Windows 10: Windows Firewall Rules

I was looking at Windows Firewall with Adv Security and noticed 11 individual but seemingly identical entries for Microsoft Solitaire Collection. The default rules were to allow all. First, why 11? And second, why all any at all? Ditto for Stick Notes, Microsoft Phone, People, Photos, Sway (whatever that is) and Xbox. I have never played Xbox so I assume I can disable both inbound and outbound connections for it.

:)

 

Windows Defender Firewall rule 4jxr4b3r3du76ina39a98x8k2 what does it do?

What does Windows defender firewall rule Windows Defender Firewall rule 4jxr4b3r3du76ina39a98x8k2 do?

How can I get around it blocking programs on my system?

 

Windows 10 Firewall is not saving my custom rules

Hi

I've been having this problem from a week ago and can't find a solution.

I need to create a custom rule to allow a single program through windows 10 firewall, I've been using the option to "allow a program through firewall", the rule is created and I accept the changes, but then if I close the firewall option's window and reopen
it, the rule is missing again.

 

I'm not sure which specific rules you are referring to but I would recommend you just set your firewall to defaults and forget about trying to manage them uniquely. As far as the XBOX app goes, instead of playing with firewall rules, why not just uninstall it?

 

Just one point, whilst uninstalling the application will prevent the application accessing the net, the rules would still possibly allow a malicious application masquerading as the original item to do so - so it's always better to remove any obsolete rules, Especially with allow rules *Wink

Can you give more information on the multiple entries as they could be minor differences between the entries or it could be a glitch - maybe a screenshot showing the details, but ensure you do not post any private information

 

Even after you uninstall the app and reset the firewall to defaults again?

If that is the case, MS has created a real headache for many who have the same concerns as you have described.

UPDATE:
For the record, I have uninstalled about 90% of the MS apps and, after resetting the firewall to defaults, I only show rules for those apps that have remained. All the uninstalled app rules have vanished.

 

Obviously resetting the defaults will set back to start, however if the xBox entry was a default it will be actually re-added when you reset.(OK reading the above it appears that this has been sorted )
Also imagine a scenario where a user has tens or even hundreds of specialist rules in place for non default applications - It's far more economical of time, (and possible introduction of errors), to just remove the affected rules than a reset and re-entry would be *Smile

 

I do not believe Xbox ever was installed on this machine, although there is another user, he does not play Xbox on it. So how the Xbox rules got installed I do not know.

I'm looking at Microsoft's Sticky Notes. I have six rules which look identical to me. 6 inbound and 6 outbound. My rough and tumble guess is that the easiest way to stop them is to disable them (there's a checkbox for that).

Most of this is just bloatware.

I'm not responding to any issue with my computer. I was just surprised at the number of duplicated rules for apps I have never used.

 

Well, I can't disagree with your concern.

 

OK, have at it; however, those rules may be required for some communication with reference to store updates and such; however, I am not absolutely sure why they are there.

Good luck,

 

The XBOX app was installed as one of the defaults on my laptop. I did not uninstall that one and I do have XBOX specific rules set in my default MS firewall configuration as well.

 

Ron, I would always advise to use a disable action before a delete action, it's a lot safer. If you disable those rules that you do not see any need for and after a reasonable time they have not caused any issues for you then you could (for completeness) actually delete them, this is of course your decision, as is what constitutes a reasonable time (My personal preference is 90 days as Microsoft seems to use that as their default system check for licensing and other things, but to be honest for something like this a week would probably be fine)

 

That's exactly what I did. No deletes. Just disables. I'll check back in a week or two (or month or two) and see if any are changed. I just want to remove any hidden vectors into my machine. Of course, an impossible task but I got to try.

 

If the article I read is true you will have to change it again sometime in September 2017

Source:
And the name of the next Windows 10 update is the Fall Creators Update | Ars Technica

 

based on the fact that you don't need a 3rd party Firewall but only WinFW w/ advanced settings:

1- select "block" outgoing connection on all profiles
2- disable/delete unwanted rules
3- when you install a new apps/soft , you will have to manually create new rules.

This method is the best for control but the most time consuming.

However you can use WinFW GUI enhancements (like Binisoft Windows Firewall Control , Glasswire, etc..), which allow you to have an alert about outgoing connection attempts. Those apps will also disable some rules and add others (to block telemetry for example) and will allows you to edit rule in a simplest way.