TinyWall

[Prorootect]

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Why TinyWall does not work in Windows XP SP2, please?
It 'modify the settings of Windows Firewall' - then there is no possibility to change these settings in Windows Firewall - without TinyWall?
What it adds extra compared to the Windows Firewall?

I apologize for noob questions ..

 

[WinAndLinuxTutorials]

@Prorootect: It's only for Windows Vista & 7.

The download is available for Windows Vista and Windows 7 users (x86/x64).
Prerequisite for Vista: Microsoft .Net Framework 3.5 SP1

 

[ultim]

Why TinyWall does not work in Windows XP SP2, please?

The Windows Firewall in XP is completely different from the firewall in Vista or Win7. XP's own firewall is much less capable, barely usefull and is not worth extending upon (personal oppinion). Supporting it on XP would mean a lot of extra effort without much gain and would not even support all the features of TinyWall.

It 'modify the settings of Windows Firewall' - then there is no possibility to change these settings in Windows Firewall - without TinyWall?

Yes. A lot of programs, including some malware but also legit software, add themselves to the firewall's exception list automatically, so with the default windows UI, more programs might be allowed than those that you've been asked about. To prevent such cases, TinyWall v1 does not allow other tasks other than itself to modify most of the firewall settings.

What it adds extra compared to the Windows Firewall?

Easier to use interface, firewall change prevention, zero-popups, password lock, configurability without admin-privileges, fast switch of firewall modes etc.

 

[Prorootect]

* 'Supporting it on XP would mean a lot of extra effort without much gain ..' - so look on the number of happy XP users ..

* Windows XP '.. would not even support all the features of TinyWall.' - this too?: 'TinyWall v1 does not allow other tasks other than itself to modify most of the firewall settings.'

* TinyWall adds ' .. firewall change prevention ..' - And malware can not change settings of TinyWall you think?

* .. to modify most of the firewall settings.' - not all? Which ones?:dodgy:

* 'zero-popups' - so it defends, and me I do not have warn of this event?

- and Thank You for your kind responses!

 

[ultim]

* Windows XP '.. would not even support all the features of TinyWall.' - this too?: 'TinyWall v1 does not allow other tasks other than itself to modify most of the firewall settings.'

Nope, not even that. At least I haven't found a way until now.

* TinyWall adds ' .. firewall change prevention ..' - And malware can not change settings of TinyWall you think?

The truth is, if the malware is sophisticated enough, there is no stopping it, not only with TinyWall, but not with any commercial software. Sure there are possible ways to circumvent TinyWall, just as there are ways to circumvent all the other firewalls. Yes, some are harder to circumvent than TinyWall, some are not. But as long as malware authors don't prepare their malwares explicitly to detect and overcome TinyWall, it provides adaquate protection. And when the time comes when TinyWall will be circumvented, I just have to modify it a little (to break malwares) and then it provides protection again. This is how the whole security industry works. There is no way to provide 100% protection, so security professionals just do enough to be ahead of malware authors by a little. Then it starts all over again. (Besides, I implemented techniques to protect the settings of TinyWall itself. Again, of course, no protection is perfect. If anyone tells you something different about IT security, he is lying. This is why in IT layered security is the best security - but still not perfect.)

* .. to modify most of the firewall settings.' - not all? Which ones?:dodgy:

This was just a fair formulation. I actuall do not know of a setting that can be changed in the firewall without TinyWall noticing it, but it does does not mean there isn't any. Telling you that it secures the Windows Firewall completely would not have been honest, because there might be some things I do not know about.

* 'zero-popups' - so it defends, and me I do not have warn of this event?

No, you do not get a warning. This was a basic design decision I made at the very beginning because I wanted a firewall like that. This is a unique and defining characteristic of TinyWall, I realize that not all people like this approach, they can install one of the hundreds of other firewalls out there.

 

[Prorootect]

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Thank you very much ultim for your kind responses!

- better late then never ..
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