PeerBlock

PeerBlock
PeerBlock 1.1 on Windows 8.1
Developer(s) Mark Bulas, "night_stalker_z", "XhmikosR"
Initial release September 27, 2009 (2009-09-27)
Last release
1.2[1] / January 14, 2014 (2014-01-14)
Repository
Written in C++
Operating system Microsoft Windows
Available in English
Type Firewall
License GPL or zlib License
Website peerblock.com

PeerBlock is a free and open-source personal firewall that blocks packets coming from, or going to, a maintained list of black listed hosts.[2] PeerBlock is the Windows successor to the software PeerGuardian (which is currently maintained only for Linux).[3] It blocks incoming and outgoing connections to IP addresses that are included on blacklists (made available on the Internet), and to addresses specified by the user.[3] PeerBlock mainly uses blacklists provided by iblocklist.com.

Development

PeerBlock 1.0 is based on the same code as PeerGuardian 2 RC1 Test3 Vista version.[3] It adds support for 32- and 64-bit Windows Vista, Windows 7, and Windows 8. When the PeerGuardian project ended, its developer Phoenix Labs encouraged current PeerGuardian users to migrate to PeerBlock.[4]

PeerBlock is under development by a small team of developers led by Mark Bulas.[5] Hosting, as well as the signed driver, is funded by donations from the public. Future donations are intended to contribute to future signed drivers, hosting and to possibly rent a virtual private server on which the team should be able to build a "real" online-update feature for future releases of PeerBlock.

Features

PeerBlock has multiple features in the latest version of the program. These include a constantly updating blocklist managed by the home site and a manager that lets you choose which lists to include in the block. The program allows for a user to turn on and off both IP and HTTP trackers as well as including a log showing the time, source, IP address, destination, and protocol of the tracker. A list of settings allows users to both customize their program's interface as well as its operations.

Until September 2013, I-Blocklist, the supplier of the blocking lists PeerBlock uses, supported unlimited free list updating. Since September 2013 updates were limited to once weekly, except to paid subscribers. PeerBlock is hard-coded to use I-Blocklist lists and has entered into a revenue-sharing agreement with I-Blocklist.[6] In late 2015 blocklists were no longer available without payment of a subscription.[7]

In late 2017, peerblocklist.com began offering free blocklists against malicious hosts and ad-servers to Peerblock and Peerguardian users.[8]

References

  1. ↑ Peerblock, LLC. "PeerBlock 1.2 – Peerblock Site". Archived from the original on 2014-01-16.
  2. ↑ Harac, Ian (November 5, 2009). "PeerBlock Helps You Surf the Web in Secret". PCWorld. Retrieved 29 March 2018.
  3. 1 2 3 "What is PeerBlock's relationship with the old PeerGuardian program?". Archived from the original on February 8, 2010. Retrieved July 18, 2010.
  4. ↑ "Phoenix Labs – Powered by vBulletin".
  5. ↑ Peerblock, LLC. "About Us – Peerblock Site". Archived from the original on 2009-10-02.
  6. ↑ Peerblock, LLC. "PeerBlock / IBlockList Partnership – Peerblock Site". Archived from the original on 2013-10-14.
  7. ↑ "List Update Error: Subscription required – Peerblock Site". Peerblock.com. Archived from the original on 26 December 2015. Retrieved 31 December 2015.
  8. ↑ "Blocklists for Peerblock & Peerguardian". peerblocklist.com. Retrieved 3 December 2017.
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