Allowing Program or Process Exceptions in Windows Firewall in Service Pack 2

In Service Pack 2, the built-in firewall is set to automatically block all programs accessing the internet from your computer.  It does this so that viruses and other malicious programs can't get instructions from the internet on how to run on your computer, whether this means generating popup messages, replicating through your home or office network, or accessing your e-mail address book and ssending e-mails under your name spreading itself.  So whenever a program tries to access the internet Windows Firewall will prompt you to allow it access.

Security Alert

If you trust the program and want to allow the program access to the internet then select  Unblock this program and press OK.

Unblock

If you don't know the program and/or you don't want to allow it access to the internet then select Keep blocking this program

Keep Blocking

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Last Updated: 04/24/2008

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