PyFolderFirewallBlocker Copyright (c) 2025
Licensed under the PolyForm Noncommercial License 1.0.0
You may not use this software for commercial purposes including but not limited to:
- Selling this software or derivatives
- Bundling in paid products
- Offering as part of a commercial service
See full license: https://polyformproject.org/licenses/noncommercial/1.0.0/
PyFolderFirewallBlocker is a portable Windows utility that blocks all executable files within a selected folder (and optional subfolders) from accessing the internet by automatically creating Windows Firewall rules.
Inspired by the discontinued Folder Firewall Blocker (2016), this modern replacement adds the features the original lacked — most importantly full reversibility, rule tracking, and firewall state recovery.
🔒 Core Features
Block internet access for:
.exe, .dll, .sys, .msi, .bat, .cmd, .js, .vbs and more
Custom file extensions (user-defined)
Recursive folder scanning
Windows Firewall rule creation (inbound + outbound)
Automatic UAC elevation (Admin prompt)
Fully reversible rule management:
Unblock selected files
Unblock all rules created by the app
Firewall snapshot system:
Export full firewall state
Restore firewall to previous snapshot
Visual UI built with PyQt5
Portable design (no installation required)
Safe rule namespace using hashed paths
💡 Use Cases
Sandbox legacy software
Prevent telemetry or phone-home behavior
Block background updaters
Restrict game launchers / DRM services
Secure testing environments
⚙️ How It Works
The application scans the target directory, detects executable file types, and creates Windows Firewall rules via netsh advfirewall to deny inbound and outbound traffic on a per-file basis. All created rules are tracked in a local JSON registry so they can be cleanly removed or restored later.
✅ Safer Than Manual Firewall Edits
Unlike manual firewall configuration or legacy tools, PyFolderFirewallBlocker guarantees:
No orphaned rules
Full rollback capability
No modification of unrelated firewall policies
🖥 Requirements
Windows 10 / 11
Administrator privileges
Python 3.8+
PyQt5
📦 Packaging
To create a portable EXE:
_pyinstaller --onefile --noconsole ffb.py
🚧 Disclaimer
This tool modifies Windows Firewall rules. Always export a firewall snapshot before bulk changes.
