Has anyone else noticed that the Windows 10 Firewall had turned itself on, apparently after the last update on, or around, 4/12/2017 (not the The Windows 10 Creators Update that is available now)?
I noticed the Windows Defender/Firewall shield suddenly appearing in all of my Win 10 PC's taskbar (4 Dell's, 3 desktops and a laptop) after that update. Upon further investigation I found the Microsoft Windows Firewall indicating it was turned on in it's control panel (it was causing a windows discovery problem on a PC that also installed the Windows 10 Creators Update on). The Security and Maintenance page in the Control panel was indicating Norton Security was operating and no mention of the Windows Firewall being on.
I manually disabled the Windows Firewall with its control panel on 3 of the PCs so far (which resolved the discovery problem on the one PC).
Anyone know what is going on or why this is happening?
I did not have this disabled before Creators update, and had no issues such as this, so I have not tested it, but will test it tonight or early tomorrow with this setting disabled.
Hello Illumination
Did you try testing it with Fast Startup turned off? If you had it disabled previously, Creators turned it back on.
Thanks.
I have been testing this in the VM, as I have seen it a few times now. Norton Security is not being fully registered in the defender security center, evidence of this above in the OP screenshot where it states a restart is needed for the threat service which has stopped. If you click restart, it enables windows defender. It is from NS not being fully recognized by the security center. If you restart the system many times it will clear up, a couple of the times I tested it, it took several attempts at restarts before it took. This is in a VM on a clean install of Creators update.
Seems there is a lot of discussion on Windows 10 firewall with Norton.
And there is also confusion over whether the Windows firewall is actually running or if Norton is running. Check Control Panel\System and Security\Windows Firewall and see what is reported there.
Seems there is a lot of discussion on Windows 10 firewall with Norton. I just did a clean install of Win 10 and installed Comcast NIS. I noticed the Windows firewall is enabled. I can disable it, but isn't NIS supposed to manage this setting for Windows? Is there something I need to do to get Windows to recognize NIS is installed so that it can manage the firewall setting? TIA!
For info.
Can confirm that creators update resets fast start power setting to on.
peterweb, following the Creators Update I did check all of my settings, especially Security, and the only major change I found was "Turn on fast startup" and thought it was worth mentioning in this thread.
I agree, to the best of my knowledge, the Cumulative Updates haven't disturbed any of my settings, but I always check just to make sure! 
Sorry. The Cumulative updates have never re enabled Fast Startup or reset any settings on either of my systems. It was just the Anniversary Update that almost installed as a new OS install, but keeping data and programs. It seems the Creators Update is going to do the same. You might also want to check all your security and privacy settings as well.
I have not received Creators Update yet, and am in no hurry until all the initial hangups and bugs have been addressed.
peterweb, I'm not referring to the Anniversary Update, I'm referring to the Cumulative Update that occurred the day before the Creators Update; it didn't change the state of "Turn on fast startup" on my system. I always check "Turn on fast startup" after a Windows 10 update and for me, following the Creators Update is the first time that "Turn on fast startup" was rechecked.
I beg to differ. There were many reports that the Anniversary Update did turn Fast Startup back on if you had disabled it. Along with all the other default security and data sharing options. The only thing that would have stopped the Fast Startup is if you had disabled Hibernate.
I did notice one thing after the Windows 10 Creators update that Norton Security users should check; when I checked "Turn on fast startup" to make sure it was still unchecked, it was now activated after the update. The update that preceded the Creators update didn't change that option.
Under Virus and Threat protection it says to restart now. Looks like you have some pending updates that require a system restart. Start with that before trying to check status of your security.
Maybe 2 restarts will ensure everything has been updated. Especially as you seem to have just gotten the Creator's update.
sewing1243:
open the advanced settings and I'm betting you'll see that the Windows Firewall is activated for the three options in that window
Yes, that is as it is supposed to be.
When you open the Windows Firewall control panel, notice that it displays the following message: "These settings are being managed by vendor application Symantec Endpoint Protection." If you click Advanced Settings, the Windows firewall may indicate that it appears to be on for the individual profiles "Domain", "Private", or "Public", however, the rules within the Windows firewall are not actually applied.
This behavior differs from Windows XP or Windows Server 2003, which displays the Windows Firewall as explicitly off.... This is expected behavior...
To verify the true Windows Firewall status:
- Click Open Action Center > Security. Network Firewall displays a status of On.
- Click View installed firewall programs. Symantec Endpoint Protection displays a status of On. Windows Firewall displays a status of Off.
https://support.symantec.com/en_US/article.TECH123729.html
Please read the full article linked above for a complete explanation. Third-party firewalls assume many of the Windows Firewall functions, but not all of them. I would recommend reverting your settings back:
Hi, sewing1243. If I check those settings, it shows the Windows Firewall as ON in all settings.
Norton takes over the Windows Firewall and if you check this link by SendOfJive, you'll see his explanation.
Windows firewall should be set to ON. https://community.norton.com/en/comment/7026001#comment-7026001
I don't believe you folks that have responded are digging deep enough.
Anyone seeing the Windows Defender Icon with a Green Check mark needs to open the Windows Firewall Control panel from the main Windows Control Panel. Then open the advanced settings and I'm betting you'll see that the Windows Firewall is activated for the three options in that window (here's a screen grab from one of my PCs, I have already disabled the Windows Firewall in the Firewall Properties popup):
After disabling those 3 Firewall options the taskbar icon will then show a red "X" and the new popup window that opens when you click open on that icon will now look like this:
Yet the Security and Maintenance Control panel will show this (no matter what the Windows Fire Wall windows indicate):
As I mentioned in my original post one PC I updated (I update 2) with The Windows 10 Creators Update had Network Discovery problems after the update until I turned off the Windows Firewall. I have not updated the two other machines I have with The Windows 10 Creators Update yet, but both of them did have the Windows Firewall activate the same way I described after the 4/12 updates.
If Windows Firewall is supposed to be on at the same time as NS's Firewall hopefully someone from Norton will comment (or note the correct fix for this or if there will be a forthcoming updat to NS).
I think that's what sewing has been seeing.The Windows Defender Centre icon, which you can hide if you want.
In my case, the updates that preceded the Creators update didn't turn Windows Defender on.
I did perform the Windows 10 Creators update last week and when I saw the Windows Defender looking icon with a white checkmark inside a green circle in the Task Bar's “Show Hidden Icons” panel, my initial reaction was that Windows Defender was turned on. However, when I opened this icon I discovered that it was actually a new Windows feature; the Windows Defender Security Center. When I clicked on “View antivirus providers”, it launched the "Security and Maintenance" panel and I was able to see that “View installed firewall apps” showed Norton Security was turned on and Windows Firewall was turned off and in “View installed antivirus apps” Malwarebytes and Norton Security were turned on and Windows Defender Antivirus was turned off.
I rebooted the systems in question a few times, and while the "Security and Maintenance" control panel showed Norton in charge in the Security dropdown, the Window's Firewall shield still appeared in my taskbar and didn't go away until I manually turned off the Windows Firewall in its control panel. 
Hi, sewing1243. I found that it takes a reboot and then check again in Control Panel/ Security and Maintenence and you should find that Norton has updated itself and shows Norton Firewall on and Windows Firewall off.