Programmatically add an application to Windows Firewall
Not sure if this is the best way, but running netsh should work:
netsh firewall add allowedprogram C:\MyApp\MyApp.exe MyApp ENABLE
I think this requires Administrator Permissions though,for obvious reasons :)
Edit: I just don't know enough about ClickOnce to know whether or not you can run external programs through it.
I found this article, which has a complete wrapper class included for manipulating the windows firewall. Adding an Application to the Exception list on the Windows Firewall
///
/// Allows basic access to the windows firewall API.
/// This can be used to add an exception to the windows firewall
/// exceptions list, so that our programs can continue to run merrily
/// even when nasty windows firewall is running.
///
/// Please note: It is not enforced here, but it might be a good idea
/// to actually prompt the user before messing with their firewall settings,
/// just as a matter of politeness.
///
///
/// To allow the installers to authorize idiom products to work through
/// the Windows Firewall.
///
public class FirewallHelper
{
#region Variables
///
/// Hooray! Singleton access.
///
private static FirewallHelper instance = null;
///
/// Interface to the firewall manager COM object
///
private INetFwMgr fwMgr = null;
#endregion
#region Properties
///
/// Singleton access to the firewallhelper object.
/// Threadsafe.
///
public static FirewallHelper Instance
{
get
{
lock (typeof(FirewallHelper))
{
if (instance == null)
instance = new FirewallHelper();
return instance;
}
}
}
#endregion
#region Constructivat0r
///
/// Private Constructor. If this fails, HasFirewall will return
/// false;
///
private FirewallHelper()
{
// Get the type of HNetCfg.FwMgr, or null if an error occurred
Type fwMgrType = Type.GetTypeFromProgID("HNetCfg.FwMgr", false);
// Assume failed.
fwMgr = null;
if (fwMgrType != null)
{
try
{
fwMgr = (INetFwMgr)Activator.CreateInstance(fwMgrType);
}
// In all other circumnstances, fwMgr is null.
catch (ArgumentException) { }
catch (NotSupportedException) { }
catch (System.Reflection.TargetInvocationException) { }
catch (MissingMethodException) { }
catch (MethodAccessException) { }
catch (MemberAccessException) { }
catch (InvalidComObjectException) { }
catch (COMException) { }
catch (TypeLoadException) { }
}
}
#endregion
#region Helper Methods
///
/// Gets whether or not the firewall is installed on this computer.
///
///
public bool IsFirewallInstalled
{
get
{
if (fwMgr != null &&
fwMgr.LocalPolicy != null &&
fwMgr.LocalPolicy.CurrentProfile != null)
return true;
else
return false;
}
}
///
/// Returns whether or not the firewall is enabled.
/// If the firewall is not installed, this returns false.
///
public bool IsFirewallEnabled
{
get
{
if (IsFirewallInstalled && fwMgr.LocalPolicy.CurrentProfile.FirewallEnabled)
return true;
else
return false;
}
}
///
/// Returns whether or not the firewall allows Application "Exceptions".
/// If the firewall is not installed, this returns false.
///
///
/// Added to allow access to this metho
///
public bool AppAuthorizationsAllowed
{
get
{
if (IsFirewallInstalled && !fwMgr.LocalPolicy.CurrentProfile.ExceptionsNotAllowed)
return true;
else
return false;
}
}
///
/// Adds an application to the list of authorized applications.
/// If the application is already authorized, does nothing.
///
///
/// The full path to the application executable. This cannot
/// be blank, and cannot be a relative path.
///
///
/// This is the name of the application, purely for display
/// puposes in the Microsoft Security Center.
///
///
/// When applicationFullPath is null OR
/// When appName is null.
///
///
/// When applicationFullPath is blank OR
/// When appName is blank OR
/// applicationFullPath contains invalid path characters OR
/// applicationFullPath is not an absolute path
///
///
/// If the firewall is not installed OR
/// If the firewall does not allow specific application 'exceptions' OR
/// Due to an exception in COM this method could not create the
/// necessary COM types
///
///
/// If no file exists at the given applicationFullPath
///
public void GrantAuthorization(string applicationFullPath, string appName)
{
#region Parameter checking
if (applicationFullPath == null)
throw new ArgumentNullException("applicationFullPath");
if (appName == null)
throw new ArgumentNullException("appName");
if (applicationFullPath.Trim().Length == 0)
throw new ArgumentException("applicationFullPath must not be blank");
if (applicationFullPath.Trim().Length == 0)
throw new ArgumentException("appName must not be blank");
if (applicationFullPath.IndexOfAny(Path.InvalidPathChars) >= 0)
throw new ArgumentException("applicationFullPath must not contain invalid path characters");
if (!Path.IsPathRooted(applicationFullPath))
throw new ArgumentException("applicationFullPath is not an absolute path");
if (!File.Exists(applicationFullPath))
throw new FileNotFoundException("File does not exist", applicationFullPath);
// State checking
if (!IsFirewallInstalled)
throw new FirewallHelperException("Cannot grant authorization: Firewall is not installed.");
if (!AppAuthorizationsAllowed)
throw new FirewallHelperException("Application exemptions are not allowed.");
#endregion
if (!HasAuthorization(applicationFullPath))
{
// Get the type of HNetCfg.FwMgr, or null if an error occurred
Type authAppType = Type.GetTypeFromProgID("HNetCfg.FwAuthorizedApplication", false);
// Assume failed.
