Personal Firewalls

PortsLock is a firewall that offers user-level access controls for Windows NT/2000/XP. It integrates with the Windows user authentication system and once installed, administrators can assign permissions to TCP/IP connections, just as they would in managing permissions on an NTFS partition of a hard disk. PortsLock lets you control which users can access what TCP/IP based protocols (HTTP, FTP, SMTP, POP3, Telnet, etc.) on a local computer, depending on the time of day and day of the week. You can also set allowed/denied TCP/UDP ports and IP addresses for incoming and outgoing connections. PortsLock is completely transparent to users and only Windows administrators are allowed to set rules. Administrators that are familiar with IPsec, can think of this as a user-specific IPsec configuration, where user A can be allowed access to the web during business hours, but denied FTP traffic and user B can only access sites within the corporate network etc. Additional features include optional traffic auditing (per user setting), remote access and automatic deployment to remote machines. PortsLock is intended for network administrators and requires good knowledge of TCP/IP networking.

Outpost Firewall Pro is a combination of firewall and anti-spyware protection, that supports all the latest security techniques and features such as Full Stealth Mode, Anti-Leak, and MD5 Authentication. It detects and blocks hacker attacks, guards your privacy, monitors network activity , and provides clean web surfing while preventing malware from activating on your computer. Outpost Firewall Pro does not require initial configuration and starts protecting your system as soon as it is installed. Compatible with dial-up, DSL, ISDN, Cable, T1 or Satellite as well as network setups and connection sharing.

Privatefirewall is a Personal Firewall and Intrusion Detection Application that helps prevent unauthorized access to your PC, at home, the office, or on the road. Privatefirewall constantly monitors the sensitive areas of a PC where intrusion can occur, including browser security settings, network settings etc. and reports on their status. The program is easy to install/use and provides protection right "out of the box". The interface will accommodate advanced users as well as novice users, it does not overload you with options and features, yet provides access to powerful rule settings and filers for advanced users via the right click menu. Privatefirewall offers everything that you`d expect from a personal firewall, including Packet Filtering, Internet traffic (packet) filtering, port scanning, IP tracking, SecurePOP email protection, and a proprietary Application Control Engine, which monitors all applications that access the Internet. The program integrates with the Windows Security Center, and offers a choice of 3 different profile settings for at home, at work and on the road, which makes it especially interesting for Notebook users that frequently connect to other networks.

Visnetic Firewall is a rules-based firewall that examines each packet being sent, inside and outside of the network to verify whether the packet is allowed or denied access through the firewall. It works with stand-alone, networked or changing environments. Visnetic Firewall offers customized security through user-defined rule creation and the ability to configure devices individually. Examples of a device include an internal network interface card (NIC), an external NIC linked to a cable modem connecting to the Internet, or a Dial-Up Adapter used to connect to an ISP (Internet Service Provider). The rules can be complex, but are easy to create due to the graphical interface that allows you to select and specify the option. Additional features include optional Email Notification on rule violations, password protection, logging and more. <br> Stateful inspection delivers firewall protection beyond pure packet filtering. Rather than simply verifying the packet source and destination, Stateful Inspection ensures the legitimacy of the packet by matching its presence to an actual request. For example, rather than accepting all ping replies, Visnetic Firewall will permit a ping response only following a confirmed ping request.<br> Visnetic comes with a very detailed setup wizard that will automatically generate the custom settings for you based on a series of simple questions and answers about how you use the internet etc. of course, you can also choose to configure it manually or edit the wizard generated rules later.

Rising Personal Firewall 2007 offers firewall protection with an integrated Trojan shield that automatically protects you from common Trojan horse activities like password and account stealing. The firewall comes pre-configured to allow valid Windows processes and other common applications, so you will not be bombarded with a ton of warnings for essential process. For all other applications that try to connect to the Internet, you will be prompted with a confirmation dialog to confirm the activity. Advanced users can also create IP and port specific rules to allow or blacklist certain traffic. Other features include system vulnerability scanning for Windows patches and security risks, Internet Game Account Protection, automatic Trojan signature updates and more.

Webroot Desktop Firewall is an application firewall, that allows you to control which programs can access the Internet, and also protects you from incoming threats. It offers an easy to use interface, designed for non-technical users, and can automatically authorize essential Windows components, as well as your Internet browser and email program. In addition, it offers a stealth feature, as well as Internet Lock that allows you to terminate all internet activity with a single click. Webroot Desktop Firewall offers good protection without the need for technical knowledge, however it lacks the flexibility and features of more advanced firewalls.

Armor2net is a personal firewall with additional popup blocking and spyware detection and removal. It allows you to grant internet access on a per application basis, so that only programs that you are aware of can use your connection. You can view the list of current connections in an easy to understand display and choose to disconnect any of them if needed. Each connection displays the application that is using it, as well as the connected endpoint. Armor2net also provides a Stealth option that will block all access to your machine, however this feature is not compatible with networked computers, since Armor2net does not provide options allow certain connections or IP addresses. The firewall capabilities are basic and the popup killer missed most popups during our test, so it is of little value. The spyware removal feature scans your system for known adware/spyware programs and offers you to remove selected items. It includes a backup feature that allows you to restore the files if you experience any problems. Overall, the program is very easy to use and inexpensive. Worth a try for home users that want to keep an eye on their Internet connection and prevent unauthorized use of malware or spyware programs.