Anyone using the FireWall in PC-cillin?
Saturday, August 30, 2003 by Ingui | Discussion: WinCustomize Talk
Hi all,
I just bought my upgrade to PC-cillin 2003. It comes with a firewall. I am currently using ZoneAlarm(free) with the WinXP firewall "on" behind a hardware FireWall. I cant find a review for the PC-cillin FireWall any where.
I was thinking it would be better to uninstall ZA and let PC-cillin install it's own FireWall...integration for one, and also since i would get all the features i dont get out of the free version of ZA, like IP tracing. But i know nothing about the reliability, usability and security of PCcillin's Firewall. I am apt to trust it as the Antivirus software won me over from 2 other apps that wont I mention to avoid turning this into a "I am using the BEST AV software program" thread.
But I really was hoping for some 2nd and 3rd opinions from anyone using or familiar with it.
Thanx in advance and fire away
Jason
[Message Edited]
I just bought my upgrade to PC-cillin 2003. It comes with a firewall. I am currently using ZoneAlarm(free) with the WinXP firewall "on" behind a hardware FireWall. I cant find a review for the PC-cillin FireWall any where.
I was thinking it would be better to uninstall ZA and let PC-cillin install it's own FireWall...integration for one, and also since i would get all the features i dont get out of the free version of ZA, like IP tracing. But i know nothing about the reliability, usability and security of PCcillin's Firewall. I am apt to trust it as the Antivirus software won me over from 2 other apps that wont I mention to avoid turning this into a "I am using the BEST AV software program" thread.
But I really was hoping for some 2nd and 3rd opinions from anyone using or familiar with it.
Thanx in advance and fire away
Jason
[Message Edited]
yrag2
Reply #2 Saturday, August 30, 2003 10:22 PM
Reply #2 Saturday, August 30, 2003 10:22 PM
Jason - if you have a hardware firewall you don't need any software firewalls. Hardware firewalls stop anything before it gets to your computer, while software firewalls stop anything after it gets to your machine.
Koasati
Reply #3 Saturday, August 30, 2003 10:22 PM
Reply #3 Saturday, August 30, 2003 10:22 PM
Ingui.......I'm not using the PC-Cillin firewall for the same reasons..... plus, I don't think it asks what programs can access the internet. That feature is a must for me. I don't think their Anti-Virus protection can be beat, but I would like a little more info on how the firewall functions.
Tabasco1TX
Reply #4 Saturday, August 30, 2003 10:24 PM
Reply #4 Saturday, August 30, 2003 10:24 PM
i used pc-cillian and i thought it was great,but i just recently download the AVAST virus and firewall,it works much much better and doesn't slow your system down like Norton and i've seen some better response than PC-Cillian.You can download it from www.webattack.com ...they have a lot of freeware stuff and shareware as well.Check it out.
Fuzzy Logic
Reply #5 Sunday, August 31, 2003 2:10 AM
Reply #5 Sunday, August 31, 2003 2:10 AM
There's no such thing as too much security. A determined hacker can get through anything. Only last week I set up a remote shell through a supposedly infallible Pix and was able to transfer files, install a backdoor and initiate a D.O.S. attack which crashed the system (all in the line of duty).
There's no such thing as totally secure. But you can make things secure enough for it not to be worth anyone's time to hack into it.
There's no such thing as totally secure. But you can make things secure enough for it not to be worth anyone's time to hack into it.
IPlural
Reply #6 Sunday, August 31, 2003 4:32 AM
Reply #6 Sunday, August 31, 2003 4:32 AM
yarg, you do need a software firewall even with a Hardware firewall....
I actually spend two or three days a month explaining exactly why you need this to customers and such so it is a common myth that you do not need both.
Simply put, the Hardware Firewall even with filtering enabled is going to catch say 89% of attacks but will end up letting 11% of them through because of the fact that your Browser is making an authorized network connection.
Software Firewall products update constantly to keep up to date with emerging exploits. Hardware Firewalls do it periodically on the norm and then again some try to keep up. But even they bring a whole new set of exploits into the picture that they are going to be keeping up with.
Fuzzy
Pix and VPN's are wide open to a network because all it takes is one node to be cracked which is authorized on the VPN and your network is on the road to being owned by another.
Internet is oh so sweet and complete Job security 
I actually spend two or three days a month explaining exactly why you need this to customers and such so it is a common myth that you do not need both.
Simply put, the Hardware Firewall even with filtering enabled is going to catch say 89% of attacks but will end up letting 11% of them through because of the fact that your Browser is making an authorized network connection.
Software Firewall products update constantly to keep up to date with emerging exploits. Hardware Firewalls do it periodically on the norm and then again some try to keep up. But even they bring a whole new set of exploits into the picture that they are going to be keeping up with.
