en-us/about_EzFirewallMgmt.help.txt

TOPIC
    about_ezfirewallmgmt
 
SHORT DESCRIPTION
    Simplified helper functions to block and unblock ports and programs Utilizes
    New-NetFirewallRule and Remove-NetFirewallRule functions and turns them into
    easier to use versions for basic operations
 
LONG DESCRIPTION
    New-NetFirewallRule has many parameters that you often don't need or don't
    want to specify over and over again. This module handles the extra
    parameters in that function for simpler basic operations for common firewall
    rule needs.
    This is done with helper functions like `Unblock-Port` and `Unblock-Program`
    which are 2 very common types of firewall rules that get created. This
    module helps with automatically creating inbound and outbound matching
    rules, finding all exes in a program's path, and also defaulting to
    blocking/unblocking both tcp and udp versions of a port.
    It ends up creating multiple rules with similar naming conventions that can
    then be found and removed with its other helper functions.
 
USAGE SCENARIO
    i.e. Maybe you set windows firewall to default block all incoming/outgoing
    connections So you now want to selectively unblock things through the
    firewall for a more secure and controlled network.
    You could set the default controls to block in the windows firewall advanced
    setting gui/control panel and then use the following ideas to start opening
    things up.
 
Port Rules
    You could unblock a port on both tcp and udp simply with `Unblock-Port -port 1434`
    Or just unblock a port on tcp `Unblock-Port -port 1433 -protocol TCP`
 
Program Rules
    There is also `Unblock-Program -name "steam"` this will find that folders
    that match that program name in the program files folders and allow all
    exe's within those folders access to the network.
    Or you can specify a path to a specific program(s) with `Unblock-Program
    -path "C:\Path\to\program.exe"`
    Each Unblock function has an equal `Block` function that operates the same
    but creates block action rules.
 
Removing Rules
    You can also remove rules that were created with this module with
    `Remove-PortRule` and `Remove-ProgramRule`.
    THe parameters for
 
RULE NAMING
    These removals and adds of firewall rules will create names based on the
    command used. i.e. `Unblock-Port -port "1433-1434","135"` would create rules
    named "Unblock Port 1433-1434,135 TCP inbound", "Unblock Port 1433-1434,135
    TCP outbound", "Unblock Port 1433-1434,135 UDP inbound", "Unblock Port
    1433-1434,135 UDP outbound" Running `Remove-PortUnblock -port
    "1433-1434","135"` Would remove all 4 of those rules by using
    `Get-PortRuleName` to get the base string used for creating the rule and
    appending a wildcard `*` to it.
    The program rules follow a similar pattern of `{Unblock|Block} program
    {programName} - {program.exe} {inbound|outbound}` and the
    `Remove-ProgramRule` function works in the same wildcard appending manner.