Comodo Firewall is one of the leading free standalone firewalls for Windows and features an attractive, user-friendly interface with simple management features.
This program provides three install types to choose from, each providing additional protection from malware attacks: Firewall Only, Optimum Proactive Defense and Maximum Proactive Defense.
Once installation is complete, the program starts up automatically and displays an overview of inbound and outbound connections.
Features
Comodo Firewall offers superior protection. Its Default Deny Protection block malware and hacker attacks from infiltrating your system, and its automatic cross-referencing of newly downloaded software with over 15 million trustworthy applications and files allows access if it matches their criteria; otherwise it blocks launch of said software with an alert stating potential danger if needed – an exclusive feature only found within Comodo Firewall which makes this program highly efficient and fast.
Comodo Firewall features not only a firewall but also a web protection suite with anti-phishing and internet filtering features; however, these additional services can only be found in its full version.
The free version of this program may not provide all these extra protections, but it remains an effective and feature-packed firewall with an intuitive user interface and simple controls. Geek Buddy provides 24/7 remote support from an expert team which can take control of your computer to provide personalized malware cleaning.
Comodo’s firewall doesn’t require rebooting to function effectively and is lightweight, using just 118MB of disk space and low CPU and RAM usage. For any queries related to their software, Comodo offers phone and email support services.
Comodo Firewall offers an intuitive user interface that’s simple and provides in-depth information. Its different tabs allow you to view alerts, events, connections and settings tinkering for simple users; more advanced users may prefer using advanced options such as Network Security Policies for managing application/global rules/Rule Sets/Alert Settings etc. For added protection it also features a customizable toolbar interface that makes its presence known immediately upon login.
Installation
The installer should only take a couple of minutes to complete. It may ask to install Comodo’s own web browser software called Dragon Browser which some may wish to avoid; however, once installation has completed this can easily be disabled afterwards.
Once installed, Comodo Firewall begins running automatically and prompting users for network information before starting its analysis of incoming and outgoing packets. After it completes this analysis process, its display screen will reveal that Comodo Firewall is currently operating with its default security level set as “Low”, providing sufficient protection.
If you wish to change the default security level, the Preferences menu (accessible by clicking Comodo icon in system tray) provides this function. Furthermore, other features available here include options to enable/disable program sounds and pop-ups, display warnings for programs which have yet to be verified as safe, and link directly to Comodo online help.
Once your preferences have been set, the Comodo Firewall main window will appear, showing an overview of all programs currently connected to the Internet, their current statuses, as well as Antivirus settings, Firewall settings, and Defense+ settings.
The top of this display offers buttons to quickly stop all Internet activities with one click, view a list of quarantined files and access the Advanced Settings window. In addition, clicking “More” leads you to Comodo’s online help pages as well as Geek Buddy, which should prove particularly helpful for newcomers to the product.
Setup
Comodo Firewall installation process is relatively swift and effortless, asking users to select from different security levels: Firewall Only, Optimum Proactive Defense and Maximum Proactive Defense during setup. Furthermore, users have the ability to switch languages of their user interface (More).
Comodo Firewall begins operating automatically once installed and starts alerting users about new connections via popups. Furthermore, Comodo’s safe list and sandbox technology ensure programs and applications that have access to Comodo are monitored carefully to prevent malware from infiltrating systems.
Comodo Firewall will prompt users to accept or deny each detected activity/application/activity, with accepting adding to Comodo’s list of safe programs while blocking further popups for it. Conversely, when they deny an activity it will send a report and block its connection with the internet in future.
Comodo’s Sandboxed software creates a virtual environment to test programs prior to connecting to the internet, helping to prevent malicious malware and viruses from infiltrating computers while keeping sensitive data secure.
Comodo’s Settings button in the program toolbar leads to its dedicated Settings window, where they can use this to completely customize and personalize their program and make it run how they want. Rules can be created for all incoming and outgoing connections to and from their computer as well as how the program alerts their user. View Logs displays an event log which records computer security related happenings while Quarantine shows all files quarantined as malicious by Comodo antivirus program while Submit Files allows submission for analysis of specific files by users.
Performance
Comodo Firewall is an excellent solution for PC users looking for an intuitive firewall to safeguard them against online threats, with an advanced tool allowing them to test questionable programs without risking their PC.
Comodo Firewall offers a feature called Run Virtual that creates a secure environment for programs to run in, which can assist in detecting malware that might be hiding within system processes. Furthermore, Comodo Firewall monitors these processes closely for any changes or activities which might indicate malicious code on your system.
If an application is flagged as suspicious, it can easily be whitelisted by clicking a button on the main interface of the firewall. This feature makes allowing network connections easier than with competing programs which require going deep into their settings to do this.
Comodo Firewall works similarly to most personal firewalls in that it blocks all incoming and outgoing internet traffic to protect users against malware attacks. As with most personal firewalls, Comodo’s free firewall has an extensive list of known files and programs in its database so it should quickly identify most malware infections.
The software is intuitive enough for use by most computer users regardless of skill level and displays easy-to-understand, informative notifications. Furthermore, users can control which programs can or cannot access the Internet as well as customize its interface.
Comodo Firewall is extremely light on resources, consuming minimal memory and CPU resources and being ideal for computers with limited system resources. Furthermore, the software also features useful features like network scanners to check for potentially hazardous networks as well as password-protected product settings interfaces for product settings.
Conclusions
Comodo Firewall provides excellent protection, with advanced configuration options and virtual desktop functionality to test potentially malicious files – yet is no replacement for an antivirus program or full security suite.
The software’s ‘Proactive Antivirus System’ can detect and delete viruses, worms, Trojan horses, spyware, and other threats such as ransomware. Meanwhile, its ‘Defense+’ feature blocks inbound and outbound Internet attacks using packet filtering firewall technology and automatically sandboxes any unknown applications to prevent them from accessing and infecting your computer.
Other features include a ‘Block All Untrusted Traffic’ setting which temporarily disarms your firewall to allow for total blocking of all Internet-bound connections to your computer, making this option ideal for experienced users who wish to maximize control and visibility over network traffic. In addition, its Alert Frequency settings control how often alerts are generated when application connection attempts are detected – low frequency alert settings are recommended as suitable solutions.
HIPS (Host Intrusion Prevention System) is typically turned off, but it can be an optional feature to prevent executable programs from running without your approval. Think of this feature like having another set of eyes looking out for potential threats should your antivirus miss something.
