Antimalware, firewall, and other security programs for Windows XP working in 2023 and hopefully beyond

[AstroSkipper]

Comodo Firewall Pro 2.4.18.184

Comodo Firewall Pro has an easy to use and intuitive GUI which is suitable for both advanced and novice users. The selection of  wizards  make sure novice users will face no difficulties in managing vital security configurations. Advanced users and experts can fine tune Comodo Firewall Pro using its extensive configuration options. Comodo Firewall Pro is now freeware (it comes with lifetime free license on installation itself) and, of course, fully compatible with Windows XP.

Features (listed in the manual):

Network Protection:
Comodo Firewall Pro, although designed for personal use, includes an industrial strength stateful inspection firewall,
acting at OSI Layers 2, 3 and 4 to filter incoming and outgoing network traffic. Such an advanced filter keeps track of
each and every packet sent/received and performs intelligent analysis on critical protocols such as TCP, UDP, FTP etc.
Comodo Firewall Pro also detects and prevents DOS/DDOS attacks including:
• SYN/UDP/ICMP Floods,
• TCP/UDP Port Scans,
Upon facing such an intrusive attack, it switches to an emergency mode by creating some automatic rules and updating
its internal states according to the attack behavior, to secure the host against it until the attack ceases. Users will not
notice such a change in terms of functionality but will remain protected.

Quick Features:
• Advanced TCP/UDP/ICMP and IP protocol filtering
• IP fragmentation handling
• DOS/DDOS resistance and handling
• Stateful TCP/UDP Protocol Inspection

Application Protection:
Although the network protection is adequate to defeat the most of the network based attacks, today’s threats require
highly sophisticated application based access filtering mechanisms to enforce true host based security policies.
Comodo Firewall Pro provides a powerful application firewall which is one of the best application filters available in the
market.
Restricting network traffic according to the application which generates it, requires filtering at OSI Layers 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7.

Application Filtering:
Comodo Firewall Pro provides full control on applications’ networking behaviors.
Application firewall can:
• Limit applications network access characteristics such as port, protocol and host.
• Give users the ability to control number of connections per minute an application can create.

Leak Resistance:
Unfortunately, malware  programs are evolving rapidly. Many of such programs employ very advanced techniques to
conceal their malicious activities so that they easily bypass the standard protection mechanism provided by the most
personal firewalls. These techniques are commonly known as “leak” techniques.
Comodo Firewall Pro passed ALL LEAK TESTS with an outstanding success rate not seen in any other firewalls
available.
Although passing the known leak tests are often enough to provide you a robust protection, Trojans do not have to limit
themselves to these known techniques and they always try to find new ones to cheat the protection mechanism you have.
Due to this fact, Comodo developers constantly research to improve our firewall to keep you protected at all times against
emerging and unknown threats.

Benefits quoted from the homepage:

• Constantly monitors and defends your PC from internet attacks
• Free maintenance upgrades
• Gain complete control over which programs are allowed internet access
• Stay protected against new threats via automatic online updates
• Real time traffic monitoring enables you to react instantly to threats and identify bandwidth bottlenecks.
• Easy to use interface and quick setup
• No license fee - complete protection at no cost for networks and home users

Version history/Release notes:

Quote

New in Version 2.4.18

Help updated
German translaton updated

New in Version 2.4.16
NEW! Multilanguage capabilities. Releasing version 2.4 with following 13 languages:
       1) Chinese (Traditional)
       2) Chinese (Simplified)
       3) Dutch
       4) French
       5) Greek
       6) Hungarian
       7) Portugese (Brazilian)
       8) Portugese (Continental)
       9) Russian
       10) Spanish (LA)
       11) Spanish (Spain)
       12) Swedish
       13) Turkish
NEW! Activity->Connections sections shows per connection bytes in/out
NEW! Firewall icon shows animation as per incoming/outgoing traffic in system tray
FIXED! At times certain folder could remain locked when using firewall
FIXED! The bug causing SHA1 replies to be forgotten
FIXED! Few BSODs reported via forums and support
IMPROVED! Now firewall does not require user to activate license. It comes with lifetime free license on installation itself.
IMPROVED! Significantly improved self defense
                        a) Defense against automated windows messaging (Simulated mouse clicks)
                        b) File digital ceritificate verification for own binaries
                        c) Fixed DOS conditions in self defense handling
                        d) Fixed system driver crashes
                        e) Fixed some bugs that can cause priviledge escallation
IMPROVED! Improved OLE automation handling
IMPROVED! Fixed  some minor bugs in tooltip texts
IMPROVED! Removed non-TCP/UDP application alerts until version 3.0

