RE: Personal firewall for lambda users

From: Austen, Stefan (austen_at_e-Spirit.de)
Date: 06/23/04

  • Next message: pingywon MCSE: "Re: Windows patch mgmt." 
    To: security-basics@securityfocus.com
Date: Wed, 23 Jun 2004 11:57:29 +0200

    In the current issue german renowned c't magazine tested 5 free personal
    firewalls for windows (c't 13/2004, 14.06.2004, pages 142-147, Personal
    Firewalls).

    Competing are:

    -Outpost Firewall
    -Zone Alarm Personal Firewall
    -Kerio Personal Firewall
    -Securepoint Personal Firewall
    -Sygate Personal Firewall

    Unfortunately this article is not available online. But as you live in
    lovely switzerland, you should have no problems buying the current issue. Or
    maybe buy the specific article online at http://www.heise.de/kiosk/.

    Have fun,
    Stefan

    > -----Original Message-----
    > From: Alexandre Zglav [mailto:azglav@heritage.ch]
    > Sent: Monday, June 21, 2004 11:49 AM
    > To: security-basics@securityfocus.com
    > Subject: Personal firewall for lambda users
    >
    >
    >
    >
    >
    >
    >
    > Hi all,
    >
    > I am currently studying various personal firewal softwares for
    > installation on my company's Laptops.
    > Most of my users are lambda users and I wanted to make sure being
    > firewalled on their laptop would be as transparent for them
    > as when their
    > working in our corporate LAN.
    >
    > I've recently been testing Sygate Personal firewall ( now owned by
    > netscreen ) and I found it pretty deceiving... The software is clearly
    > designed to be used and administered on a dayly basis by
    > experimented users
    > and the security level is quite low in my opinion: there are
    > continuous
    > popups that come to the user asking for him to choose if he
    > should let the
    > trafic for a specific application in or out ( thats quite normal for a
    > personal firewall) but a user without the admin password can
    > set a rule
    > just by clicking on a button on the popup (thats quite unusual...) .
    >
    > So basically what I'm trying to do is to protect my users
    > from themselves
    > by configuring the firewall to let very specific applications ( email
    > client, web browser etc.. ) in and out, and to deny all the
    > rest so that
    > the user doesnt' see any popup. Moreover I want to set real
    > admin passwords
    > that won't let a user set a rule without it ( such as it was in Sygate
    > PFW...)
    >
    > I personally use Kerio at home since three or four years now and I'm
    > pretty satisfied with it. I wanted to know what you, security
    > experts :) ,
    > thought about this product.
    > I know that kerio will let me do what I want with admin password,
    > application specific rules and a "Deny all" rule at the end
    > of the list but
    > I want to know how reliable and secure it is and if the
    > company has any
    > chance to survive the next decade (or years... :) ). Is there another
    > secure and reliable personal firewall that I sohould try to
    > accomplish what
    > I want to do ?
    >
    > Thanks for your answers.
    >
    > Oh and by the way my users are using Windows XP pro.
    >
    > See you!
    > ________________________________________________
    >
    > IT Projects
    > Alexandre Zglav
    > Heritage Bank & Trust
    > 12 cours des bastions
    > P.O. Box 3341
    > 1211 Geneva
    > Switzerland
    > Phone : ++ 41 22 817 31 11
    > Direct Line : ++41 22 817 32 21
    > azglav@heritage.ch
    > www.heritage.ch
    > ________________________________________________
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