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FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

General questions about CyberWall features, configuration, and troubleshooting.

General

What is CyberWall?

CyberWall is a per-application firewall for Windows powered by the Windows Filtering Platform (WFP). It uses a default-deny architecture that intercepts unknown network connections and prompts you to allow or deny them.

Is CyberWall free?

Yes. CyberWall is completely free and open source under the GPLv3 license. You can help keep it free here.

Why does CyberWall need Administrator privileges?

WFP operates at the kernel level and requires elevated privileges to install firewall filters and monitor network traffic.

Does CyberWall replace Windows Defender Firewall?

No. CyberWall works alongside Windows Defender Firewall. It uses the same WFP layer but provides per-application prompts and a more user-friendly interface.

Firewall Modes

What are the firewall modes?

Mode Description
Ask to Connect Prompt for each unknown app
Block All Silently block unknown apps
Killswitch Block all network traffic
Disabled No filtering

Which mode should I use?

Ask to Connect is recommended for most apps. It provides security while letting you control which apps can access the network.

What is Killswitch?

Killswitch is total network lockdown. All traffic is blocked except for apps you've explicitly allowed. Useful for emergency situations.

Rules

How do I create rules?

Rules are created automatically when you respond to prompts. You can also manually add rules in Settings → Rules.

What are Smart Toolchain Rules?

CyberWall automatically resolves companion executables. For example, if you allow Git, it will also allow git-remote-https, ssh, and other Git helper programs.

Can I edit rules?

Yes. Go to Settings → Rules, right-click any rule to edit its properties.

How do I backup rules?

Export rules to JSON: Settings → Rules → Export. You can import them later or on another machine.

Prompts

Why do I keep seeing prompts for the same app?

Check these settings:

  • Remember decision — Make sure to check "Remember" when responding
  • App version change — CyberWall re-prompts if the app updates
  • Different connection type — Inbound vs outbound may have separate rules

What happens if I don't respond to a prompt?

After the auto-block timeout (default: 5 minutes), the connection is automatically blocked. You can adjust the timeout in Settings.

Can I disable prompts for specific apps?

Yes. Create a rule for the app with "Allow" verdict and "Remember" enabled. No more prompts for that app.

Connection Monitoring

What is logged?

Every blocked or allowed connection is logged with: timestamp, app name, protocol, remote IP/port, direction, and action.

How do I view the connection log?

Click the Log button in the main window, or right-click the tray icon → View Log.

Can I export logs?

Yes. The log viewer has an export function to save logs as CSV.

Troubleshooting

CyberWall doesn't start

  • Ensure you're running as Administrator
  • Check if .NET 10 runtime is installed
  • Verify Windows Event Log service is running

No prompts appearing

  • Check if firewall is enabled in Settings
  • Verify mode is set to "Ask to Connect"
  • Ensure the app doesn't already have a rule

Legitimate apps can't connect

  • Check if "Block All" or "Killswitch" mode is active
  • Look for the app in the rules list and verify it's allowed
  • Temporarily switch to "Disabled" mode to test

High CPU usage

  • Reduce TCP polling frequency in advanced settings
  • Clear old connection logs
  • Restart CyberWall

Conflicts with other firewalls

CyberWall is designed to coexist with Windows Defender Firewall. Third-party firewalls may conflict — test with only one enabled.

Performance

Does CyberWall slow down my internet?

No. WFP filtering operates at kernel level with minimal overhead. Network speed impact is negligible.

How much memory does CyberWall use?

Typically 50-100 MB RAM, depending on the number of rules and log entries.

Does it affect gaming?

CyberWall has minimal performance impact. You can whitelist your game apps to avoid prompts during gameplay.

Contributing

How can I report a bug?

Open an issue on GitHub Issues with:

  • CyberWall version
  • Windows version
  • Steps to reproduce
  • Expected vs actual behavior

How can I contribute code?

  1. Fork the repository
  2. Create a feature branch
  3. Submit a pull request
  4. Describe your changes in the PR description

How can I help with translations?

UI strings are in src/CyberWall.Common/I18n/. Submit a PR with your translation.

How can I donate?

See the Donate section on the main README.