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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 block them, allow them once, or allow them always.

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, including allowed apps. Useful for emergency situations.

Rules

How do I create rules?

Rules are created automatically when you answer a prompt with Allow always or Block. There is no manual rule-creation dialog.

What are Smart Toolchain Rules?

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

Can I edit rules?

Yes. In the main window rules list, right-click any rule (or open the Edit rule dialog) to change its inbound/outbound verdicts.

How do I backup rules?

Copy the rules file while CyberWall is closed:

%ProgramData%\CyberWall\rules.json

Restore it to the same location to recover your rules.

Prompts

Why do I keep seeing prompts for the same app?

Check these causes:

  • Allow once — temporary decisions expire after about 10 minutes; use Allow always for a persistent rule
  • Dismissed prompt — closing a prompt without choosing only blocks temporarily
  • Rule removed — if the rule was deleted, the next connection prompts again

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. Answer the prompt with Allow always. No more prompts for that app.

Connection Monitoring

What is logged?

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

How do I view the connection log?

Open the Connections tab in the main window, or use the blocked log entry in the tray menu.

Can I export logs?

There is no CSV export. The log viewer can copy entries to the clipboard, open the raw log file, or clear it. The raw file is at %ProgramData%\CyberWall\blocked.log.

Troubleshooting

Windows shows a SmartScreen warning on install

Expected for new releases until Windows builds enough reputation for the file; see Installation & Setup: click More info, then Run anyway.

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

  • 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?

CyberWall is designed to be lightweight. Actual usage depends on the number of rules, notifications, 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.

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