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Did you know that when your computer is
connected to the internet, it has over 131,000 ‘ports’ that a
hacker could connect to? These
ports are like doors in a building and if they aren’t protected
properly, then someone could sneak in without you noticing. If the hacker is not installing a
virus, they can still do some serious damage without alerting your
security software, including transmitting your personal information. So how do you watch all of these
doorways to your information? You
need a firewall!
In construction terms, a firewall is a
fire-resistant wall that subdivides a building to stop the spread of fire
from one area to another. In
computer terms, we need to stop communications between your computer and
others on the internet. A total
block of all internet communication would be useless though, so you need
a way of selecting which type of communications you want to receive. For this, computer firewalls have rules
and filters much like construction firewalls have access doors.
Where do I put
this firewall?
Firewalls can be on a hardware box (a separate
unit or part of your internet modem or router) or can be software
installed on your computer. Most
popular security software packages also include a firewall. A hardware firewall is great for
providing a barrier before your computer is even reached and will also
mean that your computer doesn’t have to spend its precious
resources on running the firewall software. It also reduces the risk of the
firewall itself being compromised, as some viruses can try and disable
security software features that are running on your computer. The downside is that a hardware-based
firewall can be more expensive and not as easy to configure and maintain
if you are unsure of how to use them.
If Microsoft
gives me a firewall, do I need another one?
The Windows Firewall (on Windows XP Service Pack
2 and Vista) only examines inbound
communications coming into your computer from the internet. If your computer becomes infected (e.g.
if you install some free software that turns out to have a hidden nasty)
then your outbound communication to other computers on the internet
won’t be examined or filtered.
This can turn your computer into a source of infection, impacting
your security and internet connection.
It’s also not recommended that you run more than one
software firewall as this uses more processing power and can cause
conflicts, so if your security software includes a firewall, turn off the
Windows Firewall.
If I have a
secure wireless connection do l need a firewall?
A wireless connection is another way to get onto
the internet and wireless security controls who
can use that connection. This is similar to allowing who can plug into
your phone line. Once you are
connected, your 131,000+ ports are still open to hackers, so you still
need a firewall. A firewall may be
included on your wireless router but it pays to check.
Why does it keep
on giving me messages?
If you are doing something specific (like
installing new software or troubleshooting a connection problem) you may
need to temporarily disable your firewall. Software firewalls may alert you that a
connection has been attempted and blocked and may ask if you wish to
allow that kind of connection in the future. In general, if you are doing something
new which would probably involve a connection to the internet, you can
allow the connection – either ‘this time only’ or for
all future connection attempts. If
in doubt, block it, as you can always allow it later if you find that it
is needed.
Firewalls provide an enhanced level of security
that has now become the minimum standard to protect your computer. They do require a certain level of
knowledge or a great computer support person, so talk to your local
Computer Troubleshooter to ensure that you are protected.
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