Windows 10 comes with several security features to keep your device and data protected against unauthorized access, malware, and other attacks, including a powerful built-in firewall known as Microsoft Defender Firewall. Show Although the Microsoft Defender Firewall does a pretty good job managing which applications and features are allowed to connect through the network, sometimes you may need to allow or deny an app manually. In this guide, you’ll learn the steps to allow or deny app access through the firewall on Windows 10. To allow an app through the Windows 10 firewall, use these steps:
Once you complete the steps, the app will have full access to the network. If you want to block an app through the firewall, you can follow the instructions outlined above, but on step No. 5, make sure to clear the checkmark for the app or feature you want to deny access to the network. This guide focuses on the Windows 10 firewall, but if you have another security solution, make sure to check your vendor support website for specific instructions. We may earn commission for purchases using our links to help keep offering the free content. Privacy policy info. All content on this site is provided with no warranties, express or implied. Use any information at your own risk. Always backup of your device and files before making any changes. Privacy policy info. Operating system security What is a firewall?A firewall is a device which monitors and filters all the incoming and outgoing network traffic and prevents unauthorized access to/within the network. The firewall is the most important line of defense in maintaining the security of the network and the application. Every firewall has a set of rules predefined to allow type of data within the network; accordingly, it allows or denies the incoming traffic within the network. Types of firewallA firewall can either be hardware or software. A hardware firewall can function at the network, transport and application layer of OSI model depending on the way traffic is being filtered. If a firewall filters traffic based on IP address, it operates at the network layer. If a firewall filters traffic based on port number, it operates at the transport layer, and if a firewall inspects protocol states or data, then it operates at the application layer. Software firewalls usually are the ones built into the operating system by default. They come installed as a package when any operating system (Windows, Mac or Linux) is installed on the machine but they aren’t as effective and do not provide the all-around protection of the hardware firewall. It is always recommended to use both types of firewalls in a corporate environment, and software firewalls on personal systems/laptops. Configuring firewalls on Windows 10Since Windows is widely used at personal level, this article has been written specifically for configuring firewalls on Windows. These are the steps for opening any specific port on the Windows 10 firewall: 1) Search “firewall” and click on Windows Defender Firewall, as shown below: 2) Click on Inbound Rules, as shown.  3) Click on New Rule, select port and click Next as shown: 4) Enter a specific port number. In this case, it’s 443. Click Next. 5) Allow or block the connection as needed. 6) Name the rule and description as needed. 7) The same steps need to be followed for allowing outbound connection. In step 1, instead of selecting Inbound Rules, select Outbound Rules and follow the same steps as above. That’s easy it is to configure to allow or deny any connection for a particular port on Windows 10. ConclusionAn inbuilt firewall does not provide the full-fledged functionalities as a hardware firewall. However, if configured properly along with a few OS tweaks, it can keep illegitimate traffic at bay, thus providing good all-around protection. SourcesWhat Is a Firewall?, Cisco Turn Microsoft Defender Firewall on or off, Microsoft Support Firewall, TechTarget Nitesh Malviya is a Security Consultant. He has prior experience in Web Appsec, Mobile Appsec and VAPT. At present he works on IoT, Radio and Cloud Security and open to explore various domains of CyberSecurity. He can be reached on his personal blog - https://nitmalviya03.wordpress.com/ and Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nitmalviya03/. How do I get to my firewall settings?Click the Start button, then type Windows Firewall in the Search box. Click Windows Firewall, and then click Allow a program or feature through Windows Firewall. Click the Change settings button. If a User Account Control window appears, click Yes, or enter your user name and password, then click OK.
How do I check if my firewall is blocking Windows 10?Check for Blocked Port using the Command Prompt. Type cmd in the search bar.. Right-click on the Command Prompt and select Run as Administrator.. In the command prompt, type the following command and hit enter. netsh firewall show state.. This will display all the blocked and active port configured in the firewall.. Where is firewall usually located?Firewalls can be placed anywhere on a network but are most commonly located between these components: Console and the Application Server. Application Server and the agents.
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