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Internet Firewalls - Are These Deterrents As Effective As We
by Stacey Misope
http://www.firewallclub.com
If someone sold you a filter for your furnace and said it
can trap all dust particles and other pollutants forever,
would you believe it? Odds are you know better. I mean,
how can a filter trap each and every particle from traveling
from your furnace up through your ductwork and into your
room? After a certain amount of time and as the filter
clogs, the filter looses strength. If you're smart, you'll
periodically change that filter to get maximum coverage with
the latest technology. A computer firewall operates in
pretty much the same manner. While the majority of
firewalls can block ordinary spam and viruses from getting
through, these nasty infiltrators sometimes find ways to get
into your system and shimmy past your firewall.
So, is it pointless to use firewalls in the first place? By
no means should you bypass these security systems. Without
a firewall, metaphorically speaking, you're leaving your
system open to flooding that will push so much debris into
your computer that you're computer will either lock up
entirely or steal every bit of information off your
computer. Fortunately, firewalls can adapt too and improve
to keep up with these mutating infiltrators as long as you
make the effort to continually upgrade your firewall.
Your computer system has the best protection when you use a
firewall that uses several layers of security checkpoints.
In many ways, a firewall is like a maze that breaks down the
attacker as it travels through the firewall's tunnels. Many
levels are set up from the entry point (Internet connection)
to your stored information and the Internet. Just like a
sound wave, a firewall breaks down an intruder until it
looses speed and momentum. Firewalls have the tough job of
working more efficiently than sophisticated computer and
Internet viruses swiftly work to learn the firewall's
language.
Operating a computer that's connecting to another system and
the Internet runs the risk of coming across encrypted
messages with harmful or intrusive intentions. The thought
of not having a firewall on your computer is similar to the
action of running through a front line battle without armor
- You just don't want to partake in that kind of foolish
risk. A savvy Internet user relies on a firewall that has
several protective layers: packet filtering, circuit relay
and application gateway. Basically what this boils down to
is prior to whatever wants to comes in must first go through
a firewall and then whatever wants to go out must again
first pass through a firewall. If information or systems
operate separate of a firewall, the data and program is
fully exposed to whatever elements come its way. To learn
more about firewall layers, visit www.pc-help.org.
Windows Firewall is one firewall that's universally found on
window systems. This firewall automatically updates itself,
blocks unwanted messages, and alerts you about intruders.
According to PC World Online, the below firewalls are rated
the best:
Sygate Personal Firewall, VisNetic Firewall, Kerio Personal
Firewall, Norton Internet Security for Macintosh, ZoneAlarm
Free, McAfee Personal Firewall Plus, BlackIce PC Protection,
and Tiny Personal Firewall.
While some firewalls are free, others are shareware or "buy
only". Since deterrents that destroy information, rob our
personal identity and basically intrude and track our
movement without permission are as big of a threat as ever,
always install the latest version of the best firewall for
your hardware and software.
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