Got a friend who needs a firewall; however, the current free version of Zone Alarm, which is what we use, will not work. Please guide us in the right direction to obtain a +free, easy for the public to use, firewall. Thanks in advance!!!

i can promise you, vista is so security tight, no firewall is need.

So what I hear about the Vista firewall being one sided is not true, or is it two way but needs to be configured properly? Thanks!!!!!!!!!

Yup! It is sufficient enough for two way gatekeeping, all you need do is properly configure it.

i can promise you, vista is so security tight, .. Oh yeah - tell that to Mark Russinovich - he knows the ins and outs of Windows security better than anyone else. Russinovich: Malware will thrive, even with Vista’s UAC Never heard of him? He is a Microsoft Technical Fellow - a prestigious title endowed to 18 geniuses among the 76,539 employees that works for M$ as of Feb. 23, 2007. no firewall is need Sure - every badies in your machines are free to call home. So what I hear about the Vista firewall being one sided is not true,.. Right it's not true. Don't believe every rumors you hear especially from response number 1. ..or is it two way but needs to be configured properly? Yeah it's not easily done but it can be done. Nice written articles to configure the outboard traffic are HERE and HERE. i_XpUser

"i can promise you, vista is so security tight, no firewall is need." If you don't need a software firewall, why did Microsoft include one?! Please think before posting. The ANI vulnerability is proof enough that malware can get into your machine. If it phones home, if you don't have an egress filtering software firewall, it's going to be able to phone home to the hacker. For the record, while there really aren't a lot of choices in software firewalls for Vista other than Windows Firewall, I would still recommend once one does come out that's good for Vista, it would be best to go with something other than Windows Firewall. The addition of being able to egress filter is nice, but hackers will begin including code in their malware specifically to bypass software firewalls, and they will no doubt attack the Windows Firewall in this fashion first since it's the most commonly used software firewall on Windows machines. "Enough, enough bowing down to disillusion! Hats off & applause to rogues & evolution! The ripple effect is too good not to mention. If you’re not affected, you’re not paying attention!"

Thanks everyone, and your comments are much appreciated - I tend to stick with the worst of situations, when in doubt, protect like there aint!!!!!!!! Configuration headaches, boy did I find out, went to configure Norton Internet Security for a friend that has Vista, 1st I'm not used to Vista, every OS except, so turtle #1, configuring Norton is a mastermindicable feat even for the tech at heart!!!!!!!!! Then had to get used to Vista to find the settings, firewall, security, etc. ****I tend not to trust windows firewalls for some reason, like my own firewall separate from windows. ****I found out real quick, not many firewalls for Vista written yet, "Jetico" I think, skeptical though until Vist has been out a while and the kinks are ironed out of it in 6 mo to a year and service packs are issued and the kinks ironed out of the beta Vista firewalls separate from windows. Feel better with Norton although one royal pain in the keister to configure and a memory and space hog!!!!!!!!!! How do they expect the general public to configure same!!!!!!!! ON THE UPSIDE SHOUTING, I LOVE VISTA, I LOVE THE LOOK, THE FEEL, THE SCREENSAVERS, THE EASE OF USE!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks again and I guess we will all have to be patient and wait for the developers to render their firewall products in time. Oh how I wish I were a developer!!!!!! Sorry so late in getting back; however, get off late from my reguar job and had a couple of tech jobs the last few nights. Thanks!!!!