Description
Windows XP incorporates its own firewall,
Internet Connection Firewall (ICF). It watches
outgoing requests, and allows replies by
Web sites, email servers, etc. It's stealthy,
which means it plays dead when it gets a
incoming request or reply that does not match
an outgoing request. It's a fairly effective
firewall, but I sure it's a primary hacking
target because it's ubiquitous. Update: Microsoft intends to provide a better version
of ICF in the second half of 2004.
Windows XP provides very good instructions
for enabling or disabling the ICF: Click Start > Help and Support
> enter "firewall" in the Search
box > click the green arrow > and pick
"Enable or disable Internet Connection
Firewall" in the search results. You'll probably want to click the "Print"
button to get a copy of the instructions
that appear.
Or, you can follow my instructions here.
- Click "Start" > click "Control
Panel" > right-click "Network
Connections" and choose "Open".
The "Network Connections" dialog
box should open.
- Right-click your "Dial-up" connection
and select "Properties". It will probably have the name of your ISP
on it.
- Select the "Advanced" -- not Security -- tab in the dialog box that opens.
- Check the "Protect my computer and network by limiting
or preventing access to this computer from
the Internet" option to enable the ICF. Uncheck it to disable the ICF.
You may also want to check the Microsoft
article on security, which includes notes on ICF.
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