Prompted to add exceptions in Window Firewall for evernote

[adutchman 2]

I have been using Evernote for years and have had it running on this Windows computer for more than 3 years.  I was recently forced to upgrade to version 10, not ideal, but hey, I'm working thought that issue.  (I should have researched for another solution before now, so that's on me).

I am here today, because, for the first time ever, when launching Evernote 10 on my PC, I was prompted to add exceptions for it thought the Windows Defender Firewall.  (I chose to not allow this).  Evernote still seems to work just fine, but I am curious as to why I was prompted to do this in the first place.

I would like to add that this happened right after I clicked on the shortcut to launch the application and it updated itself to the latest build.

Does anyone have any ideas why I would need to add a specific application exception for evernote.exe in the Windows firewall?

Edited March 6 by adutchman
Added some more information.

[gazumped 12,078]

9 hours ago, adutchman said:

Does anyone have any ideas why I would need to add a specific application exception

Nope - hasn't been an issue for me on Win 11 / Evernote 10.78.2 - I do use "split tunnelling" on my VPN connection because remote servers ***** up my IP address...

EDIT: (Sorry for the language )

[VincentC 353]

I use Malwarebytes... for the first time a couple of versions ago, Malwarebytes flagged the install file. A version or two later, it no longer flagged the download file and all is back to normal.

I'm not sure what this means for you other than to say that, for me, it was an issue which was short-lived and corrected itself.

It also occurs to me to ask where you got the download from - directly from the Evernote website?  That seems to be the best route rather than downloading from the Windows store.

 

Vinnie

[gazumped 12,078]

29 minutes ago, VincentC said:

That seems to be the best route rather than downloading from the Windows store.

The various app stores have their own versions - slight alterations maybe,  but enough to make them a step behind Evernote.com for updates some of the time.

[adutchman 2]

Once again!  When launching the Evernote app today, it processed an automatic update, and I was presented with this pop-up screen again.  I have a screen shot this time.  I have never added an exception to the Windows Firewall for Evernote before and it seems to work just fine. 

What does the Evernote app want to have exceptions in my firewall for?

[adutchman 2]

On 3/6/2024 at 10:57 AM, VincentC said:

It also occurs to me to ask where you got the download from - directly from the Evernote website?  That seems to be the best route rather than downloading from the Windows store.

 

Vinnie

The initial install was downloaded directly from the Evernote website.  The first time that I installed version 10, I was not prompted to add firewall exceptions.

This only happens when the client automatically updates itself.

[VincentC 353]

For me it happened with a download from the Evernote website that I initiated myself.  But it was only on one "micro-version" and it corrected itself a few days later wiht the next update.  So, unfortunately,  your issue may be different.

 

Vinnie

[Catrina 28]

HELP!!  ME TOO!!   For the first time ever (in ten years of using Evernote!) the Windows Security (Firewall access) dialog box (which looks just like the screenshot posted by ADUTCHMAN above) also just appeared on my Evernote Windows Desktop upon Evernote updating automatically to version # 10.87.6.  I am clueless as to why or even what box to uncheck on it -- I unchecked the "Public Networks" box, but it will not let me uncheck the "Private Networks" box (even when I try to access the settings through Windows Control Panel "Allow Apps to Communicate Through Windows Defender Firewall" -- it will not let me uncheck Private Networks.)  

Does anyone know WHY this is now happening with this latest automatic update of Evernote?  

Does anyone know which boxes should be unchecked (or checked) to secure the highest level of security/safety for my Windows laptop PC (which is on my private home wifi network), yet allow Evernote to function properly?

I am certainly no tech wizard, just a home user who wants to keep my personal info secure -- so any help would be greatly appreciated.  Thank you.

[gazumped 12,078]

Hi.  I just updated to 10.87.6 but didn't get prompted for any changes. 

Have a look on the main Defender Firewall window though for "Allow an app or feature through the Windows Defender Firewall"

If you follow that link you'll find a (surprisingly long) list of all apps with permissions,  and on my system Evernote already has access to both public and private networks - as do many other apps that depend on online access like my mail client and installed browsers.

If you're using all of Evernote's features and syncing to the server,  it needs the fullest access to be able to work correctly.

[PinkElephant 8,842]

This looks more like a question that should be asked at Microsoft than here.

It is not transparent (not for an app dev, not for you, not for us) when and why a security software will treat a data flow differently. Most apply some "self learning" routines, and some heuristics (assumptions) to detect activities that may have escaped the AV database.

And there you go, a false positive is created, users shaken, confidence eroded. That's what like happened in your case.

But again, ask Microsoft.

[adutchman 2]

I disagree.  When looking at the allowed apps in the Windows Firewall rules, evernote.exe was found.  I never added it and I know that Microsoft will not just automatically add an app to the firewall rules.

I proceeded to manually remove the entry and the entry for evernote.exe was gone for a while.  Subsequently, an update was silently pushed, and I was prompted to restart the app to allow the installation to proceed.  Upon doing so, I got the security warning asking as previously posted.  I chose not to allow it and re-checked the list of allowed apps in the firewall rules.  Again, evernote.exe was showing up.  That is a pretty strong indication that the installer for evernote is attempting to add itself to the windows firewall rules.

Note that for me, the app works just fine without being added to the firewall.

[gazumped 12,078]

5 hours ago, adutchman said:

That is a pretty strong indication that the installer for evernote is attempting to add itself to the windows firewall rules.

On my system,  Outlook, Chrome and a dozen other web-related apps have all got access that I didn't (AFAIK) specifically authorise - it's not just Evernote's installer that seems to add exceptions to the firewall.  If it's a concern then do ask Support about it.

There's no direct help in the support pages that I can see...  these may help:

https://help.evernote.com/hc/en-us/articles/208313608-How-to-connect-to-Evernote-through-a-firewall-or-proxy-server

https://evernote.com/security