I have zone alarm firewall. atleast 3 times a day it askes me if sf.bin should be allowed. Each time with a diffrent IP address. How many have they got? this is annoying. let me have all 50 thousand of them and I will alow them all in one go.
Annoyed
Update and server cycling require that. Can you make an exclusion (or full access/server access) on ZA settings?
IP address? I don’t think sf.bin should really connect anywhere… What exactly is ZoneAlarm asking?
Thanks Tech
I should drop my firewall to allow all virus and malware so that Avast sf.bin can get through! I don’t thinks so.
igor
sf.bin should really connect anywhere…
The last two attempts for sf.bin are
23rd 17:50 224.0.0.253
24th 12:50 239.255.255.250
ZA states that Avast sf.bin wants to access the internet.
Who said that?
Why do you think that allowing sf.bin server access will “drop” your protection?
Worse: do you really think that I will suggest such a thing in a security forum?
sf.bin should not try to connect, AFAIK. But, it is updated “frequently” by Avast. The update should come from the avast.setup process, which is the one connecting and performing the engine and database updates.
Avast will keep trying to update sf.bin. You should delete all the firewall rules related to Avast (avastsvc.exe, avastui.exe, avast.setup…). Then set your firewall in “learning mode”, reboot and then let the firewall to rebuild the rules related to Avast.
If any of the processes / services of Avast are not automatically allowed by the firewall, then add them manually, and reboot once again.
Please report back.
If your problem is not solved when you read this you could look here for more information about solving your problem.
“I want a firewall with outbound protection/notification”…Careful what you wish for, you may get it! 
Avast strikes again
sf.bin wants to connect to the internat: Zone alarm
239.255.255.250 25th 21:30
So, I understand that you don’t want to exclude Avast folder (or at least its executables) from your ZA, nor rebuild the firewall rules to allow connection to avastsvc.exe, avastui.exe, avast.setup…
sf.bin is the emulator part of avast! - so as I said, it shouldn’t connect anywhere (meaning it’s not required for its functionality).
So either the emulated executable itself is connecting somewhere (not sure if that can happen, I’m not that familiar with the emulator internals), or another process on your machine is injecting some module into the emulator that tries to connect out.
In any case, I’m afraid it’s up to you to configure your firewall accordingly (you can safely block sf.bin - but you’d need to use a wildcarded filename, because it will be in a different folder every time).
ATTACK AGAIN
Now the IP address is
224.0.0.253
Why does Avast not have a contact us where you can talk direct to them. I have now clicked allow in Zone alarm but no doubt Avast will invent a new IP address/ computer server.
These are multicast addresses.
http://www.networksorcery.com/enp/protocol/ip/multicast.htm
Avast need a contact us. I have been told that sf.bin should not be doing this. What has avast got to say? Can’t contact them ZA has captured it again
sf.bin. trying to access the internet. 239.255.255.250 28th 16:50
This is not a ZA problem it is an AVAST problem. I can’t configure ZA to turn a blind eye to AVAST. ZA is working perfectly well on my computer.
These IPs are special and don’t exit your system, see image.
This block is reserved for special purposes.
I believe this has more to do with ZA paranoia or over sensitive settings.
See Reply #9 & #13. (Also multicast related…!!)
I don’t know how sf.bin should be involved in this…???
I do have ZA in a learning mode. It askes me if I want it. I tick allways allow, but It keeps comming back to bite me. As a computer programmer I have lots of software on my computer includiing adobe flash and microsoft .net software. I have ABSOLUTLY no problem with any other software on my computer.
I would drop ZA, it was good some years ago, but not anymore, imo.
I agree. Your solution reminds me of the patient who sees his Doctor, and says “Hey Doc, it hurts when I move my arm back and forth like this”…And the Dr. says, “Then stop moving it”.
Seems easy to me!