NIS 2011 and Windows 7 Firewall

Norton Security | Norton Internet Security
1

I am running Windows 7 Professional (64-bit) with NIS 2011 installed.
The Norton Smart Firewall is on.

I noticed that the Windows Firewall Service is started (startup type is Automatic).

Based on other posts I found in this forum, I did the following ...

Opened the Windows Control Panel and selected Windows Firewall, the resulting window showed this message in orange:  "These settings are being managed by vendor application Norton Internet Security."

From that window, I clicked Advanced Settings, the resulting window (Windows Firewall with Advanced Security on Local Computer) also had the same message (as mentioned above) in orange. Beneath the orange message were these three sections:  Domain Profile, Private Profile is Active, and Public Profile.

Each of the three sections had these same items:

* Windows Firewall is on.
* Inbound connections that do not match a rule are blocked.
* Outbound connections that do not match a rule are allowed.

I clicked Windows Firewall properties. In the resulting window, I set the Windows Firewall State to off (in each appropriate tab).

The "Windows Firewall with Advanced Security on Local Computer" window now shows "Windows Firewall is off" (for Domain Profile, Private Profile is Active, and Public Profile).

I rebooted and checked the status of the Windows Firewall Service .... it is still running.

After setting the Windows Firewall status to OFF (as described above), is it safe (and advisable) to disable the Windows Firewall Service?



2

Hi geek47,

 

The following article may be helpful,  Just substitute "Norton Smart Firewall" for "SEP Network Threat Protection."

 

http://www.symantec.com/business/support/index?page=content&id=TECH123729&key=55089

3

@SendOfJive,

 

Thanks for your reply and the lnk.

 

Using the information in the link, I have verified that the NIS firewall is on, and Windows Firewall is off.

 

However, the Windows Firewall Service remains started. The description of that service is: Windows Firewall helps protect your computer by preventing unauthorized users from gaining access to your computer through the Internet or a network. 

 

The path to the corresponding executable for that service is:

C:\Windows\system32\svchost.exe -k LocalServiceNoNetwork

 

My question is .... given that the NIS firewall is on, and Windows firewall is off .... is it safe (and advisable) to disable the Windows Firewall Service?

4
geek47 wrote:

@SendOfJive,

 

Thanks for your reply and the lnk.

 

Using the information in the link, I have verified that the NIS firewall is on, and Windows Firewall is off.

 

However, the Windows Firewall Service remains started. The description of that service is: Windows Firewall helps protect your computer by preventing unauthorized users from gaining access to your computer through the Internet or a network. 

 

The path to the corresponding executable for that service is:

C:\Windows\system32\svchost.exe -k LocalServiceNoNetwork

 

My question is .... given that the NIS firewall is on, and Windows firewall is off .... is it safe (and advisable) to disable the Windows Firewall Service?

I just checked and I still have the service set to automatic and it is started. That has not caused any problems and until I can trace one to it I don't plan to shut it down. It doesn't appear to be broken so I don't plan to fix it :smileywink:

5

@Dickevans,

 

Thanks!!!

 

I fully agree with the principle of "If it ain't broke, don't fix it."

 

I just found this site:

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc766337%28WS.10%29.aspx

 

Which says this about stopping the Windows Firewall Service ...

Do not disable Windows Firewall by stopping the service. Instead, use one of the preceding procedures (or an equivalent Group Policy setting) to turn the firewall off. If you turn off the Windows Firewall with Advanced Security service, you lose other benefits provided by the service, such as the ability to use Internet Protocol security (IPsec) connection security rules, Windows Service Hardening, and network protection from attacks that employ network fingerprinting. ... You should not disable the firewall yourself for this purpose. Stopping the service associated with Windows Firewall with Advanced Security is not supported by Microsoft.

So, I too will leave the service running (unless it causes some problem).