This is a great update. The best new feature to me is the 2 zones addition. Basically this allows for you to lock down your computer if your on public wifi but has relaxed settings if your at home.(so you can share files ect) Great so that you don't have to keep changing your settings.
I haven't tested it on grc yet. Will do later tonight.
I still haven't tested it yet.(nice to see dennis did. )
What I wanted to add though was that this version uses a little more ram than the last one. The old one was right around 4mb and this one is running 2 services at right around 10-11mb on my computer.(which is still really good, especially compared to others)
It also "runs as a service" which as far as I know just means it starts up earlier in the boot process.(which means your better protected during boot up)
Does this really mean anything? Maybe, but most of the other big firewalls do this too.
Unfortunately there is no automatic upgrade from version 1.0.0 to 2.0.0. Users that have edited their rules are welcome to perform the following procedure:
1. Backup the file Ruleset.rls ( save to a different directory) from c:\program files\pc tools firewall plus directory
2. Uninstall PC Tools Firewall Plus version 1.0.0.x
3. Install PC Tools Firewall Plus 2.0.0.9
4. Go to Advanced Rules page and press Ruleset->Import, point to the backed up rule file and import it to the Internet zone
PC Tools does create/sell very good software. With my work license, I have installed on my home pc Registry Mechanic and Spyware Doctor. Because I have Spy Sweeper, AVG Anti-Spyware (have a couple scheduled two minute or less memory scans each day, which frees a ton of ram) and Windows Defender (because it activates restore points prior to any installs) enabled at all times, I only weekly update Spyware Doctor and periodically scan with it.
Having said all that I'm kind of qualifying this statement: Despite what their web site claims about free for life, they are about the most non giving software company you can ever find. Their idea of trials has always been a free scan but if you want to remove that reg entry or piece of spyware you have to pay! If their firewall gains any popularity, once they think they have all the kinks worked out, they are going to charge or offer just a very basic version for free, whereas, when Comodo states its firewall will be forever free, including auto updates, I believe them.
I just downloaded this firewall, but so far am not passing GRC's test. It says the reason for this is my PC is responding to ping requests. How do I block pings using this firewall?
Shields UP! is now attempting to contact the Hidden Internet Server within your PC. It is likely that no one has told you that your own personal computer may now be functioning as an Internet Server with neither your knowledge nor your permission. And that it may be serving up all or many of your personal files for reading, writing, modification and even deletion by anyone, anywhere, on the Internet!
Your Internet port 139 does not appear to exist!
One or more ports on this system are operating in FULL STEALTH MODE! Standard Internet behavior requires port connection attempts to be answered with a success or refusal response. Therefore, only an attempt to connect to a nonexistent computer results in no response of either kind. But YOUR computer has DELIBERATELY CHOSEN NOT TO RESPOND (that's very cool!) which represents advanced computer and port stealthing capabilities. A machine configured in this fashion is well hardened to Internet NetBIOS attack and intrusion.
Unable to connect with NetBIOS to your computer.
All attempts to get any information from your computer have FAILED. (This is very uncommon for a Windows networking-based PC.) Relative to vulnerabilities from Windows networking, this computer appears to be VERY SECURE since it is NOT exposing ANY of its internal NetBIOS networking protocol over the Internet.
Your system has achieved a perfect "TruStealth" rating. Not a single packet ? solicited or otherwise ? was received from your system as a result of our security probing tests. Your system ignored and refused to reply to repeated Pings (ICMP Echo Requests). From the standpoint of the passing probes of any hacker, this machine does not exist on the Internet. Some questionable personal security systems expose their users by attempting to "counter-probe the prober", thus revealing themselves. But your system wisely remained silent in every way. Very nice