McAfee MTP10EMB3RAA Processor Guide - Page 86

Using Firewall Protection The role of IP addresses Use learn mode to discover Internet applications Report mode can be used as a "learn mode" to help you determine which applications to allow. In Report mode, firewall protection tracks but does not block unrecognized Internet applications. You can review detected applications in the Unrecognized Programs report and approve those that are appropriate for your policy. When you no longer see applications you want to allow in the report, change the policy setting to Prompt or Protect mode. The role of IP addresses An IP address is used to identify any device that originates or receives a request or a message over networks and the Internet (which comprises a very large group of networks). Each IP address uses a unique set of hexadecimal characters to identify a network, a subnetwork (if applicable), and a device within the network. An IP address enables: • T he request or message to be delivered to the correct destination. • T he receiving device to know where the request or message originated and where to send a response if one is required. Total Protection Service allows you to configure a custom connection to accept only communications that originate from designated IP addresses. You can specify IP addresses that conform to either of these standards: • IPv4 (Internet Protocol Version 4) - The most common Internet addressing scheme. Supports 32-bit IP addresses consisting of four groups of four numbers between 0 and 255. • IPv6 (Internet Protocol Version 6) - Supports 128-bit IP addresses consisting of eight groups of four hexadecimal characters. The role of system service ports System services communicate through ports, which are logical network connections. Common Windows system services are typically associated with particular service ports, and your computer's operating system or other system applications might attempt to open them. Because these ports represent a potential source of intrusions into a client computer, you must open them before the computer can communicate through them. Certain applications, including web servers and file-sharing server programs, must accept unsolicited connections from other computers through designated system service ports. When configuring a custom connection, you can: • A llow applications to act as servers on the local network or the Internet. • A dd or edit a port for a system service. • D isable or remove a port for a system service. NOTE: Select a port for system services only if you are certain it must be open. You will rarely need to open a port. We recommend that you disable unused system services. 86 McAfee Total Protection Service Product Guide