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Windows Firewall with Advanced Security Page 1 of 115 Windows Firewall with Advanced Security You can use Windows Firewall with Advanced Security to help you protect the computers on your network. Windows Firewall with Advanced Security includes a stateful firewall that allows you to determine which network traffic is permitted to pass between your computer and the network. It also includes connection security rules that use Internet Protocol security (IPsec) to protect traffic as it travels across the network. Important Windows Firewall with Advanced Security is designed for administrators of a managed network to secure network traffic in an enterprise environment. Home users should use the Windows Firewall program in Control Panel instead. To start the Windows Firewall program, click Start, click Control Panel, click System and Security, and then click Windows Firewall. You can access Help for the Windows Firewall program either by pressing the F1 key on the main Windows Firewall page, or by clicking the links found on many of the Windows Firewall dialog boxes. For more information about Windows Firewall with Advanced Security, see Windows Firewall with Advanced Security Content Roadmap (http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=64342) in the Windows Server TechCenter. Overview of Windows Firewall with Advanced Security Understanding Firewall Rules Understanding Connection Security Rules Understanding Firewall Profiles Monitoring Windows Firewall with Advanced Security Default Settings for Windows Firewall with Advanced Security Configuring Firewall Rules Resources for Windows Firewall with Advanced Security User Interface: Windows Firewall with Advanced Security Overview of Windows Firewall with Advanced Security What is Windows Firewall with Advanced Security? file://C:\Users\Malli\AppData\Local\Temp\~hhADBE.htm 9/29/2011 Windows Firewall with Advanced Security Page 2 of 115 Windows Firewall with Advanced Security combines a host firewall and Internet Protocol security (IPsec). Unlike a perimeter firewall, Windows Firewall with Advanced Security runs on each computer running this version of Windows and provides local protection from network attacks that might pass through your perimeter network or originate inside your organization. It also provides computer-to- computer connection security by allowing you to require authentication and data protection for communications. Important Windows Firewall with Advanced Security is designed for use by IT administrators who need to manage network security in an enterprise environment. It is not intended for use in home networks. Home users should consider using the Windows Firewall program available in Control Panel instead. Windows Firewall with Advanced Security is a stateful firewall that inspects and filters all packets for IP version 4 (IPv4) and IP version 6 (IPv6) traffic. In this context, filter means to allow or block network traffic by processing it through administrator-defined rules. By default, incoming traffic is blocked unless it is a response to a request by the host (solicited traffic) or it is specifically allowed (that is, a firewall rule has been created to allow the traffic). You can configure Windows Firewall with Advanced Security to explicitly allow traffic by specifying a port number, application name, service name, or other criteria. Windows Firewall with Advanced Security also allows you to request or require that computers authenticate each other before communicating, and to require the use of data integrity or data encryption when communicating. For more information, see Overview of Windows Firewall with Advanced Security (http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=137800) in the TechNet Library. Understanding Firewall Rules You create firewall rules to allow this computer to send traffic to, or receive traffic from, programs, system services, computers, or users. Firewall rules can be created to take one of three actions for all connections that match the rule's criteria: Allow the connection. Allow a connection only if it is secured through the use of Internet Protocol security (IPsec). Block the connection. Rules can be created for either inbound traffic or outbound traffic. The rule can be configured to specify the computers or users, program, service, or port and protocol. You can specify which type of network adapter the rule will be applied to: local area network (LAN), wireless, remote access, such as a virtual private network (VPN) connection, or all types. You can also configure the rule to be applied when any profile is being used or only when a specified profile is being used. As your IT environment changes, you might have to change, create, disable, or delete rules. file://C:\Users\Malli\AppData\Local\Temp\~hhADBE.htm 9/29/2011 Windows Firewall with Advanced Security Page 3 of 115 Additional references Understanding Firewall Rules (http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=137808) Configuring Firewall Rules Understanding Connection Security Rules Connection security involves the authentication of two computers before they begin communications and the securing of information sent between two computers. Windows Firewall with Advanced Security uses Internet Protocol security (IPsec) to achieve connection security by using key exchange, authentication, data integrity, and, optionally, data encryption. Note Unlike firewall rules, which operate unilaterally, connection security rules require that both communicating computers have a policy with connection security rules or another compatible IPsec policy. Connection security rules use IPsec to secure traffic while it crosses the network. You use connection security rules to specify that connections between two computers must be authenticated or encrypted. You might still have to create a firewall rule to allow network traffic protected by a connection security rule. For more information, see Understanding Connection Security Rules (http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/? linkid=137809) in the TechNet Library. Understanding Firewall Profiles A firewall profile is a way of grouping settings, such as firewall rules and connection security rules, that are applied to the computer depending on where the computer is connected. On computers running this version of Windows, there are three profiles for Windows Firewall with Advanced Security: Profile Description Applied to a network adapter when it is connected to a network on which it can detect a Domain domain controller of the domain to which the computer is joined. Applied to a network adapter when it is connected to a network that is identified by the administrator as a private network. A private network is one that is not connected directly to Private the Internet, but is behind some kind of security device, such as a network address translation (NAT) router or hardware firewall. The private profile settings should be more restrictive than the domain profile settings. Applied to a network adapter when it is connected to a public network such as those available Public in airports and coffee shops. A public network is one that has no security devices between the computer and the Internet. The public profile settings should be the most restrictive because file://C:\Users\Malli\AppData\Local\Temp\~hhADBE.htm 9/29/2011 Windows Firewall with Advanced Security Page 4 of 115 the computer is connected to a public network where the security cannot be controlled. Each network adapter is assigned the firewall profile that matches the detected network type. For example, if a network adapter is connected to a public network, then all traffic going to or from that network is filtered by the firewall rules associated with the public profile. Important Windows Server 2008 R2 and Windows 7 provide support for multiple active per-network adapter profiles. In Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008, only one profile can be active on the computer at a time. If there are multiple network adapters connected to different networks, then the profile with the most restrictive profile settings is applied to all adapters on the computer. The public profile is considered to be the most restrictive, followed by the private profile; the domain profile is considered to be the least restrictive. If you do not alter the settings for a profile, then its default values are applied whenever Windows Firewall with Advanced Security uses the profile. We recommend that you enable Windows Firewall with Advanced Security for all three profiles. To configure these profiles, in the Windows Firewall with Advanced Security MMC snap-in, right-click Windows Firewall with Advanced Security, and then click Properties. You can also access the properties from the Action menu, the Action pane, or the center pane, when Windows Firewall with Advanced Security is highlighted. Additional references Windows Firewall with Advanced Security Properties Page Monitoring Windows Firewall with Advanced Security The Monitoring item in the Windows Firewall with Advanced Security MMC snap-in allows you to monitor the active firewall rules and connection security rules on the computer. Policies created using the IP Security Policy snap-in cannot be viewed using Windows Firewall with Advanced Security. The overview page shows which profiles are active (domain, private, public) and the current settings for each of the active profiles. Note Only rules that apply to the currently active profiles are displayed. A rule for another profile might be enabled, but if the profile to which it is assigned is not active, then neither