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Personal Firewall - Don't Get Burnt Online. Even if you think no one would bother to attack your solitary home computer online, as soon as you connect to the Internet, your computer becomes a target for hackers, malicious code, personal data theft, and other unseen dangers. A personal firewall can be a valuable defence against these online threats, keeping your computer and your personal information safe. |
What a Firewall Can Do For You |
Firewall's function by providing a line of defence
between computers that share information. For example, between your computer, and the internet. The purpose of
a personal firewall is to
control the flow of information back and forth between your
computer and your Web server. A firewall examines all traffic routed between your computer and the
Internet to see if it meets certain criteria. If it does,
it is allowed in. If it doesn't, it is stopped. Protecting
your computer from intrusion, the firewall keeps your machine
from getting burned by destructive intrusions that could
result in data loss or file corruption.
A personal firewall, also known as a software firewall can give you the
tools you need to protect your private information while
connected to a public network:
- You
may select which information you would like to protect,
such as a credit card number or password. If you attempt
to send that number to an insecure site - such as one
that doesn't support sufficient encryption -- the firewall will alert you.
- Firewall's can also prevent Web servers from getting access to
other sensitive data, like your address, while you're
browsing.
- Cookies,
small text files stored on your computer by a Web server,
can be useful for surfing because they help other sites
remember you when you revisit, eliminating the need
to enter login information with each visit and keeping
your shopping basket current. But they may also raise
privacy concerns since they could be used to track your
web surfing unknowingly.
- You
can also block Java applets and ActiveX controls, both
of which may endanger personal information and computer
security.
- In
addition to controlling information, firewall's can let you know if anyone has tried to access that
information using intrusion detection that notifies
you and analyses the data for patterns that may point
to a weak spot in your security system.
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Do You Need a Firewall? |
Anyone who surfs the Web can benefit from personal firewall software whether you use dial-up or enjoy an always-on Internet connection, like a broadband connection. Many PC users believe that no one would bother breaking into their anonymous home computer. Unfortunately, this is not true. Every computer on the Internet has its own IP address, a unique string of numbers that serve as a type of identification, similar to your home address. Hackers often program their computers to scan random IP addresses and attack whenever a vulnerable machine is found. They don't need to know your machine personally to attack it. And this intrusion could cost you many files and programs -- especially if you have to reinstall your operating system without warning.
There are a number of good firewall's on the market from Norton and McAfee Personal Firewall's to ZoneAlarm Pro which can provide you with the ultimate in security for your home computer, right out of the box. Because it automatically configures itself specifically to your PC, it is easy to use and provides customized security for your needs. It immediately "hides" your PC and takes other steps to guard it against common hacking techniques. You can choose basic settings quickly with easy-to-use presets, or you can adjust the security settings to your exact preferences using more detailed customizations. Anyone online can benefit from personal firewall software. Don't let hackers and other online dangers threaten your PC. Keep them safe, behind a Firewall.
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