A Look Into A Norton Forum - Comparison To Eset

[rugk 397]

Now a small look into the German Norton forum. I'm talking about this topic: hxxp://de.community.norton.com/t5/Norton-360/N360-soll-mich-bei-Internetzugriffen-fragen/m-p/97005 (title translated: "Norton 360 should ask me if an application wants internet access")

 

At first the server seems to be veeeery slow (currently?) and so also Google Translator wasn't able to translate it. This would be link (maybe later it will work): https://translate.google.de/translate?hl=en&sl=auto&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fde.community.norton.com%2Ft5%2FNorton-360%2FN360-soll-mich-bei-Internetzugriffen-fragen%2Fm-p%2F97005%23M10956

 

But I will describe what there is going on:

 

Norton forum

 

• The OP is asking how he can change the firewall in that way, we would here call "interactive firewall". He wants a message for every program.
  I think (and he also) think that this shouldn't be a problem for any firewall. And IMO he asked his question very clearly.
• Now a guru (I think that must be a very "good" forum user) answers that we would call here to edit the rules manually - although the OP explicit said (before) that he don't want this.
• Of course the OP now describes it again and asks also what criteria Nortons firewall is using. And he also describes that he maybe wants to disallow some programs, although Norton is allowing it.
• Now he gets (from the same "guru") a IMO very bad answer: "Look into the help!" (a bit shorten, she said it a bit more polite)
• The OP seems to have looked into the help and says that he can't find anything. And he say "this is sad".
• Now a lector (don't ask me what's a lector there - maybe something like a guru) replied with an answer that will later marked as the best answer! I don't want to criticise his very bad writing (so I corrected this a bit), but here is a translated summery of the content he said:
  "The problem with this kind of programs is, that many many people don't look through. Per minute there came 5 till 6 times a question: 'This and that wants access to the internet. Is it allowed?' Most people [he said 80%] just clicked on yes (...) or they had a complete death internet, because some people always clicked on no. (...) Then the automatic firewall from Norton comes, where a list (...) knows [yes he said knows] what is evil and what not - I like this. (...)
  In the settings of Norton 360 look for "automatic program control" and this off (he don't wanted to use a verb here) and you have the old "Personal Firewall" with annoying access questions with unknown long columns of figures (=a long list of numbers). (...)"

 

So the OP got's his answer. Now he asks where he can find this settings and he gots the answer. He said thanks and also adds "Now it works as I want.".

So the topic could be at the end now, but no the "lector" has to say something more:

 

• "(...) Now have fun with your Norton, that annoys you every few seconds ^^
  (... and with your) interrupting of the internet if you disallowed the access for a wrong process ;-).
  (...)
  I trust the Norton product 100% that all decisions are right. ;-)"

 

So he make the OP looking silly. Very nice community there!

And very good product that annoys you every few seconds! (I think of rules or something that can be created by the user without clicking through 20 windows they have never heard.)

 

And now: How would this question look here in the ESET forum?

• OP: How can I configure ESET, so that it asks me for every program I execute, to display a message where I can select whether I want to allow or deny the internet access?
• An answer: Switch your firewall to interactive mode. (and maybe an screenshot for visualization)

 

And that's all! End of the topic, marked as solved and the user would be happy!

I think this is a difference (not only to the forums, also to the products)!

Edited August 10, 2014 by rugk

[SweX 871]

"I trust the Norton product 100% that all decisions are right. ;-)"

 

Even I know that Download Insight can act on perfectly safe files only because very few Symantec users has this file.

[rugk 397]

Yeah you're right. In the past I also noticed this on a PC that was using Norton.

[Marcos 5,074]

To accomplish that in ESS, create a rule with remote port 80 and action set to Ask. When an application attempts to communicate over http, a pop-up window with action selection will appear. If you want to create an allowing or blocking rule for that particular application only, unfold advanced options and check the appropriate box.

[rugk 397]

Or just activate interactive firewall like I said then for all network traffic will be asked before.