Windows 7 Firewall Basics
The Windows 7 firewall controls traffic that your computer exchanges with the network or Internet and it uses rules to control this behaviour. A single firewall rule allows you to control how a specific type of network traffic behaves.
Categories: Security Tags: Firewall, firewall rules, inbound, network traffic, outbound, rules, traffic
Configuring Windows Firewall Rules
The basic Windows Firewall allows you to create rules based on programs and features only while to create firewall rules based on port addresses or services you need to use the WFAS (Windows Firewall with Advanced Security). In this article we will see how to configure exceptions based on programs using the basic Windows Firewall.
Categories: Security Tags: allow program, control panel, feature, features, Firewall, rules, WFAS, windows firewall
Windows Firewall
Windows 7 native firewall is based on two sets of rules that complement each other. The basic Windows Firewall uses simple rules that directly relate to a program or service while the Windows Firewall with Advanced Security (WFAS) allows for more complicated rules that filter traffic on the basis of port, protocol, address and authentication.
Categories: Security Tags: Firewall, firewall rules, network, network interface card, protocol, rules, traffic, WFAS
How to restrict applications using AppLocker
The following procedure shows how to restrict an application from running using AppLocker. For more details about AppLocker and the available options read articles Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3. The following example shows how to restrict the windows notepad application from executing :
- Use an administrator account to perform these while make sure that a standard user account without administrative privileges exists on the computer. Verify that the Notepad application runs before starting configuring AppLocker. Read more…
Categories: Security Tags: Application Identity, application restriction, AppLocker, audit, event viewer, executable rule, gpedit.msc, rules
AppLocker – Part 2: Understanding AppLocker Rules
When you enable AppLocker, the default behavior is secure, that is, Block. This rule is sometimes called the fallback Block. It is worth mentioning again the importance of setting a default Allow rule at least for the administrators (local or domain) as enabling AppLocker without any allows rules may render your computer unusable! AppLocker is organized into four areas called rule collections. The four rule collections are executable files, scripts, Windows Installer files, and DLL files. The following are the file formats included in each rule collection:
- Executable rules – .exe .com
- Windows Installer rules - .msi .msp
- Scripts rules – .ps1 .bat .cmd .vbs .js
- DLL rules - .dll .ocx
Rule conditions
Rule conditions are criteria that the AppLocker rule is based on. Primary conditions are required to create an AppLocker rule. The three primary rule conditions are publisher, path, and file hash.
Categories: Security Tags: allow, application restrictions, AppLocker, deny, DLLs, executables, file hash, path rules, publisher rules, rule, rules
AppLocker – Part 1: Application Control Policies
Unlike the Software Restrictions Policies, the AppLocker Application Control Policies are available only in Windows 7 Enterprise and Ultimate editions, and all editions of Windows Server 2008 R2. AppLocker policies build upon the Software Restriction Polices functionality but have additional features which make them far more powerful and useful. One of the main enhancements is the ability to specify which users can run specific applications. Now, rules can be based on file attributes such as, file name, file version, etc. You can create exceptions to rules and assign a rule to a security group or an individual user. The various added features are audit-only mode, policy import and export, rule collection, PowerShell support, custom error messages and a wizard to create multiple rules at once. The Policies are found in the Computer Configuration\Windows Settings\Security Settings\Application Control Policies node.
The first caution worth noting is when you are upgrading computers to Windows 7 with enabled Software Restriction Policies. If you implement AppLocker policies to the upgraded computer, then only the AppLocker rules are enforced. Secondly, AppLocker depends on the Application Identity Service which is set to a Manual startup state by default. Before setting the service to start automatically make sure that the policies are correctly set as incorrect rules may turn your computer unusable. Finally, keep in mind that when DLL rules are used users may experience a reduction in performance as AppLocker checks DLLs when the application is loading.
Creating Default Rules
Categories: Security Tags: application, application control, AppLocker, block, default rules, DLL, Policies, restrict, rules
Software Restriction Policies
In most organizations the majority number of employees runs the same applications and it is quite normal to find a list of approved applications. Apart, from disallowing standard users (non administrator privileges) to install any unapproved applications some IT policies dictate that some applications although required to be present on the computer for administration purposes, standard users are not allowed to execute them. For example, you may want to block admin scripts and specific DLLs from running. You can achieve this with help of Group Policies – Software Restriction Policies.
Categories: Security Tags: certificate, enforcement, Group Policy, hash, Local Group Policy, policy, Restriction, rules, Trusted Publishers certificate
