Designed to harden and control the advanced firewall built into Windows, TinyWall includes a combination of features that sets it apart from both commercial and freeware firewalls.
TinyWall does not display popups that "urge users to allow". In fact, it will not notify you of any blocked action. Rather than displaying popups, TinyWall allows users to whitelist or unblock programs via various methods.
For example, you can just initiate whitelisting by a hotkey, then click on a window that you want to allow. Or, you can select an application from the list of running processes. (Of course, the traditional way of selecting an executable also works.)
Due to this approach, popups are avoided yet the firewall remains easy to operate. It will also limit the list of unblocked programs to those that the user really needs, which is optimal from a security standpoint.
TinyWall gives Windows Firewall a sane and secure configuration and presents you with a simple interface where you can easily define what has network access and what not, while preventing other programs from modifing or overwriting your firewall settings.
NOTE: After installation TinyWall blocks all communications. To use the Internet or network-enabled applications, select one of the "Whitelist by ..." options in the tray menu to unblock specific programs.
What's New in This Release:
· Easier first-time setup. The search for most recognized applications has become blazing-fast and TinyWall will automatically whitelist known and trusted applications when starting for the first time.
· Added new learning mode. In this mode TinyWall will observe what applications use the internet and how, and remember them in normal mode. Setting up complex applications or a freshly installed system becomes a piece of cake. Just start learning mode, use the applications, then switch back to normal mode.
· A greatly rewritten firewall exception dialog. No more confusing profiles, only a streamlined and simpler interface and a direct possibility to manually specify ports.
· The ability to restrict applications, one by one separately, to the local network.
· TinyWall 2.0 installs and uninstalls like any other application. By common request it can now be removed from the Control Panel.
· Better support for built-in Windows features. TinyWall 2.0 can now be expected to work well and be compatible wi...