Configuring firewall for Opera

[erikdourns]

erikdourns last edited by

Hello,

I really love Opera browser except 4 important problems, 2 of them connected with Firewall I post here.

1. I have 3 browsers - Opera, Firefox, Edge. Also I prefer to block at Windows Firewall all inbound and all outbound traffic by default, except individual enabling rules. When I setup firewall as I need - Edge works with only 1 allow rule, Firefox works with only 1 allow rule, but Opera don't work even with allow rules for all *.exe from Opera folder! Please, tell which exactly firewall rules your Opera needs to work through "block all by default" Firewall?

2. It's very annoying to use Opera with Firewall because only Opera (not one of Firefox/Chrome/Edge/etc) after each update changes it's main folder and thus path to a main opera.exe. You must resolve this problem by using folders with version as backup, but use current active version from one constant folder like "Active" or "Current" thus it's path will not change after each update!

Waiting for your help with #1!

[molecule]

molecule @erikdourns last edited by molecule

@erikdourns that's exactly what I was experiencing. Windows Firewall is configured to block inbound and outbound traffic, but traffic is allowed when a rule is defined.

Created 2 rules for launcher.exe / TCP and UDP.
Created 2 rules for opera.exe / TCP and UDP.
All for "private" network (not for public or domain) makes 4 rules for Incoming and 4 rules for outgoing traffic only for Opera browser, but not getting content in browser when calling a website.

What am I doing wrong?

[burnout426]

burnout426 Volunteer last edited by

Allowing the opera.exe that's in the root of the install folder (not the opera.exe that's in a version folder) should be enough to do the trick.

[molecule]

molecule @burnout426 last edited by

@burnout426 Thank you for your input.
Please check this image wether you can find anything wrong:
The image shows outgoing rules for the private profile of this computer, that is currently used by this computer.
I'm not sure if the path is correct, but it's the path the icon points to:
C:\Users\myuser\AppData\Local\Programs\Opera\launcher.exe

Firewall rule setup made this out of it automatically:
%USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local\Programs\Opera\launcher.exe

I added the same path with opera.exe.
Both with TCP and UDP entries.

Outgoing connections are blocked:

Now, i'd need more help, because it's weird bahavior.
Either the path is wrong or something else blocks at Operas side?

The language in images is german, if there are questions....

Who knows what?

[molecule]

molecule @molecule last edited by

1. I added both programs (launcher.exe and opera.exe) to the app exeption list as well to allow communication through Windows Defender Firewall:

While adding my entries they were automatically called "Opera Internet Browser" point to:
C:\Users\myuser\AppData\Local\Programs\Opera\launcher.exe
C:\Users\myuser\AppData\Local\Programs\Opera\opera.exe

2. There were already two entries called "Opera" they had these paths:
   C:\WINDOWS\ServiceProfiles\LocalService\AppData\Local\Programs\Opera\launcher.exe
   C:\WINDOWS\ServiceProfiles\LocalService\AppData\Local\Programs\Opera\opera.exe

When I try to enter the path from already present entries to an outgoing rule I get an error message:

"The file "C:\WINDOWS\ServiceProfiles\LocalService\AppData\Local\Programs\Opera" was not found. Check the spelling and try again."

Obviously it does not find the path.

[burnout426]

burnout426 Volunteer last edited by

I tested. I set the Windows Firewall to block outgoing connections by default. The rule I had to add to allow Opera's outgoing connections was a program rule for "C:\Users\yourusername\AppData\Local\Programs\Opera\92.0.4561.21\opera.exe". I named the rule "My Opera Rule Versioned opera.exe". I tried adding rules for "C:\Users\yourusername\AppData\Local\Programs\Opera\opera.exe" and "C:\Users\yourusername\AppData\Local\Programs\Opera\launcher.exe", but unfortunately, those didn't help.

So, yeah, the rule needs to be changed with each update of Opera in that case unfortunately.

[burnout426]

burnout426 Volunteer @molecule last edited by

@molecule said in Configuring firewall for Opera:

"C:\WINDOWS\ServiceProfiles\LocalService

Those are problem something the Opera installer adds. Not sure. I guess you can't modify them.

[molecule]

molecule @burnout426 last edited by

@burnout426 Thanks for taking the time to confirm my observation. Yes, you would have to change the path everytime an update was installed.
The wrong path that is generated during installation seems to be a place holder for future healing...

I hope to find a workaround soon or I have to leave Opera. I don't accept that every program is sending out information from my computer, when your personal data is your greatest worth these days.

[burnout426]

burnout426 Volunteer @molecule last edited by burnout426

@molecule I didn't test yet, but if you allow "C:\Users\yourusername\AppData\Local\Programs\Opera\opera.exe" and launch Opera with that opera.exe (instead of with launcher.exe), does that rule work then?

[molecule]

molecule @burnout426 last edited by

@burnout426
I cannot test your suggestion atm, because in between I found a workaround:
Testing TinyWall now.
With that little Firewall-"Extension" you could simply add relevant exe to your whitelist. Let's see how occuring Opera-Updates get affected or simply work... but you have another two tasks running in background. More Benefits it helps to look up processes and where they want to talk to which ip-addresses and even restrict LAN-Connections.