@securityconcerned said in Need help in taking pfSense for test drive in VirtualBox:
my computer is infected with viruses, and these perpetrators also seem to be on my network at various times. So I was thinking of putting a pfSense firewall on my network.
Look outside. We are in the year 2020.
Most, if not all processes communicate with each other using something like TLS.
This is even more valid if these processes have sensible information to hide, like, for example, viruses.
So, never ever pfSense can find out what is coming in and out of your network **.
There is only one way out. Stop downloading any executables, probably even pay-ware, free ware for sure.
Remember : if there is no price (no $) then the product is YOU.
There are two major solutions for this. Stop clicking. And your done. This will even save your mouse buttons.
Far less better, but it might work : check out all the videos from, for example, https://www.youtube.com/user/ThePCSecurity - you'll see an relatively up to date tests among 'the best' which you will re qualify as the "most commercial known". And again, if you pay nothing, you will have the quality worth you paid for. Knowing that 0 / "something" is .... known as zero.
It's not very hard to learn where to look for when it comes to viruses and family. And when done, no more need to use anti-virus scanners and stuff like that (I'm using none).
Don't get me wrong, but I concerned about your concept of security ;)
** actually, I should say : pfSense could do some inspection work for you. The real issue is : a huge knowledge about SSL/TLS, certificates, proxies will be needed. People that can pull this one of .... never do so because they do not have the need for it : these guys saw a virus somewhere in the last decade, the day they were learning.
An exception to the rule might be an email server, something like postfix, which doesn't belong at all on a device that is a firewall router like pfSense. This kind of server unpacks your mail, and stores them in clear text, which makes scanning possible before the user can see and/or download it into the mail client.
There is no such solution as "install XYZ ito pfSense, set this and ckick there" and all my traffic is scanned, and blocked if needed.