Firewall GPO settings.

[Koldov]

Recently I've decided to look at our firewall policy and came across a few inconsistencies (apart from it being turned off on the SIMS server)...

 

Anyway, I noticed whilst trying to tidy up RDP and limit access it was having no effect and looking on the server found the Domain profile wasn't configured.

 

Now, the computers and the laptops have the Firewall on (and say they are configured by Group Policy).

 

 

But there appears to be 2 parts...? Something I've never really had to pay much attention to, but there is Windows Defender Firewall and Windows Defender Firewall with Advanced Security.

 

They are configured in 2 different GPO settings:

 

Windows Defender Firewall is in Computer Configuration > Policies > Administrative Templates/Networ/Network Connections/Windows Defender Firewall

 

The 'Advanced Security' is in Computer Configuration > Policies > Windows Settings > Security Settings/Windows Defender Firewall with Advanced Security

 

But which has priority/precedence if they are configured in the same policy? For simplicity shouldn't everything just be in one section?

 

Also, what I don't understand is that in the Default Domain Policy the Advanced Security Firewall is 'not configured' for all profiles... but on the server if I look at the Firewall it is only the Domain Profile that is off. So that hasn't come from the policy and yet I can't find any other policy that overrides it...