BitDefender firewall problem in Vista

traderghost

Hi all,

When I click the "Block Traffic" icon in BD, I can still access the internet. I can still go to any website with IE. I am on Vista and this problem happened even on a clean install of Vista, ie on a machine with nothing except Vista and BD.

My Net zone window is ALWAYS blank, no matter how many files I'm downloading or how much internet traffic I'm generating. It has been like this even on a clean install of Vista.

When I run the port scan test on grc.com, my BD firewall failed every test. It seems like my firewall was never working in the first place. When I turned on Windows Firewall, I passed all the tests. Switch of Windows Firewall and switch on BD Firewall, I fail all the test.

But what's strange is that when a program tried to access the internet, BD firewall will warn me and ask for permission. So this aspect of the BD firewall is working. It passed the leak test from grc.com.

What's not working are (1) cannot Block Traffic even if you click on "Block Traffic" (2) the Net zone window shows NO traffic coming or going, no matter how much traffic is actually going in and out. (3) fails all the firewall tests in grc.com, ie failed all the port scan test, it even revealed my machine name, workgroup name and mac address in the file share test.

I am using BD Antivirus Plus 10 in Vista. Even though BD 10 is supposed to work in Vista, could there still be some incompatibility problems? I have already updated all that I can update with BD, but still no luck. Any help? Thanks!!

AndreiASM

Your problem is the OS, I am using BD10 on WinXP and I have never experienced such problems. Anyone else experienced such problems on WinXP?

alexcrist

Hi both,

This problem was reported once here: http://forum.bitdefender.com/index.php?sho...l=block+traffic

I don't know what OS Crem has, but by the looks of that theme I'd say Windows Media Center (though I'm not 100% sure, cos I have Win XP and have the same theme)

Anyway, the problem, as I see it, might be because BD couldn't install the drivers for the network card (I suppose Win Vista blocked it for some reason). Try to open Connection Properties, and you should have there BitDefender Firewall NDIS Filter Driver. It should in the same list where Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) is.

Cris.

traderghost

Hi Cris,

Thanks for your reply. Indeed, the BitDefender Firewall NDIS Filter Driver was *not* in the list! (see attached image) How can I re-install this driver?

I have already tried installing BitDefender four times but everytime, the result is the same, firewall not working. I am beginning to suspect it's Vista's problem. My friend who uses BD on XP has no problem at all. Is there a work-around to this problem, say, like tricking Vista into allowing me to install this firewall driver? Please help, thanks!!!

jeisner

Hi Cris,

Thanks for your reply. Indeed, the BitDefender Firewall NDIS Filter Driver was *not* in the list! (see attached image) How can I re-install this driver?

I have already tried installing BitDefender four times but everytime, the result is the same, firewall not working. I am beginning to suspect it's Vista's problem. My friend who uses BD on XP has no problem at all. Is there a work-around to this problem, say, like tricking Vista into allowing me to install this firewall driver? Please help, thanks!!!

I will check on my Vista box tonight..

A little off topic but I do find it funny that whenever a BD problem on Vista arrises, people seem to immediately say that if it works on XP but not Vista, its Vista's fault.. The fact is BD say they support Vista, if they don't fully support it, then thats BD's fault..

alexcrist

Hi Joel,

The fact is BD say they support Vista, if they don't fully support it, then thats BD's fault..

That's not 100% correct. Because BitDefender is a security program, you have to expect for it to change some things in your PC (like adding DLL files that inject in every process, install drivers to scan network activity, etc...)

Vista's "improved" security settings might think that BD is actually a malware that is trying to override some default settings (like the bult-in firewall) and block those actions, therefore BitDefender will not work correctly.

You have to remember that BitDefender tested it's product on Windows Vista, and it worked. But I think the BitDefender team disabled some security "features" in Vista, and they simply forgot to tell you how to do it.

@traderghost: I'm not a Vista user, but I think I've heard of a setting (I really don't remember it's name right now) that Vista has, which protects the security settings (if I remember it, or find it somewhere, I'll tell you).

If you happen to know what I'm talking about, try to disable that option, and reinstall BitDefender.

Cris.

alexcrist

Hi traderghost,

I found the setting I was talking about. Remember, I'm not using Windows Vista, so what I'm saying might not fix the problem you're having.

So, here it is:

User Account Control (UAC) is a new security component Windows Vista. UAC enables users to perform common tasks as non-administrators, called standard users in Windows Vista, and as administrators without having to switch users, log off, or use Run As. A standard user account is synonymous with a user account in Windows XP. User accounts that are members of the local Administrators group will run most applications as a standard user. By separating user and administrator functions while enabling productivity, UAC is an important enhancement for Windows Vista.

In short, UAC can keep some of your applications from running with ADMIN rights, so they can change sensitive settings.

How to stop it?

Use the following procedure to disable UAC from prompting for credentials to install applications.

Note:

To perform the following procedure, you must be logged into a client computer as a local administrator.

To disable UAC from prompting for credentials to install applications

1. Click Start, click All Programs, click Accessories, click Run, type secpol.msc in the Open text box, and then click OK.

2. From the Local Security Settings console tree, click Local Policies, and then Security Options.

3. Scroll down and double-click User Account Control: Detect application installations and prompt for elevation.

4. From the User Account Control: Detect application installations and prompt for elevation Properties dialog box, click Disabled, and then click OK.

5. Close the Local Security Settings window.

View the hole explanation about this UAC thing here: http://technet2.microsoft.com/WindowsVista...3.mspx?mfr=true

After you disable these security settings, you have to uninstall BD (use the Uninstall tutorial. Choose the Uninstall Tool), and reinstall it.

Cris.

traderghost

Hi Cris,

Thank you so much for your reply. The document http://technet2.microsoft.com/WindowsVista...3.mspx?mfr=true seems to be referring to Vista Beta 2 and not the final version of Vista because I cannot locate the program 'secpol.msc' in my version of Vista.

But I understand where you are coming from. Vista may have been too secure and thinking that BD is trying to hijack its network connection and hence stop BD from hooking its network monitoring driver to the OS.

Has anyone else encountered this problem? I view this 'flaw' as quite serious because any unsuspecting user thinking that he has a firewall protecting them when they installed BD is having a false sense of security. And this is bad. But fortunately, there's still good old Windows Firewall as a standby until BD resolve this problem. But still, I would really like to have BD firewall up. Does anyone else has any suggestion to solve this problem? Thanks!

traderghost

Oh, by the way, since BD Firewall is only partially working, will there be any problem if I turned on *both* Windows Firewall and BD Firewall at the same time?

vladx

You really shouldn't have two firewalls enabled, because they can conflict with each other causing more damage than protecting you from attacks.Also on my computer with Vista, i don't have any problem with the BD's firewall but i have many services sttoped and only 39 processes running atm.Can you run services.msc to see what servoces you have running and list them here?It might help me or somebody else to figure what the problem is.