Vista will have a 'two-way firewall'

Microsoft is now ready to bring a new highly configurable firewall application to the next-generation version of Windows Vista. This type of firewall is designed based on criteria that give administrators greater control over applications that are allowed to operate.

After only one month of testing in the community of Microsoft Community Preview users, this new firewall application was quickly developed and ready to release the final version when Vista officially launched. later this year.

The new firewall application is called a 'two-way firewall application' because it has the ability to filter network packets on both paths - access and exit routes. This means that the application can be used to prevent systems that try to connect to computers running firewalls or applications on the firewall's own computer that want to connect out.

Network traffic blocking feature is not included in the built-in firewall version of the Windows XP operating system versions. This feature is expected to become a new power in Vista. By using this new two-way firewall application system, administrators can ensure that their PC, for example, is used only for sending instant messages. ' If you try to use a different IM application than the licensed application, the application will immediately be blocked. This is really what we want to bring to the system administrators in the enterprise . '

The version of the two-way firewall was tested in the Community Technology Preview community last month as Build 5270. However, this version of the firewall is very difficult to use and seems to be a more 'giant' application. is what the testing community wants.

' After installing the firewall version of Windows Vista Build 5270 and trying out all the security features in Control Panel, we can conclude that Windows Firewall doesn't change much ,' a member of the community test said.

To gain access to the features of this new type of firewall, Vista users need to create a customized management console and configure it to run Windows Firewall with Advanced. Security.

This administration framework can work in two ways. Works in 'single machine mode' to control only the PC with firewall settings or can be configured to use Active Directory to set policies that apply to a number Large different systems. ' If we have more than 10,000 different systems we can set up a policy to prevent different applications on multiple systems .'

Although there are many security applications that have the same functionality as above, the truth is that integrating two-way blocking in an operating system will make administration easier. with enterprise system administrators.

Although this version of the firewall - the Windows Filtering Platform - has been completely reprogrammed for Windows Vista, most users won't pay much attention to the differences between the Windows XP firewall version and the version. This new two-way firewall.

' There are actually two different firewall administration modes in Vista's firewall version. If you access Control Panel | Firewal will only see the media administration framework as in Windows XP. If you switch to another frame you will see Windows Firewal with Advanced Security, here you will see the input / output filtering feature . '

The Windows Filtering Platform is used by both in the administration modes of the new version of Vista's two-way firewall and has been reprogrammed to improve the ability of Windows to accept control of incoming and outgoing information streams and to help Windows users. The software works more effectively on the Windows operating system core.

Microsoft is considering a plan to add network filtering capabilities to the firewall versions in operating system versions before Windows Vista. However, it must first ensure that this two-way firewall is easy to use.