Windows Firewall

Hi:

Until one of the experts weighs in, is your forum signature correct?
Are you still on version 21H2?

That Windows build will be EOS on June 13, 2023.

Perhaps updating to 22H2 might be a good first step to resolve your issue.

Sorry my signature was out of date - have updated it to 22H2 - current version installed 19/12/22.

Which means that I have not had a firewall update since changing from 21H2 to 22H2.

Edited by Beaker77, 29 April 2023 - 09:32 AM.

Thanks for the update.

It would help to know more about the issue:

1. When did it start - was it after a (major) software update, e.g. the update to 22H2?
2. Do you run 3rd-party security applications or a VPN?
3. Do you have a warning in the Windows Security Center?
4. Have you tried to manually update it?

The experts may ask for a Speccy and/or an MTB report.

Until then, perhaps have a look here:

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/automatically-diagnose-and-fix-problems-with-windows-firewall-513e9cf8-19ae-d579-2092-d5e64fe06f5f

https://www.minitool.com/news/windows-defender-update-failed.html

And perhaps consider these:

1. Run the Windows Firewall Troubleshooter (see above)
2. Scan Your System for a Malware Issue.
3. Disable Your VPN Client.
4. Restore Windows Defender Firewall Settings to Default.

<disclaimer: I use 3rd-party security applications on two Win11 boxes, so I am not overly familiar first-hand with Windows Firewall on Win10>

Windows Firewall does not update because it does not need any new updates. Simple.

As a general rule, software firewalls for home and business users such as Windows firewall, really have no changes seen in internet rules or "protection" so there are no changes made, so therefore no changes or updates to the firewall. 

Windows Firewall does not update because it does not need any new updates. Simple.

As a general rule, software firewalls for home and business users such as Windows firewall, really have no changes seen in internet rules or "protection" so there are no changes made, so therefore no changes or updates to the firewall. 

So firewall does not update. It must be Windows Defender AV that has stopped updating then since I updated to 22H2.

I use Avast AV with Windows firewall.

"So firewall does not update. It must be Windows Defender AV that has stopped updating then since I updated to 22H2.

Edited by 0lds0d, 29 April 2023 - 01:06 PM.

 

"So firewall does not update. It must be Windows Defender AV that has stopped updating then since I updated to 22H2.

I use Avast AV with Windows firewall."

 

Turn off Avast and the Windows AV should update if you want it to, although no need to do that since you are using Avast for protection.

 

Thanks, a very simple and logical answer. 

Hi, @Beaker77:

Did disabling/stopping real-time protection with Avast fix your update failure issue with Windows Defender?

As @0lds0d mentioned, most 3rd-party AVs will automatically disable Windows Defender (WD). That is likely why WD was no longer updating, if you had Avast active. Disabling Avast would tell Windows to let WD become the active, primary AV and would permit WD to resume its updates.

FWIW Some 3rd party security programs/suites allow the user to run their program alongside WD, either by setting mutual exclusions and/or by configuring specific settings in the 3rd party AV.

These modifications allow WD and the 3rd party AV to run alongside one another without conflicts, clashes or other performance problems.

If Avast does not permit either of these, and you must disable Avast's real-time protection to allow WD to run & update properly, then you might as well uninstall Avast if you want to continue to use WD.

There's no point having Avast on your system if it won't be used.

These days, you really only need one primary AV running in real-time.

Cheers

I will do what olds0d says, I have been with Avast for many years with no trouble and see no reason to change now. i do not want WD as my AV.

See images - my WD seems OK. Scanned my computer, WD AV is up to date, all reads great.

Why WD updates are not showing on my update history, yet WD AV is up to date, I don't know,

but nothing shows up to worry about.

It would certainly help the rest of us to understand what's going on with your system and to provide specific advice if you would post the MTB log requested by @cryptodan.

But if you're satisfied with your system "as is", that's all that matters.

Cheers!

MTB - operating systems = Windows XP/Vista/7 - no good to me on Windows 10.