Configure MS Firewall
Contents
Goals................................................................................................................................................ 2
Types of Firewall Rules...................................................................................................................... 2
Create a Program Rule...................................................................................................................... 2
Create a Port Rule............................................................................................................................. 6
Conclusion...................................................................................................................................... 10
Goals
This guide will help you to configure a Microsoft firewall. By
configuring a MS firewall, you can protect your server from malicious attackers
on the Internet. A firewall restricts the inbound and outbound connections to
the server.
Types of Firewall Rules
Windows Firewall with Advanced Security allows you to create the
following types of firewall rules:
1.
Program
rule – This type of rule allows traffic for a specified program. You can
identify the program by program path and executable file name.
2.
Port
rule – This type of rule allows traffic on a specified TCP or UDP port number
or range of port numbers.
3.
Predefined
rule – Windows includes a number of Windows functions that you can enable, such
as File and Printer Sharing, Remote Assistance, and Windows Collaboration.
Creating a predefined rule actually creates a group of rules that enable the
specified Windows functionality to access the network.
4.
Custom
rule – This type of rule allows you to create a rule that you might not be able
to create using other types of rules. A custom rule allows you to combine any
of the rule elements together.
Create a Program Rule
Here
are the steps to create a program rule for your MS firewall on your Windows
server:
1.
Login to your server through Remote Desktop.
2.
Open
the firewall by clicking on the Server Manager Button on the bottom left. Then
click on tools on the top left. There you will find Windows Firewall and
Advanced Security. 
3.
In the console, click on the Inbound Rules or Outbound
Rules options depending on the type you want to create.
4.
On the right-hand side Actions panel, click on New
Rule….
5.
In the new console under Rule Type, select Program,
and then click Next.
6.
On the Program page, click the This program path:
option. Type the path for the executable file for the program, or click the Browse
button to find the program by using Windows Explorer. Finally, click Next.
7.
On the Action page, select the desired behaviour, and then
click Next. If
you selected Allow the Connection and if it is secure on the Action
page, then the Users and Computers pages are displayed, where you
can specify user and computer accounts that are permitted to access the
computer through this firewall rule. If you specify users or computers, then
you must separately create a connection security rule that requires network
traffic that matches this rule in order to be authenticated.
8.
On
the Profile page, select the profiles to which the rule should apply,
and then click Next.
9.
On the Name
page, type a name and an optional description for the rule, and then click Finish.
You
have now created a program rule.
Create a Port Rule
Here
are the steps to create a port rule for the MS Firewall on your Windows server:
1.
Login to your server through Remote Desktop.
2. Open the firewall by navigating
to Start >> Control Panel >> Administrative Tools
>> Windows Firewall with Advanced Security.
