For a peak at the Firewall configuration:
Here's a few
screenshots of the Firewall configuration.
[1][2][3][4]
(Numbers
1,3 and 4 have changed slightly since RC1)
#1 is the
basic on/off screen
#2 is the program exceptions list. You can manually add programs to your allowed
or not allowed list. You can also modify what ports the various applications are
allowed to use. From this screen is how you reach #3
#3 you can see the screen where you can block/unblock any port you want.
#4 used to be several tabs that they've combined and labeled advanced now. The
network connections box is where you allow various services to access the
internet such as IIS. The next box is the firewall log. If you ever mess
anything up they now have a restore defaults button!
Outro:
I must go curl up in the corner with my blanky and tinfoil hat now. Nothing is as it seems. Don't place your trust in anything or anyone without doing the proper research first.
I've already cried to one Microsoft employee about this. Please contact any Microsoft representative you can get your hands on! Let them know that this is a sad excuse for a firewall. It will truly make alot of people especially the corporate world believe that they have a firewall in place when they're nowhere near as safe as they may think. If it means delaying SP2 even further they absolute MUST include an application black list AND prevent applications from accessing the internet until you approve them. Being able to set something in the group policies about ONLY allowing this list of applications access to the internet.... Will bring security levels on corporate networks to a level that gives me a boner just thinking about it.....
Maybe I'm living in a fantasy world where every girl is a C cup and THE mainstream OS is secure. In that same world athletes wouldn't use steroids (Barry Bonds) and it was the uglier they are the crazier they are instead of the VERY true "the hotter they are the crazier they are..." Unfortunately I've known too many crazy ugly girls :( yes ladies I'm single.... You know you can't resist
