how can I disable the internet ( DNS server ) contact for an executable generated in LV?

[Stephanie B]

Hi Char,

Do you have answers to altenbach's questions?

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@altenbach wrote:

A DNS lookup does not mean much. Do you know if it generates any real traffic afterwards, e.g. contacting the server it just tried to resolve? What server? What port?

Does the DNS query also happen if you run the code in the development system?

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Thanks!

[Char]

Yes, I answered these questions already.

1. I enclosed the picture with the DNS specs, but do not think really any traffic is involved.  I do not know for sure.

2. I answered "no" to the "DNS query in the development systems" question.

[altenbach]

Char,

Do you have details or your computer: OS version, Symantec firewall version, etc.

Once curious observsation is that Symantec believes that your application is doing the DNS query by itself. Isn't that typically done by a windows process on behalf of your application? (Not sure about how symantec treats that).

[Char]

OS: XP home. Though it looks like ME and Win98 do the same thing.

My firewall is just the standard Norton Protection center (2007). It also advises me everytime I fire up LV that it wants to connect to the internet. I just assumed that ni was querying who was using LV at what time.  Is this true?

The compiled application does the DNS query. It seems to me that LV is doing it.

Check out this related thread:  http://forums.ni.com/ni/board/message?board.id=170&message.id=216801&query.id=98237#M216801

Thanks,
C

[altenbach]

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@Char wrote:
My firewall is just the standard Norton Protection center (2007). It also advises me everytime I fire up LV that it wants to connect to the internet. I just assumed that ni was querying who was using LV at what time.  Is this true?

The compiled application does the DNS query. It seems to me that LV is doing it.

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The development version needs access to the network, because serval modules (e.g. example finder) seems communicate via the localhost (127.0.0.1) interface. None of these packets leave the computer, so they pose no danger. If you install LabVIEW on XP SP2 and later, you'll get instructed to allow network access.

I am no big friend of Norton (e.g. AV, firewal, etc.), because the are "bloatware" and consume and signifincant amount of system resources. I'll do some packet tracing...

[Slyfer]

Why NI customer care don't give official replies?

This is something like a bug, and still occurs today.

It's nowhere correct that a simple executable that doesn't use network fires up the firewall.

I have McAfee for small business and when I build the VI for the first time, firewall jumps up saying that my application is trying to access the internet.

I disabled ALL, both VI server and VI webserver.

I noticed that the .aliases file is indeed a INI file with the line:

[MyComputer]

MyComputer = $IP_address

I am not able to destroy/change it, because it's re-created every build

There are some settings somewhere that enable some kind of TCP or UDP connection that is intercepted by firewall.

Again, how can we disable this?

I can't believe for 4 years we don't have the solution for this bug!

Message Edited by Slyfer on 02-25-2009 05:57 PM

[Wiebe@CARYA]

"Slyfer" <x@no.email> wrote in message
news:1235581810489-860206@exchange.ni.com...
> Why NI customer care don't give official replies?This is something like a
bug, and still occurs today.It's nowhere correct that a simple executable
that doesn't use network fires up the firewall. I have McAfee for small
business and when I build the VI for the first time, firewall jumps up
saying that my application is trying to access the internet.&nbsp;I disabled
ALL, both VI server and VI webserver.I noticed that the .aliases file is
indeed a INI file with the line:[MyComputer]MyComputer = $IP_address&nbsp;I
am not able to destroy/change it, because it's re-created every
build&nbsp;There&nbsp;are some settings somewhere that enable some kind of
TCP or UDP connection that is intercepted by firewall.Again, how can we
disable this?I can't believe for 4 years we don't have the solution for this
bug!Message Edited by Slyfer on 02-25-2009 05:57 PM

NI Customer case probably does care, but this is a public forum. So they are
probably not reading this discussion!

[Smootastic]

Hi Slyfer,

What version of LabVIEW are you using?  Have you looked at KnowledgeBase 2GD9CL6Q:  What Ports Do I Need to Open on My Firewall for National Instruments Softwa...   In general, National Instruments software uses TCP ports to communicate between the various support programs.  When you distribute programs, what do you include in the installer?  Screenshots of the firewall interception help us out.

Message Edited by Smootastic on 02-27-2009 01:49 PM

[Slyfer]

Smootastic,

I am using LV 8.5.1 full

thanks for the article linked

I try to explain better my problem (not only mine I suppose): even if we make a simple project with 1 vi that just do X + Y and display the result in a indicator Z, after webuild the project (attention: no installer here! just build exe file), the firewall jump up at the very first run of the exe we created.

My mcafee for small business just says that the executable IS TRYING TO ACCESS THE INTERNET, but it's not true, because it doesn't contain ANY kind of connection. 

I think it's because of the runtime that activates something while running, even if I don't use those features.

In the building options I disabled everything, like web sever, activex server, vi server.

So my simple vi, is not a server at all, nor is a client for any connection.

[altenbach]

I've built many applications 8.5.1 and using wireshark to capture all packets, I don't see anything interesting in the packet capture when opening a built application. There are no packets generated by the LabVIEW executable.

Maybe your application is special. If you don't mind, can you attach your built application that does x+y=z and I will do a network capture. (Or download wireshark and do your own :)).

I typically really don't trust programs such as mcafee. They are mostly smoke and mirrors to give you that warm and fuzzy secure feeling, but unless they can give you an exact log of what they are seeing (including source and destination ports, protocols, etc. and ideally the packet payload), they are completely worthless.

"Is trying to access the internet" simply does not cut it for me 😉 So, until further examination, most likely the blame is with mcafee and some built-in hairtrigger paranoia. I don't know what kind of activity mcafee intercepts, maybe LabVIEW is just e.g. checking the availabilty of network interfaces without sending any packets and mcafee throws a fit. Just a wild guess.... Who knows?

So, please see if you can get a more comprehensive event log (I don't know if there is such an option in mcafee) or ask on the mcafee forum (if there is one) to get more information.