INetFwAuthorizedApplication appInfo = null;
if (authAppType != null)
{
try
{
appInfo = (INetFwAuthorizedApplication)Activator.CreateInstance(authAppType);
}
// In all other circumnstances, appInfo is null.
catch (ArgumentException) { }
catch (NotSupportedException) { }
catch (System.Reflection.TargetInvocationException) { }
catch (MissingMethodException) { }
catch (MethodAccessException) { }
catch (MemberAccessException) { }
catch (InvalidComObjectException) { }
catch (COMException) { }
catch (TypeLoadException) { }
}
if (appInfo == null)
throw new FirewallHelperException("Could not grant authorization: can't create INetFwAuthorizedApplication instance.");
appInfo.Name = appName;
appInfo.ProcessImageFileName = applicationFullPath;
// ...
// Use defaults for other properties of the AuthorizedApplication COM object
// Authorize this application
fwMgr.LocalPolicy.CurrentProfile.AuthorizedApplications.Add(appInfo);
}
// otherwise it already has authorization so do nothing
}
///
/// Removes an application to the list of authorized applications.
/// Note that the specified application must exist or a FileNotFound
/// exception will be thrown.
/// If the specified application exists but does not current have
/// authorization, this method will do nothing.
///
///
/// The full path to the application executable. This cannot
/// be blank, and cannot be a relative path.
///
///
/// When applicationFullPath is null
///
///
/// When applicationFullPath is blank OR
/// applicationFullPath contains invalid path characters OR
/// applicationFullPath is not an absolute path
///
///
/// If the firewall is not installed.
///
///
/// If the specified application does not exist.
///
public void RemoveAuthorization(string applicationFullPath)
{
#region Parameter checking
if (applicationFullPath == null)
throw new ArgumentNullException("applicationFullPath");
if (applicationFullPath.Trim().Length == 0)
throw new ArgumentException("applicationFullPath must not be blank");
if (applicationFullPath.IndexOfAny(Path.InvalidPathChars) >= 0)
throw new ArgumentException("applicationFullPath must not contain invalid path characters");
if (!Path.IsPathRooted(applicationFullPath))
throw new ArgumentException("applicationFullPath is not an absolute path");
if (!File.Exists(applicationFullPath))
throw new FileNotFoundException("File does not exist", applicationFullPath);
// State checking
if (!IsFirewallInstalled)
throw new FirewallHelperException("Cannot remove authorization: Firewall is not installed.");
#endregion
if (HasAuthorization(applicationFullPath))
{
// Remove Authorization for this application
fwMgr.LocalPolicy.CurrentProfile.AuthorizedApplications.Remove(applicationFullPath);
}
// otherwise it does not have authorization so do nothing
}
///
/// Returns whether an application is in the list of authorized applications.
/// Note if the file does not exist, this throws a FileNotFound exception.
///
///
/// The full path to the application executable. This cannot
/// be blank, and cannot be a relative path.
///
///
/// The full path to the application executable. This cannot
/// be blank, and cannot be a relative path.
///
///
/// When applicationFullPath is null
///
///
/// When applicationFullPath is blank OR
/// applicationFullPath contains invalid path characters OR
/// applicationFullPath is not an absolute path
///
///
/// If the firewall is not installed.
///
///
/// If the specified application does not exist.
///
public bool HasAuthorization(string applicationFullPath)
{
#region Parameter checking
if (applicationFullPath == null)
throw new ArgumentNullException("applicationFullPath");
if (applicationFullPath.Trim().Length == 0)
throw new ArgumentException("applicationFullPath must not be blank");
if (applicationFullPath.IndexOfAny(Path.InvalidPathChars) >= 0)
throw new ArgumentException("applicationFullPath must not contain invalid path characters");
if (!Path.IsPathRooted(applicationFullPath))
throw new ArgumentException("applicationFullPath is not an absolute path");
if (!File.Exists(applicationFullPath))
throw new FileNotFoundException("File does not exist.", applicationFullPath);
// State checking
if (!IsFirewallInstalled)
throw new FirewallHelperException("Cannot remove authorization: Firewall is not installed.");
#endregion
// Locate Authorization for this application
foreach (string appName in GetAuthorizedAppPaths())
{
// Paths on windows file systems are not case sensitive.
if (appName.ToLower() == applicationFullPath.ToLower())
return true;
}
// Failed to locate the given app.
return false;
}
///
/// Retrieves a collection of paths to applications that are authorized.
///
///
///
/// If the Firewall is not installed.
///
public ICollection GetAuthorizedAppPaths()
{
// State checking
if (!IsFirewallInstalled)
throw new FirewallHelperException("Cannot remove authorization: Firewall is not installed.");
ArrayList list = new ArrayList();
// Collect the paths of all authorized applications
foreach (INetFwAuthorizedApplication app in fwMgr.LocalPolicy.CurrentProfile.AuthorizedApplications)
list.Add(app.ProcessImageFileName);
return list;
}
#endregion
}
///
/// Describes a FirewallHelperException.
///
///
///
///
public class FirewallHelperException : System.Exception
{
///
/// Construct a new FirewallHelperException
///
///
public FirewallHelperException(string message)
: base(message)
{ }
}
The ClickOnce sandbox did not present any problems.
It's possible to access the data from the firewall, look at the following articles.
- Windows XP SP2 Firewall Controller
- Controlling Windows Firewall using C# via COM Interop
The real question is does the ClickOnce sandbox allows this kind of access? My guess would be that it doesn't. Maybe you could use a webservice? (For more information about the data access methods in ClickOnce see Accessing Local and Remote Data in ClickOnce Applications)