"Windows Defender Firewall has blocked some features...." repeats

joelshort · 11 Aug 2020

Windows 10 v1909

There are 3 programs/apps on my NUC system that for some reason I regularly get "Windows Defender Firewall has blocked some features of this app" and I have to give permission to proceed. I have also manually allowed these apps through the firewall, but that setting doesn't seem to stick.

Another strange thing is that I have a second NUC that is identical to the first (for use as a backup) and this issue does not happen on that system.

This will always happen after a windows update, but it also happens between updates. I haven't been able to determine a pattern or cause that resets the firewall allowance for these apps.

Any ideas? This isn't critical but it is annoying.

Macboatmaster · 12 Aug 2020

Presuming that you are referring to your Asus tablet
please send spec of your NUC and more importantly what are the thee apps

joelshort · 12 Aug 2020

Macboatmaster said:

Presuming that you are referring to your Asus tablet
please send spec of your NUC and more importantly what are the thee apps

I have updated "My Computer" to reflect my two NUC systems.
The apps in question are likely nothing you've heard of: PHD2, Stellariumscope, Cygwin

I'm not sure if this is related or not, but I also have an issue with "Change Advanced Sharing Settings". I network these 2 NUC miniPCs with my desktop computer, and on the same NUC that has the firewall problem these advanced sharing settings get reset often so that I cannot see network files on that NUC until I change the settings back to turn on network discovery and turn on file and printer sharing. Somehow those get set to off with the same frequency as the firewall issue.

Macboatmaster · 13 Aug 2020

You are correct
I have never heard of themn
However I do see this
Download StellariumScope

For some reason Windows 10 Defender (and possibly Norton) is identifying the setup as having a virus. To my knowledge all files on this web site are virus free but please be cautious. Use VirusTotal web site to test for yourself.

and as thew windows security centre - previously defender by just that name is now intertwined with virus and threat protection, the firewall and other aspects of 10 including for instance security on Edge and others, I suspect some tweaking is going to be necessary..

The same applies to Cygwin
Cygwin FAQ
see 4.4.3 and other on that link

Maybe you will find some help on the extensive Cygwin links to troubleshooting, there appears to be a number of suggestions.

I regret I cannot advise you, as you say I have no knowledge of them and I feel reasonably certain, it is a question of trial and error.

In respect of the sharing settings and the need to turn them back on have you check your firewall rules
see my screenshot please - the shown file and printer sharing and further down the network discovery

changes are made on headings inbound and outbound seelcting item and then enabling or disabling on right pane as required.