Need help in configuring really simple firewall rules on Windows Firewall

[onceagain81]

Hi. I thought the following would be very simple but these days we know nothing is simple.

What I'm trying to do is block all incoming/outgoing traffic from my machine using Windows Firewall with Advanced settings, but allow only specific sites over http/https.

On the Windows firewall rules, there is no setting for URL, so I put in the IP for Yahoo for example, but I couldn't access Yahoo after I activated the rule. Plus, using IP's wont help when Yahoo can change its IP anytime. It's the URL is what I want, so I can do wild-card URL rules like www.yahoo.com/finance/*.

I tried tools like Kaspersky, but that only works for website traffic, nothing is stopping exotic things like newsgroup traffic from a news reader app for example.

Could someone please tell me how to block everything except specific URLs. Looking forward to your response, I'm stuck here.

 

[kesume]

Hi,
Welcome to the forum.
Se if this link is of any benefit to your needs:-

How to: Configure a Firewall for Report Server Access

Let us know if it is ok.

 

[kesume]

A further link on Firewall configs.

Rather difficult reading!


Firewalls FAQ

Hope it helps.

 

[richc46]

Welcome
Here is the official explanation of configuring the firewall from MS.
Let us know if it helps in anyway
Understanding Windows Firewall settings

 

[onceagain81]

Thanks guys. Actually, Understanding Windows Firewall settings doesn't talk about using URL's instead of ports, and Firewalls FAQ applies to more than just Windows, so I cant use any of the Unix/Cisco/etc commands since the only thing I have is Windows Firewall.

The blocking everything part is fine. The problem is I cant find a way to use host names instead of IP's in the rules.

 

[onceagain81]

Hmm, now I'm confused, something obvious and simple is not working.

Ping Yahoo! yields - 69.147.125.65

So I create a rule in Win Adv FW to block all outgoing traffic to 69.147.125.65 to block yahoo, but I can still hit yahoo.

Also, would I need to specify the whole chain of IPs which are accessed along the way to getting to Yahoo!, those IPs I see in tracert?

Wouldn't being able to create rules based on domains and wildcarding domains like www.yahoo.com/finance/* be the easiest?

Please help me figure this out, because this appears to be absurdly simple yet I cant get anything to work.

Thanks.

 

[kesume]

Hi,
The following link covers url's instead of ports, but don't know if it could be usedin your particular situation, as it talks about OPAC's.
However, maybe we are on the right track.......Mmmm!

How do I assign text URLS instead of port numbers? — Koha - Open Source ILS - Integrated Library System

Worth a go.

 

[kesume]

A further libraryesque link, however it does explain the process of conversion.......
A further attempt to at finding that missing link.
Any member that can contribute, please do so.

URL Rewriting [OCLC]