[SOLVED] SME 7.4... Can I shut off Windows Vista Firewall?

Amdx2_x64 · 03-03-2010, 01:46 PM

Simple quick question.

If I am using SME server as a gateway/firewall/private server can I turn off Vista Firewall? At the moment there is only one computer hooked up. Soon there will be two. Main computer is running Vista, Absolute and Xubuntu, the other one when I hook it up will have XP and Xubuntu.

Cable Modem>SME 7.4>Linksys workgroup switch>computer(s)

nomb · 03-03-2010, 02:00 PM

Technical answer: You can turn the Vista firewall off anytime you want.
Realistic answer: Do you really want to? In fact Windows based platforms I'd be more stringent on. For instance I would drop all outgoing traffic on my windows box except for what I allow instead of allowing all outgoing.

A perimeter firewall is great. However, what about when a virus, malware etc, gets on your windows box? If you are allowing all outgoing connections on the windows box, it has free range on your network. I am also assuming you are allowing all out going traffic on your SME box which is common. When you do this, anything originating from your vista box will be allowed. So any bad stuff (technical term) could call home and create a connection that an attacker could use to walk right through all of your defenses.

Anyway I would leave it on and look at security as an onion, and know that it is another layer an attacker would have to go through if your SME box was ever compromised..

Amdx2_x64 · 03-03-2010, 02:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nomb

Technical answer: You can turn the Vista firewall off anytime you want.
Realistic answer: Do you really want to? In fact Windows based platforms I'd be more stringent on. For instance I would drop all outgoing traffic on my windows box except for what I allow instead of allowing all outgoing.

A perimeter firewall is great. However, what about when a virus, malware etc, gets on your windows box? If you are allowing all outgoing connections on the windows box, it has free range on your network. I am also assuming you are allowing all out going traffic on your SME box which is common. When you do this, anything originating from your vista box will be allowed. So any bad stuff (technical term) could call home and create a connection that an attacker could use to walk right through all of your defenses.

Anyway I would leave it on and look at security as an onion, and know that it is another layer an attacker would have to go through if your SME box was every compromised..

Thank you.