I’ve just migrated from ZoneAlarm. I am confused about the terminology Comodo uses when a new connection is being made.
As I understood ZoneAlarm, “Allow” means allow in and out if connection initiated from pc. “Server” means allow connection initiated from outside - if that application is running.
With Comodo, you have to allow “Out” and “Server” just to get a browser to work. Does this mean that any outside user can initiate connection through the firewall if that application is running?
CPF works differently than ZA. When you allow an application to act as a server, noone will be able to connect unless you create a network monitor rule.
Act as a server popups in current release(2.2.0.11) is a bit confusing and we changed the behavior in the beta versions and the upcoming releases.
In summary, when you allow an application to receive some connections, unless you modify network monitor, it wont work. And you will still be stealhted.
It is not even for internal network. When you allow act as a server for an application, without an explicit network control rule, that application can only accept loopback connections i.e from the same PC it is running.
I see. Now I understand my computer a little better. Oh yes, I would like to contribute a program that is included in the safelist for outward bound connections. The program name is DKService.exe and it belongs to Diskeeper. It tries to create a loopback connection for itself once Diskeeper is installed.
the new cpf due out on Thursday will have a submit functionality…
u can submit then
actually u can submit all your apps/exes etc u have on your machine
Am I correct in my thinking that the “Act as a server” message simply means that an application is going to act as a server in the traditional sense - accept input from another application or provide services to another application?
Thanks for the response egeman. The Network Monitor is set by default to block everything coming in. So you are saying that only interactions initiated by my pc will allow a response back with that setting.
I think the term server is very misleading in the dialog that appears. Server means something quite different to most people than what is intended. On the applicaton monitor In/Out are used which is even more confusing, not Server/Out. If one dialog appears asking “xxxx is trying to connect to the internet”, the second one should not refer to server, it should ask “do you want to allow communication back to xxxx”. Hopefully that is addressed in upcoming revs.
I ignored the Network Monitor section because I assumed it referred to local networks, which I don’t have enabled.
I am really looking forward to the release. On a lighter note, I remember you once said that it will be out on Tuesday, now Thursday. I hope you are not Bill Gates 2. ;D
With new users in mind, wouldn’t it make it easier to display an “allow/deny incoming connection” or “allow/deny outgoing connection” dialog prompt. If you look at how SKPF4 handles network security, I think they’ve hit it spot on. Plus having a simple mode and advanced mode caters for both new and advanced users. Just my thoughts.
Hi Ewen,
Yes. It will practically do so. Since no remote connections will be allowed unless an explicit network rule is created, it will only provide its services to the local applications.