New in Version 2.3.6.81
FIXED! Network monitor rules were not loaded during system boot
FIXED! DHCP protocol stateful analysis were causing reconnection problems
FIXED! Comodo Firewall Pro no longer crashes when ShellExecute hooking software is installed (SuperAdblocker, counterspy etc.)
FIXED! Minor inaccuracies in tooltip text
FIXED! Log size is not remembered correctly
FIXED! Many other bugs are fixed according to the user bug reports

New in Version 2.3.5
NEW! Removed Comodo LaunchPad Installation
FIXED! Startup Delay if Terminal Services service is disabled
FIXED! Navigating between adapters using "Next" and "Previous" links could cause error message
FIXED! When no adapter active was showing wrong adapter information

New in Version 2.3.4
NEW! Reduced Memory Usage
NEW! Added Protocol Analysis Option
Protocol Analysis is key to the detection of fake packets used in denial of service attacks. This new feature means
Comodo Firewall Pro checks every packet conforms to that protocols standards. If not, then the packets are blocked.
NEW! Added packet checksum verification feature
Every packet of data sent to your machine has a signature attached. Comodo Firewall Pro will recalculate the checksum
of the target packet and compare this against the checksum stated in the signature. If the two do not match then Comodo
Firewall Pro will block the packet. Altered checksums indicate that a packet has been altered since transmission.
NEW! Added an option to define Alert Frequency level
Users can now  quickly configure the amount of alerts that Comodo Firewall Pro generates by raising or lowering a new
slider.
NEW! Added defense for own registry keys and files against malware tampering
Meaning that Comodo Firewall Pro registry entries and files cannot be deleted or modified either accidentally or deliberately.
This  vital security  feature  prevents  malicious programs or intruders  from  being able  to  shut down or
sabotage your installation of Comodo Firewall Pro.
NEW! Added Suspicious file submission capability to popup alert
Each time Comodo Firewall Pro discovers unknown components within an application, the user is notified via an alert. In
version 2.3, these particular alerts now contain a built in link to instantly submit the suspicious files to Comodo for
analysis.
IMPROVED! Default network control rules
IMPROVED! New icons for rules section
IMPROVED! Tasks and Advanced section layouts are redesigned
IMPROVED! Effect on OS system performance has significantly been decreased
FIXED! Bug causing Windows to freeze (a rare but serious bug of BETA Releases)
FIXED! Bug causing Log Size selection to be forgotten after a reboot
FIXED! Bug causing legitimate packets to be dropped by protocol analysis
FIXED! The firewall will use the default browser instead of IE
REMOVED! Hardware details section from the summary section

New in Version 2.2.0
NEW! Skip advanced security checks
Skip advanced security checks options in the Application control rules is for the applications which user allows but still for
some reasons they fail to connect.
NEW! CPF passes another leak test!!
Comodo Firewall Pro - passes one more leak test called BITS. (http://www.firewallleaktester.com/news.htm)
IMPROVED! Display Settings
Display issues seen in system's DPI setting higher than 96 DPI or while using large fonts settings for system has been
fixed.

New in Version 2.1.0
NEW!  Monitor COM/OLE Requests
Monitor COM/OLE requests” when enabled, forces CPF to detect any program hijacking attempt which may occur by
misuse of COM/OLE interfaces by other programs.
NEW!  Automatically Approve Safe Applications
Automatically approve safe applications option, when enabled, forces CPF to allow all activities of an application which is
recognized as safe by its internal database of over 10000 applications. Unless explicitly blocked by a rule, Comodo
Firewall Pro will allow any activity of the safe applications while still watching for suspicious activities. In case for an
application action to be taken is set as 'Ask' and if it appears in safe database list of applications, it will be allowed without
asking user. The firewall will still raise an alert if it detects anything suspicious. This option is useful for avoiding
unnecessary number of questions.
IMPROVED!  Zone Modification
A Machine or network can be represented as a zone to which a access can be granted or denied by specifying it in
Application / Network rules. The newly designed easy to use GUI in Comodo Firewall Pro 2 allows the user to Add/Edit/Remove Zones.

