posted by zeusy
I will attempt to describe what basic hardening an home network/computer should go trough. ( DSL, behind a nat ).

[Router configuration]
Disable wireless if you don't need it.
Disable upnp.
Foward the ports used to configure the router to a non-existent node (usually only 80).
Change the router's password to a stronger one. (also the default account name, if you can)
Use OpenDNS.
Disable the dhcp server.
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  #6   Add Prometheum to your ignore list  
Old 2008-10-19, 17:10
Prometheum Prometheum is offline
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Default Re: What is a good free firewall?

Quote:
Originally Posted by oddballz194 View Post
I hate to sound like Prometheum on this one, but...

GNU/Linux's IPTables is probably the best free firewall. Of course, this works best if you use the machine as the default route between your machine and the Internet. Set the rules to only allow incoming connections in the ESTABLISHED state, drop ICMP and UDP, and it'll be a really good machine to block outsiders from getting in.
hahahah, freedom wins again.

Though I would have said that just saying Linux in this instance is okay; since IPTables is a feature of Linux proper. Though the GNU/Linux is a nice touch; thanks very much.

On a more relevant note, firewalls nowadays typically don't matter unless you are connecting to the internet via ONLY a modem. You can test this by seeing if your computer itself has a unique IP address. Most people nowadays connect via a router that connects to a modem, or a modem+router combo. In that instance, the router does NAT, so the internal hosts aren't reachable at all. A firewall would only protect you against internal threats.
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  #7   Add Jo0 to your ignore list  
Old 2008-10-20, 01:47
Jo0 Jo0 is offline
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Default Re: What is a good free firewall?

blackICE... i loved i till i stoped using firewalls period
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  #8   Add nOObGLitch to your ignore list  
Old 2008-10-25, 15:41
nOObGLitch nOObGLitch is offline
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Default Re: What is a good free firewall?

Yo ohhh.... yo oh.... ayayyy....
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  #9   Add enkrypt0r to your ignore list  
Old 2008-10-25, 16:00
enkrypt0r enkrypt0r is offline
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Default Re: What is a good free firewall?

For Windows, the first thing I always do is download Zonealarm and disable Window's firewall... It's been over a year on this machine, and it hasn't given me much trouble.
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  #10   Add redjoker to your ignore list  
Old 2008-10-26, 19:07
redjoker redjoker is offline
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Default Re: What is a good free firewall?

If you don't make the Linux switch I would have recommend Zonealarm.
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 #11 
Old 2008-10-26, 22:32
zeusy zeusy is offline
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Default Re: What is a good free firewall?

On a more relevant note, firewalls nowadays typically don't matter unless you are connecting to the internet via ONLY a modem. You can test this by seeing if your computer itself has a unique IP address. Most people nowadays connect via unique IP address. Most people nowadays connect via a router that connects to a modem, or a modem+router combo. In that instance, the router does NAT, so the internal hosts aren't reachable at all. A firewall would only protect you against internal threats.a router that connects to a modem, or a modem+router combo. In that instance, the router does NAT, so the internal hosts aren't reachable at all. A firewall would only protect you against internal threats.

There are many ways to get trough a common NAT gateway, ALG and uPNP are some of them.

NAT shouldn't be trusted alone, home routers/modems shouldn't be trusted either, remember, they can also be vulnerable to attacks, and people often forgets to update the firmware :).

EDIT: Read my *bandwitdh stealing guide*
 #12 
Old 2008-10-27, 00:04
redjoker redjoker is offline
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Default Re: What is a good free firewall?

There are actually a lot of ways too keep this data relatively secure. It just depends on what you are wanting to do. A good firewall may not be the best option for you. What kind of data is it? Do you have any older computers around the house that work? Do you have an external hard drive or some other way of storing this data off of your machine? This information will help us possibly give you a better solution.
 #13 
Old 2008-10-27, 14:09
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Southern California
Default Re: What is a good free firewall?

zonealarm
 #14 
Old 2008-11-03, 08:05
Acolyte
 
Planet Number 3
Default Re: What is a good free firewall?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Syndicate_Pie
I heard Comodo has a good free firewall.


Agreed. It's the best free firewall I've ever used. It's a tad complicated, and poorly laid out - but makes up for it with so many features.

Best firewall A+++++ would trade again.
 #15 
Old 2008-11-04, 00:34
zeusy zeusy is offline
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Default Re: What is a good free firewall?

Agreed. It's the best free firewall I've ever used. It's a tad complicated, and poorly laid out - but makes up for it with so many features.

Best firewall A+++++ would trade again.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_firewalls#Firewall_rule-set_basic_filtering_features_comparison

Comodo is not even in the list....
There's a huge difference between a gui that gives you an illusion of security and a real firewall.
 #16 
Old 2008-11-04, 09:08
MR FLIBBLE MR FLIBBLE is offline
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Default Re: What is a good free firewall?

monowall
 #17 
Old 2008-11-06, 13:10
New Arrival
 
Default Re: What is a good free firewall?

peer guardian is ok
 #18 
Old 2008-11-07, 21:57
eternal_light eternal_light is offline
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Default Re: What is a good free firewall?

Best thing to use IMO is Untangle. http://untangle.com/
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