I’ve been having too many issues with 5.3.181415.1237.
The entire layout is different, so I had difficulty finding the Blocked Files (now in Computer Security Policy). Earlier I used to use the guides on the forum to configure it but now I have trouble finding may of the options.
I am using only the firewall with defense+ (set to optimum security) as I already have an AV, and I’ve disabled the sandbox.
The first problem is that when I add or remove files in the blocked files list, CIS takes about a half a minute to complete the process, during which it stops responding.
Second, and this is the main problem, it takes up too much of the processor, with cmdagent taking a negligible percent but cfp.exe taking around 45% at just about all times, even when I am not using the internet, and am not doing anything at all.
I generally update CIS only after two or three months. Should I reinstall or should I install an older version with which I was comfortable?
I am using CIS 5.3.181415.1237 and I am not having a single problem. Cfp.exe is using about 2600k memory and cmdagent.exe is using about 3800k memory and right now with Outlook, Thunderbird, Chrome and Firefox all open, both of these are using 0% CPU.
Try uninstalling then rebooting then re installing and see if this fixes the problem. Hope it works for you.
The AV is Nod32. I had set Defense+ to training mode when I was burning some DVDs as it kept giving alerts for Nero and I was afraid it would mess up the burning process. Then I forgot to turn it back to Safe mode. Now that I have done it, cfp.exe is using the processor as it normally does, around 8 to 10 MB. But the problem of being slow when adding or removing files in the blocked list is still there. It takes about 15 seconds to make the changes and during this time the computer stops responding.
When there are lot of rules in the Firewall and Defense + CIS will become very slow when saving new rules.
The best thing to remedy this is to cut down on custom rules for programs.
With default settings Firewall and D+ will use a default rule for trusted programs and does not store them. That helps to keep CIS more responsive. When you want it to make rules for trusted applications you need to enable “Create rules for safe applications” in Firewall or D+.
Assuming you are having a lot of rules. First of all use Purge function in Firewall and D+ to get rid off rules that refer to files that are gone. Then get rid off as many rules as you can and use custom rules only for program that need it.
The Firewall default rule allows all outgoing traffic. That works for a lot of programs but not for ones that are open for unsolicited incoming traffic (f.e. p2p programs).
I haven’t added any custom rules, I rarely ever change anything. I just use the configuring guides that are available on the forum, and I have had difficulty finding them this time for this new version.
The only place where I make changes is in the blocked files list, and it has the same entries that it had last time with the older version of CIS. I’ll use the purge function and see what happens.