Firewall = blocking or allowing packets (net communication)r1tz wrote: Firewall = blocking of ports. (over simplifying... but that's basically it)
EDIT: i meant to say blocking of packets....
My firewalls both in Windows and various Linux distros both allow and block certain apps and certain IPs. I'm more concerned about outgoing than I am incoming so at the moment I have I think nine apps blocked from accessing the net. I have packets from some specific IPs blocked. A port open or closed or stealthed is not enough. What I want from a firewall is not "security" but to block certain outgoing requests, such as updates, and block known incoming spam. Blocking or hiding ports is trivial.
Just because something reports the firewall is off doesn't mean that it is off.