new firewall, can i allow...

[quinton]

i am running xp and have just installed a new firewall

is it safe to allow the following to connect to the internet or should i block them from connecting?:

-explorer.exe

-application layer gateway

-and another one i can't remember, like system 32 something or other?



many thanks if anyone could advise me please

happy new year

quinton

 

[iPwn]

Yes to the first two and when did you receive the popup for sys32? Was it after installing new software? Opening a downloaded file?

 

[quinton]

Yes to the first two and when did you receive the popup for sys32? Was it after installing new software? Opening a downloaded file?

thank you very much

can't remember when it popped up, next time it does i'll post again

the explorer.exe one worried me a bit because it always asks for access when i am using files on my compute that don't need to connect to the internet, like when i am opening a file or something

thank you infectionzero



do you think the sys32 one might be dangerous?



like just now, explorer.exe tried to connect when i put a usb pen drive in my pc

why should that need to connect?

and i can't get online (open up new pages) through firefox unless i allow it which i find worrying

Yes to the first two and when did you receive the popup for sys32? Was it after installing new software? Opening a downloaded file?

not sure what i was doing when it popped up i think i was just opening firefox but next time it happens i'll mark down what i was doing when it popped up

the sys32 one said this:

"generic host process for win 32 services

c:\windows\explorer.exe has tried to use svchost.exe through ole automation"



thank you very much for your helpful advice