New in Version 2.0.0
NEW!  Application Component Authentication
Comodo Firewall Pro now validates all the components of an application before allowing it Internet access. These
components can be dynamic link libraries, activex components that an application is using.
NEW!  Application Behavior Analysis
Firewall Pro analyses each application’s behavior and detects any suspicious activity before allowing internet access.
This powerful new feature enables it to detect more trojan activity than any other firewall - including:
• DLL/Code injections
• Hidden Connection Attempts
NEW!  Defense against Trojan Protocols
Comodo Firewall Pro now features advanced protocol driver level protection - essential for the defense of your PC against trojans
having their own protocol drivers.
NEW!  Smart Alerts
Alerts are completely redesigned in Comodo Firewall Pro. They are now simple and more intuitive. Every alert now
includes a Security Considerations section which provides significant advices to users. Each alert also has an associated
Security Risk level shown on the top of it to help users decide a course of action.
Although they are simple, the new alerts also have an option to be more verbose or simple. Basic popup logic removes
unnecessary popup alerts whereas verbose logic reveals each activity to provide more details.
NEW!  Windows Security Center Integration
Comodo Firewall Pro is now recognized by Windows XP SP2 Security Center as a trusted  firewall and reports its state.
NEW!  Self Protection against Termination of Critical Firewall Processes
A Trojan/Spyware/Virus may need to disable the firewall protection before performing its malicious operations. Comodo
Firewall Pro secures itself to make sure its critical processes are always active and running.mo
NEW!  PC Security during Booting
Comodo Firewall Pro 2 includes an option to secure the host while the operating system is booting. When enabled, it
makes sure that no connections are established until booting process is completed.
NEW!  Automatic Updater
Comodo Firewall Pro now includes an interactive automatic updater component so that users can check for updates any
time.
NEW!  Error Reporting Interface
To improve users’ satisfaction, Comodo Firewall Pro 2 now includes an XP style bug reporting interface.
IMPROVED!  Firewall Logging
The new logging structure in Comodo Firewall Pro is more powerful than before. It reveals all the activities with detailed
descriptions of the events. It also allows exporting the logs in HTML format.
IMPROVED!  Security Rules Interface
Comodo Firewall Pro 2 has a completely redesigned security rules interface. More powerful, flexible security rules
structure is combined with an easy to use GUI.
IMPROVED!  Application Activity Control
In this version, application connections are shown better. It allows watching each application in detail by showing
addresses, ports and amount of traffic it used. Users can intercept and close any application connection with a simple
click.
IMPROVED!  Graphical User Interface
The GUI of Comodo Firewall Pro has significant improvements.
• It allows full control over the firewall operations
• It shows a host security index according to the protection level at which it is configured
• Any part of the firewall can be enabled or disabled with one click
IMPROVED!  Application Recognition (Only in Comodo Firewall Pro)
Comodo Firewall Pro 2 can recognize over 10000 applications and determine their security risks. This database allows
users to easily notice if an activity is coming from a safe, virus or spyware program.

Homepage: https://web.archive.org/web/20070215084752/http://www.personalfirewall.comodo.com/

Version number: 2.4.18.184

Date of release: 14.02.2007

System requirements: Windows 2000, Windows XP

Reviews and tests:

https://web.archive.org/web/20070301011725/http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0%2C1895%2C1969515%2C00.asp

https://web.archive.org/web/20070228161335/http://www.matousec.com/projects/windows-personal-firewall-analysis/leak-tests-results.php

https://www.comodo.com/news/press_releases/31-05-07/

Download links:

https://web.archive.org/web/20070806133356/http://us2.download.comodo.com/cpf/download/setups/release/CFP_Setup_English_2.4.18.184.exe

https://www.filesoul.com/software/Comodo-Internet-Security/Comodo-Firewall-2-4-18-184/

Manual:

https://personalfirewall.comodo.com/Comodo_Firewall_Pro_2.4_User_Guide.pdf

Screenshots:

Comodo Firewall Pro 2.4.18.184 is a very old firewall from 2007. It surely was a good firewall at that time. And maybe, it is even today. A very positive point is that this version is totally unbloated, though. The installer size (English version) is only round about 5 MB. This Comodo Firewall version was very often recommended by users, but it unfortunately lacks modern features as, for example, IP6 support. This feature was only introduced starting with the version Comodo Firewall 5.3.174622.1216 from 2011. That means Comodo Firewall Pro 2.4.18.184 is only an option for those users whose internet provider does not offer or does not use the Internet Protocol Version 6 (IPv6). Due to its age, the potential users should carefully test this version in their Windows XP system whether it is still properly working even in these days as no one here reported any detailed test results or current experiences in using it. And as already explained in previous posts, I couldn't test this version, and I won't do it either.  Personally, I think this firewall could still be an option in these days, but exclusively for the users of the Internet Protocol Version 4 (IPv4).  If anyone needs the German version of Comodo Firewall Pro 2.4.18.184, please post the request here in the thread!

Cheers, AstroSkipper

Edited July 17 by AstroSkipper
Update of content

[AstroSkipper]

Update notification! 

Malware Hunter has been again updated on 08.07.2024 and is now available in version 1.186.0.808. It is still listed to be compatible with Windows XP. Accordingly, I will update my article as soon as I can confirm its XP-compatibility.

