Free Firewall

When it comes to security, most users rely on the features of their chosen antivirus solution or the integrated Windows firewall. However, there are also standalone firewall applications out there that can efficiently control Internet access. One of them is suggestively (and a bit uncreative at the same time) named Free Firewall.

This personal firewall acts as an alternative to the built-in solution provided by the Windows operating system, providing a rather different way to control how and which applications installed on the host computer access the Internet.

Free Firewall can retrieve a complete list of all the applications that are installed and run on the computer, displaying both active and inactive ones, alongside the complete list of active services, all color coded. Table entries can be filtered by name but other criteria are not available. For each, there are options to block it or remove it from the list (removing an app does not mean the process is terminated).

What is interesting about Free Firewall is the modes in which it can run. The 'Credulous' mode allows unknown apps or apps that the user didn't set rules for access the Internet. In other words, rules that you set are active, all other applications have restriction-free access to the online environment. The opposite is the 'Paranoid' mode, which blocks everything, including apps that are unknown or have no rules set.

It is also possible to run Free Firewall in 'blockade' mode. In this case, all the applications and running services are not allowed to access the Internet or the network. Switching the blockade off wil restore the previous rules configuration.

Aiming to protect its users from online threats and prevent excessive data collection, Free Firewall can permit or deny Internet access to installed applications, thus offering robust control over the data that leaves your system.

Aside from the firewall functions, this application can also block online user and behavior tracking, restrict outgoing telemetry data and protect the computer from unauthorized remote access.