Fuzzy
Pix and VPN's are wide open to a network because all it takes is one node to be cracked which is authorized on the VPN and your network is on the road to being owned by another.
Internet is oh so sweet and complete
Job security 
IPlural
Reply #7 Sunday, August 31, 2003 6:39 AM
Reply #7 Sunday, August 31, 2003 6:39 AM
That is one of the things I'm watching with IPv6 and it's ability to circumvent NAT technologies... What pot holes will it put in the data stream road and how deep...
Koasati
Reply #8 Sunday, August 31, 2003 11:12 AM
Reply #8 Sunday, August 31, 2003 11:12 AM
| #4 by Tabasco1TX - 8/30/2003 10:24:01 PM i used pc-cillian and i thought it was great,but i just recently download the AVAST virus and firewall, |
There is no firewall mentioned in the description for AVAST..... 
Tabasco1TX
Reply #9 Sunday, August 31, 2003 11:43 AM
Reply #9 Sunday, August 31, 2003 11:43 AM
Hum,the version i have i got from a link on the Tech-TV web site,oh i see what it does,it activates the WinXP firewall.Hum,wierd.Well i haven't had any problems with virus' or anything.maybe i should get a online-scan from MacAfee or something.
sig101
Reply #10 Sunday, August 31, 2003 12:28 PM
Reply #10 Sunday, August 31, 2003 12:28 PM
ZA, unlike Win XP's ICF, provides outbound monitoring and app control. So unauthorized apps (like Trojans picked up in downloaded files) could be caught trying to access the internet. I've seen cases where an AV misses a trojan and only ZA (or other software firewall with outbound monitoring) brought the trojan to the user's attention when a pop up informed the user that a new app was trying to get net access.
So if the hardware firewall is a NAT router with firewalling capabilities, I would still recommend a software firewall since most so called hardware firewalls (especially if it's really a router) have no outbound screening capabilities. Additionally, during the recent msblaster outbreak some people who thought they were safe because they used a NAT router weren't because they hadn't properly configured it.
Of course, what you should use depends on your internet practices and how concerned you are about layering your security or how technically on top of things you are about security issues and what manner of defenses you can use as well as what safe practices you follow. I ran for 6 months just using ICF without problems. But my internet activities are not particularly adventurous compared to some. Others who do P2P and IRC which is a good source of malware should have a good AV, a dedicated Anti Trojan app and a software firewall with outbound monitoring IMO. YMMV
RE: PC Cillin: Over at Broadband Reports, there aren't many comments about its firewall but those that are there are not complimentary. This thread is announcing a new beta edition of their package but references are made to the current editions firewall as well http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,7797738~root=security,1~mode=flat
So if the hardware firewall is a NAT router with firewalling capabilities, I would still recommend a software firewall since most so called hardware firewalls (especially if it's really a router) have no outbound screening capabilities. Additionally, during the recent msblaster outbreak some people who thought they were safe because they used a NAT router weren't because they hadn't properly configured it.
Of course, what you should use depends on your internet practices and how concerned you are about layering your security or how technically on top of things you are about security issues and what manner of defenses you can use as well as what safe practices you follow. I ran for 6 months just using ICF without problems. But my internet activities are not particularly adventurous compared to some. Others who do P2P and IRC which is a good source of malware should have a good AV, a dedicated Anti Trojan app and a software firewall with outbound monitoring IMO. YMMV
RE: PC Cillin: Over at Broadband Reports, there aren't many comments about its firewall but those that are there are not complimentary. This thread is announcing a new beta edition of their package but references are made to the current editions firewall as well http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,7797738~root=security,1~mode=flat
Ingui
Reply #11 Sunday, August 31, 2003 7:09 PM
Reply #11 Sunday, August 31, 2003 7:09 PM
ok, lotta good advice. Just what I was hoping for. Probably good stuff here for a lotta other people to read too. Thanx everyone.
I think I'll stick with ZA and the ICF for firewall protection and just let PC-cillin handle my AV needs.
Thanks again bmetelsky, koasati, yrag, tabasco:D And fuzzy, IP , and sig ... I agree totally
I think I'll stick with ZA and the ICF for firewall protection and just let PC-cillin handle my AV needs.
Thanks again bmetelsky, koasati, yrag, tabasco:D And fuzzy, IP , and sig ... I agree totally
Chuckf1
Reply #12 Tuesday, September 2, 2003 11:05 AM
Reply #12 Tuesday, September 2, 2003 11:05 AM
I'm also a user of PC-cillin and ZA. And am happy with that combination. I was reading the link that sig101 gave us. Looks interesting and mentally debating about whether or not I want to beta test the new version of PC-cilln---or Trend Micro Security 11, as they plan on calling it.
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Reply #1 Saturday, August 30, 2003 10:12 PM