Network connection profiles

Profiles can be used to control the behavior of the ESET Internet Security Network protection for specific network connections. When creating or editing a Firewall rule, IDS rule or Brute-force attack protection rule, you can assign it to a specific profile or apply it to all profiles. When a profile is active on a network connection, only the global rules (rules with no profile specified) and the rules that have been assigned to that profile are applied to it. You can create multiple profiles with different rules assigned to network connections to alter Firewall behavior easily.

You can configure Network connection profiles and assignments in Advanced setup > Protections > Network access protection > Network access protection.

Network connection profile assignment—Enables you to choose if newly discovered network connections are automatically (select Auto from the drop-down menu) assigned a pre-defined or custom profile based on Activators configured in network connection profiles or if you want to be asked (select Ask from the drop-down menu) to Configure network protection and assign a profile manually every time a new network connection is detected.

You can also manually assign a specific network connection profile in the main program window > Setup > Network protection > Network connections. Hover over a specific network connection and click the menu icon > Edit to open the Configure network protection window and select a profile.

Network connection profiles—Click Edit to Add or edit Network connection profiles.

The following profiles are pre-defined and cannot be edited/deleted:

Private—For trusted networks (home or office network). Your computer and shared files stored on your computer are visible to other network users, and system resources are accessible to other users on the network (access to shared files and printers is enabled, incoming RPC communication is enabled and remote desktop sharing is available). We recommend using this setting when accessing a secure local network. This profile is automatically assigned to a network connection if it is configured as Domain or Private network in Windows.

Public—For untrusted networks (public network). Files and folders on your system are not shared with or visible to other users on the network, and system resource sharing is deactivated. We recommend using this setting when accessing wireless networks. This profile is automatically assigned to any network connection that is not configured as Domain or Private network in Windows.

When the network connection switches to another profile, a notification will appear in the bottom right corner of your screen.