Cheers, AstroSkipper 

[Dave-H]

The time has finally come.

Definition updates for Malwarebytes Premium 3.5.1, the last XP compatible version, have finally ended.

https://forums.malwarebytes.com/topic/315390-resolved-malwarebytes-351-not-updating-definitions-again/?do=findComment&comment=1653739

[AstroSkipper]

14 hours ago, Dave-H said:

The time has finally come.

Definition updates for Malwarebytes Premium 3.5.1, the last XP compatible version, have finally ended.

https://forums.malwarebytes.com/topic/315390-resolved-malwarebytes-351-not-updating-definitions-again/?do=findComment&comment=1653739

Thanks for reporting!  Even if this is bad news.  What is your last version of the definition updates you received via automatic update?  My latest version is 1.0.39678 which was also mentioned in the thread you linked to.

Edited August 9 by AstroSkipper
Update of content

[AstroSkipper]

And one thing should be made clear. The way Malwarebytes treats customers of older versions is beyond good and evil.  To stop updating virus definitions without prior notice and simply present customers with a fait accompli, as seems to be the norm with this company, is a no-go.  And being customer of Malwarebytes also means you have to pull any information out of these guys' noses every time such things happen.  That's not how you win customers , that's how you lose them .

Edited August 9 by AstroSkipper
Update of content

[Dave-H]

1.0.39678 is indeed the last pattern version I have.

I too was very annoyed at the lack of notice of this.
I always knew pattern update support would be ended at some point, of course, but always assumed we'd get at least a few weeks notice when it was about to happen.
Just suddenly pulling the plug like that is very unprofessional in my opinion, especially for those like me who are still paying a subscription for the service!

[AstroSkipper]

35 minutes ago, Dave-H said:

1.0.39678 is indeed the last pattern version I have.

I too was very annoyed at the lack of notice of this.
I always knew pattern update support would be ended at some point, of course, but always assumed we'd get at least a few weeks notice when it was about to happen.
Just suddenly pulling the plug like that is very unprofessional in my opinion, especially for those like me who are still paying a subscription for the service!

I totally agree. I assume you will still stay for a while with Malwarebytes Premium 3.5.1. Do you already have any preferences for what kind of antimalware programme you want to use under Windows XP afterwards? 

[Dave-H]

Yes, I will keep on using Malwarebytes 3.5.1 until I think that the definitions it's using are too out of date to be effective protection.
I'm open to suggestions for alternatives, I don't even mind paid options as long as the subscription is not too expensive.
I would like to protect the XP installations on my main desktop and on my netbook.
The one security program I never had any luck with in the past was Avast/AVG which I just could not get to work on my desktop (the main service refused to start, and the cause was never identified). I could try it again, and I do have an account with Avast (I use it on my smartphone). I don't know how usable it is on XP now though.

[Dixel]

Comodo glitched the hell out on my laptop.

[AstroSkipper]

45 minutes ago, Dixel said:

Comodo glitched the hell out on my laptop.

Which Comodo Firewall version does your snapshot refer to? 

Edited August 17 by AstroSkipper

[Saxon]

14 hours ago, AstroSkipper said:

Which Comodo Firewall version does your snapshot refer to? 

By the looks of it, it's 5.5.xxxxx. Probably, Dixel didn't want to disclose the version due to privacy concerns.

[AstroSkipper]

6 hours ago, Saxon said:

By the looks of it, it's 5.5.xxxxx.

Never used this version. So, I can't say anything about it.

6 hours ago, Saxon said:

Probably, Dixel didn't want to disclose the version due to privacy concerns.

Seriously?  Personally, I can't see any privacy concerns in providing the version of a defective programme. When reporting an issue, the name and the affected version is a matter of course, so to speak. 

[NotHereToPlayGames]

9 minutes ago, AstroSkipper said:

Seriously?  Personally, I can't see any privacy concerns in providing the version of a defective programme.

[AstroSkipper]

11 hours ago, AstroSkipper said:

12 hours ago, Dixel said:

Comodo glitched the hell out on my laptop.

Expand  

Which Comodo Firewall version does your snapshot refer to? 

Maybe, it is a font size problem or related to the used theme which seems to be a dark one. I would check all relevant system and programme settings.

Edited August 18 by AstroSkipper
Update of content

[Dixel]

On 8/17/2024 at 6:29 PM, AstroSkipper said:

Which Comodo Firewall version does your snapshot refer to? 

It's an undisclosed, "ancient" version (like @Multibooter puts it) version of Comodo Firewall 6.3.297838.

@Saxon, 5.5 looks different, it has no aero.