The new Windows Firewall with Advanced Security is a
Microsoft Management Console (MMC) snap-in that provides more advanced
options for IT professionals. With this firewall, you can set up and
view detailed inbound and outbound rules and integrate with IPSec. To
access the Windows Firewall with Advanced Security, follow these steps:
1. | Open
Administrative Tools by clicking the Start button, Control Panel,
System and Maintenance, and then click Administrative Tools.
|
2. | Double-click
Windows Firewall with Advanced Security. If you are prompted for an
administrator password or confirmation, enter the password or provide
confirmation.
|
Of course, you must be a
member of the Administrators group or the Network Operators group to use
Windows Firewall with Advanced Security.
The Windows Firewall with Advanced Security management console enables you to configure the following (see Figure 1):
Inbound rules. Windows Firewall will block all unsolicited incoming traffic unless allowed by a rule.
Outbound rules. Windows Firewall will allow all outbound traffic unless blocked by a rule.
Connection security rules. Forces two computers to authenticate to each other and to secure or encrypt data using IPSec.
Monitoring. Display information about current firewall rules, connection security rules, and security associations.
You create inbound rules to control access to your computer from the network. Inbound rules can prevent the following:
Unwanted software being copied to your computer
Unknown or unsolicited access to data on your computer
Unwanted configuration of your computer
To configure advanced properties for a rule using the Windows Firewall with Advanced Security, follow these steps:
1. | Right-click the name of the inbound rule, and click Properties.
|
2. | From the Properties dialog box for an inbound rule, configure settings on the following tabs:
- General. The rule’s
name, the program to which the rule applies, and the rule’s action
(allow all connections, allow only secure connections, or block).
- Programs and Services. The programs or services to which the rule applies.
- Users and Computers. If the rule allows only secure connections, you can specify which computer accounts are allowed to make the connection.
- Protocols and Ports. The rule’s IP protocol, source and destination TCP or UDP ports, and ICMP or ICMPv6 settings.
- Scope. The rule’s source and destination addresses.
- Advanced. The profiles or types of interfaces to which the rule applies.
|
You can also use the
Windows Firewall with Advanced Security to create outbound rules to
control access to network resources from your computer. Outbound rules
can prevent the following:
Programs including malware from accessing network resources without your knowledge
Programs including malware from downloading software without your knowledge
Users downloading software without your knowledge
