Windows program launch control

[bob from oz]

i'm looking for a package that can alert me to any programs being
launched, and will let me enable launch or deny. kind of like the access
control provided by some firewall programs. the firewall i was using is
crap, so i have stopped using it, but i need the launch control aspect
of it back. thanks

Bob


--
If you ever have trouble sounding condescending, ask a UNIX user to show
you how it's done.
Scott Adams (1957 - )

[Beauregard T. Shagnasty]

bob from oz wrote:

> i'm looking for a package that can alert me to any programs being
> launched, and will let me enable launch or deny. kind of like the
> access control provided by some firewall programs.

Seems to me this is what software firewall programs are for, eh?

> the firewall i was using is crap, so i have stopped using it,

Woulda been nice if you named this 'crap' program (and why you think it
is crap), else you might receive advice to use it again.

> but i need the launch control aspect of it back. thanks

So, without knowledge of what you used to use, and with what *operating
system* you have, I'll assume a relatively new version of Windows, and
recommend the Kerio firewall. The trial version becomes the free version
after 30 days:

http://www.sunbelt-software.com/Home...onal-Firewall/

--
-bts
-Motorcycles defy gravity; cars just suck

[bob from oz]

Beauregard T. Shagnasty wrote:
>> the firewall i was using is crap, so i have stopped using it,
>
> Woulda been nice if you named this 'crap' program (and why you think it
> is crap), else you might receive advice to use it again.

sorry. i can't stand it when people post senseless posts like mine. the
firewall was a fairly new version of Sunbelt's takeover of Kerio's
firewall. i have used it for ages, thinking it was ok. i had a few
internet problems over the ages which i could never sort out: they would
appear to be the firewall's fault. specifically, web gfx would get
completely mixed up after loading a page. so if i loaded a web page
containing a page of thumbnails, the specific thumbnails would be
completely zany: a photo of a parrot could have an icon from a games
webpage from yesterday. i actually thought it was Firefox, or my proxy
server, but the process of elimination showed me the light.

>> but i need the launch control aspect of it back. thanks
>
> So, without knowledge of what you used to use, and with what *operating
> system* you have, I'll assume a relatively new version of Windows, and
> recommend the Kerio firewall. The trial version becomes the free version
> after 30 days:
>
> http://www.sunbelt-software.com/Home...onal-Firewall/

yes, Win XP SP2. i am currently trying Commodo Firewall Pro, which
appears to be a nice little simple firewall. perfect for me. but it
doesn't do the process launching check. as mentioned above, my firewall
was "Sunbelt-Personal-Firewall v4.5.916.0" and it was flaky. it wasn't
always catching processes starting either. maybe it was just this
version. i don't know. thanks for your help anyhow.

bob

--
If you ever have trouble sounding condescending, ask a UNIX user to show
you how it's done.
Scott Adams (1957 - )

[Beauregard T. Shagnasty]

bob from oz wrote:

> .. so if i loaded a web page containing a page of thumbnails, the
> specific thumbnails would be completely zany: a photo of a parrot
> could have an icon from a games webpage from yesterday. i actually
> thought it was Firefox, or my proxy server, but the process of
> elimination showed me the light.

I have Kerio/Sunbelt 4.5.916 on my Winbox (W2K SP4), and have never seen
anything like what you describe. With any browser.

You use some external proxy server? Offhand, I would look there first.

--
-bts
-Motorcycles defy gravity; cars just suck

[bob from oz]

Beauregard T. Shagnasty wrote:
> I have Kerio/Sunbelt 4.5.916 on my Winbox (W2K SP4), and have never seen
> anything like what you describe. With any browser.
>
> You use some external proxy server? Offhand, I would look there first.

i totally hear you. i have been suffering this problem for quite a
while, on & off, and have always thought it was the proxy. my flatmate
runs the server and assures me that it isn't the proxy: he even turned
it off and my problem remained. two days ago i decided to find out what
was causing this glitch, as all of my browsed thumbnails on easynews
were screwed. i first ran Firefox in safe mode, thinking it was a
plugin. nope, the problem seemed worse :-) so i thought i'd turn off
Sunbelt, just for kicks, not really expecting this to be the problem.
well, i was surprised.

i was running Sunbelt in free mode, and not really using any of the more
esoteric settings. of course, the problem completely disappeared as soon
as i stopped Sunbelt. i wouldn't have believed this either, except that
it is true.

Commodo appears ok, but i don't like it as much as Sunbelt, as i've got
used to how it runs. never mind.
thanks for the pointers.

bob

--
If you ever have trouble sounding condescending, ask a UNIX user to show
you how it's done.
Scott Adams (1957 - )

[VanguardLH]

"bob from oz" wrote in message
news:YWJNi.716395$Bo7.656080@fe07.news.easynews.co m...
> i'm looking for a package that can alert me to any programs being
> launched, and will let me enable launch or deny. kind of like the
> access control provided by some firewall programs. the firewall i
> was using is crap, so i have stopped using it, but i need the launch
> control aspect of it back. thanks


DiamondCS' ProcessGuard
SysSafety's System Safety Monitor
InfoProcess' Antihook

These are listed in the order that they will the responsiveness of
your host. The more security and the tighter it is then the more it
impacts your host. Each has a free version. The free version for the
first two is a limited feature version. A free version of Antihook is
available because it is a prior (old) version. Get ready for lots of
prompts. The first two include a learn mode (so scan using many
anti-malware products to ensure your host is clean before learning
your apps). I don't remember Antihook having a learning mode. These
are called IPS (intrusion protection system) programs.

I use Comodo's firewall because it also includes an IPS. That lets
you control what parent can call the child process that tries to make
a connection. Just regulating whether or not a browser can connect or
not doesn't let you control what application is using the browser to
make the connection. As I recall, there were 2 other firewalls rated
better than Comodo's but they were commercialware. Comodo's firewall
is free.

[bob from oz]

VanguardLH wrote:
> DiamondCS' ProcessGuard
> SysSafety's System Safety Monitor
> InfoProcess' Antihook
> [...]
> than Comodo's but they were commercialware. Comodo's firewall is free.

thanks for the info. i'll grab them and try them out. i'm trying to
figure out Commodo. it's not unpleasant, but is different to what i'm
used to. it certainly appears to be watching my **** carefully, and
that's important :-)

bob

--
If you ever have trouble sounding condescending, ask a UNIX user to show
you how it's done.
Scott Adams (1957 - )