Bitdefender Firewall?

VPN
1

Is bitdefender firewall just pretty much a front end to the windows firewall service? So maybe bitdefender will create rules & what not but in the end its still using the windows firewall service? Why am i asking? Well i’m interesting in using some products that in the end just work by adding rules to the windows firewall. Maybe if bitdefener is using the windows firewall they will still work but if it is its own thing then they won’t.

For example crowdsec works by creating its rules in the windows firewall. So if bitdefender firewall is its own thing then crowdsec probably won’t work otherwise it might. I’ve had bitdefender work great.

I’d prefer just not to turn bitdefender firewall off because its probably saved my rear. I’ve had some brute force attacks blocked by the ‘online threat protection’ component but in the end my guess is they are either creating a rule in windows firewall for the specific attacking IP or their own firewall.

I did notice the “windows defender firewall” so i’m guessing/hoping bitdefender just uses that service to create rules.

Edit: Well it looks like it has its own firewall or they are stomping on rules added to windows firewall. I simulated an attack against a windows machine (which did add a ban rule):

2314×222 16.2 KB

2314×222 16.2 KB

I looked in the windows firewall & didn’t find a rule & I was able to RDP into machine just fine so in summary it looks like you have any program that works by manipulating the windows firewall rule(s) then its a no go.

Edit 2:

So, I do, in fact, have the answer. It does not work. After crowdsec create the windows firewall rules (they don’t affect anything). I didn’t have a windows client without bitdefender (i don’t use a lot of windows instances). I uninstalled the bitdefender & while it was uninstalling the block rule started working. Originally it wasn’t creating the rules because crowdsec has a dependency on dotnet runtime 6 which its install doesn’t install for you which is wierd. Anyways hopefully this helps some others.

2

Also curious about this. I heard bitdefender firewall is better than windows default one from many people.

3

Bitdefender uses it own firewall technology completely separate from Windows firewall. Windows Firewall is disabled by Bitdefender automatically when it takes over.

Bitdefender firewall has to remain on if you want the brute force, port scan, intrusion detection, etc to all function correctly.

4

Yes, it has its own firewall rules. In house specialty you might called it. If win defender has it, you probably won’t need Bitdefender in the first place.

5

well if it adds intelligence to it then it would be better. Windows firewall is just fine but doesn’t have any intelligence. For example bitdefender might detect an attack from an ip (it does in fact do this) & block a specific ip to mitigate the attack

6

but are those rules added to windows firewall or is it its own thing? If rules are added to windows firewall are those rules going to be ignored / wiped out?

7

I don’t think so. Bitdefender becomes the primary AV once it’s installed. Therefore, overwritten the local firewall at base. If it’s adding, there’ll be outright conflict.