There's two ways it can be installed.
The default is for it to automatically allow a program access which is not completely secure. You must have used it in it's "prompt mode" which is more secure. Once you allow and create a rule for all of the programs you use online, and some other programs that call upon other programs it shouldn't bug you anymore unless a program has changed by either a new version being installed, or by a malware infection.
accually i have done that and it still bugs me when a program executes another. like i said, it doesnt matter whether it uses the internet or not.
for now im just gonna use ZoneAlarm not matter how unstable or crappy it is
Whats wrong with steve gibson? He is pretty much the one who started the whole pc security thing. I mean he is even credited as being the first one to find spyware.
Allot of people badmouth him, everyone has an opinion and is intitled to. Visit just about any forum and mention something like "I tested my firewall with ShieldsUp!" or "test your firewall as http://grc.com using ShieldsUp!) or just mention anything related to GRC.com and soon after that some smartassed childish remarks and a link pointing to "grcsucks.com" will show up a few posts down.
Exactly he was the reason why people learnt about spyware and the absolute need for a firewall, and from my perspective he gave Zone Labs a huge boost because I don't think allot of people would have used or known about ZoneAlarm with his praises of it, I surely wouldn't have at the time since I didn't even know what a firewall was, I had never heard of such a thing. He also made it common knowledge if a firewall failed which forced it/their publisher to fix the security holes.
Back in 2000 before I knew what adware and spyware was since I only knew the generic term "virus" I was infected with TimeSync and some other crap from using adware programs (GoZilla, Flashget, etc.), etc., and found the Run commands in the registry I went onto Google and searched for it all because it was causing Internet Explorer and Netscape to constantly crash, and Win98 to constantly crash as well. I looked at what people had written on one of CNET's site's and quickly found a link to GRC.com that had a spyware remover, this was before I knew anything about Ad-Aware etc., (or it's when Ad-Aware was either not public yet or not even conceived) -- something like that, it's difficult to remember everything exactly from five years ago which is now rapidly approaching six years. To summarize, it was Steve Gibson's website http://grc.com that turned me into a security-super-psycho-madman and I haven't changed that philosophy since.
Shields up is ok. Andavari do what other firewall tests do you use?
ShieldsUp! is quick and easy, and there's no over-the-top technical jargon to confuse people -- it's dead simple either a firewall blocks something using it's default settings, or it doesn't. I don't use any other online firewall tests and haven't looked at any others for ages. The reason for this is because I've found in the past that some either take ages to complete and/or want you to purchase their firewall software or link to an affiliate to purchase one from.
ShieldsUp! isn't the most thorough test, it's basic at most, however it's a very quick and easy way to evaluate how a firewall is performing. If a firewall can't past those quick tests I immediately uninstall it. Although allot of people bad-mouth Steve Gibson there'd be allot of computer users that wouldn't have known to use a firewall, myself included when I discovered GRC.com back in the year 2000.
I didnt say it was the most through, and I do agree with you, it is not. But is a very good way for users to remotely probe their computer for what ports are remotely open.
Steve Gibson does provide a great service to people, but he overdramatize stuff. He is basically a "media whore". Always trying to get attention. The guy isnt clueless, he knows alot about computers. But on the security scene he isnt known. He is just one of those annoying high-profile people seeking media attention all the time.