Community Newsletter: Q&A forum: 6/3/05 Is a firewall absolutely necessary?

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Answer:

In order to gain an understanding of firewalls, a brief overview of how information enters and leaves your computer is in order. Computers use what are known as "ports" as a means to enter information in and transfer it back out. This is similar in nature to what ships use as their means to enter and leave their docks. They do this via what is known as "shipping ports" and are just a way in and out for the ships.

Computers on the other hand don't have ships entering and leaving them but they do have electronic information that enters and leaves. Some of this information will be stored on your hard drive and in a lot of cases can be sensitive in nature such as your personal banking account particulars etc. This is the kind of personal information that you don't want anyone from a large giant network such as the Internet having access to for obvious reasons.

Some ports on your computer are physical in nature such as those that you connect the keyboard , monitor, and other hardware to. However, there are also ports that are not physical but are electronic in nature. These electronic ports are what hackers target to gain entry into computers and networks. For example "port 80" is a main electronic port used on the Web. There are many others and hackers don't normally care which one it is as long as they accomplish their objective: gain illegal entry into your computer.

Now if the world was full of completely honest people there would be no need for police, no need for a military etc. By the same token if the Internet was populated with completely honest people there would be no need for anti-virus protection, firewalls ,etc. However, back to reality.

Please meet the "port scanners" of the world ! Also known as hackers. These are individuals or groups who use as one of their methods a process known as "port scanning". It is simply "electronically listening" across a network for a "busy port" on someone's computer so they can enter it. In most cases they are listening for very busy ports ( a lot of information entering and leaving) as this may indicate a computer of greater importance and a lucrative place for them to hang out. However there are also those that just like to wreak havoc on the vulnerable by just coming in and messing up their systems. In either case it causes many problems that could of been avoided if there was a way to make their computer ports appear to be "quiet" on a network. Introducing the "firewall" !

A "firewall" is a computer program that makes your computer appear "invisible" to the outside world, and in this case, the outside world being the Internet. Now relax, it doesn't really make it "invisible" to the human eye so don't worry, you're computer isn't going anywhere.

It is simply a program designed to make you computer appear to be "quiet to electronic ears" that are listening for busy ports on it which can provide the hacker a way in. Those that are always connected to the Internet such as via a cable connection are more vulnerable than those that are connected via a dial-up telephone modem. However, they are not totally free from the risk of intrusion. The risk is the same when they are online as those that are always connected. So basic firewall protection makes good sense for all that connect to the Internet.

There are a variety of firewall programs available with more popping up everyday. Norton's Anti-Virus and McAfee now both have firewalls available. One that you might want to give serious consideration to is Zone Alarm by Zone Labs available at http://www.zonelabs.com . Their specialty is firewall protection and is one that I personally use. Although I use the paid version, they do have a free version available which will provide you with good basic protection against hack attempts.

Hope this helps a little
Best regards,

Submitted by: Alex R.

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Answer:

A firewall is a barrier to keep destructive forces away from your property. In fact, that's why its called a firewall. Its job is similar to a physical firewall that keeps a fire from spreading from one area to the next.

A firewall is a program or hardware device that filters the information coming through the Internet connection into your computer system. If an incoming packet of information is flagged by the filters, it is not allowed through.

Everything you do on the Internetfrom browsing Web pages to downloading MP3 filesis managed by specific applications (programs) on your computer.

Hackers exploit this fact by planting "malware" on your computer. Sometimes they send out malware as e-mail attachments with innocent names like "screensaver.exe." If you open the attachment, you install the malware on you computer without even knowing it. Other times, they convince you to download the malware from a server by making it masquerade as an update to a legitimate program.

Once on your machine, malware can wreak havoc in a variety of ways. It can raid your address book and send itself to everyone in it, or it can listen for connection requests from the Internet. The hacker who distributed the malware can then contact it and give it instructions, effectively taking control of your computer.

Some operating systems come with a firewall built in.
A software firewall can be installed on the computer in your home that has an Internet connection. This computer is considered a gateway because it provides the only point of access between your computer and the Internet.

With a hardware firewall, the firewall unit itself is normally the gateway. An example is a Cable/DSL router. It has a built-in Ethernet card and hub. Your computer connects to the router, which in turn is connected to either a cable or DSL modem. You configure the router with a Web-based interface that you reach through the browser on your computer. You can then set any filters or additional information.

Hardware firewalls are incredibly secure and not very expensive. Home versions that include a router firewall and Ethernet hub for broadband connections can be found for well under $100.

Some firewalls offer virus protection, it is worth the investment to install anti-virus software on your computer. Even though it is annoying, some spam is going to get through your firewall as long as you accept e-mail.

One of the best things about a firewall from a security standpoint is that it stops anyone on the outside from logging onto your computer. Putting a firewall in place provides peace of mind.

Recommendations:

Software Firewalls

F-Secure, BlackICE, McAfee, Kaspersky Anti-Hacker, Symantec Norton, Zonealarm Pro, Sygate Pro.

Hardware Firewalls

Belkin, Linksys, Netgear, D-Link.

Submitted by: Bob W.

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Answer:

Simply put, a firewall is a virtual barrier between your home computer and the internet; letting things you want (such as web browsing) get through while automatically blocking things you don't. They are mainly there to provide protection from hackers who are people attempting to access your computer from the internet without your consent and knowledge, either to steal information or just cause havoc. All software firewalls also provide protection from malicious programs such as Trojan horses and spyware, some of which attempt to use your computer to send spam email or to attack other computers. Today, firewalls are absolutely necessary: every few minutes, computers without a firewall are broken into. Some are broken into to steal information, like bank details and addresses. Others can be controlled by the hacker to do anything they wish not a pleasant thought. No computer is safe without a firewall, no matter what model or the way it connects to the internet.

Fortunately, there are a few different ways to prevent these 'nasties' from causing you grief. The number one thing to do now, is to make sure Windows is up-to-date. If you are using Windows XP (characterized by a blue taskbar and green start button), then visit http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com. The website will take you through the process of updating your computer, step by step, and will automatically select the most important updates for you. Even if you are using older versions of Windows (98 or Me), you should still visit Windows Update to be on the safer side. If you use Windows XP and updates to do with "Service Pack 2" appear, I would strongly encourage that you install them. This major update installs a basic firewall for you, as well as allowing your computer to automatically download and install updates.

Once you have run Windows Update, the next step is to decide what type of firewall will suit you best. There are a couple of different options, but most boil down to how much money you want to spend.

If money is not a major factor (spending $40-60):

I'd recommend a good brand-name Firewall package from the computer shop. Something from the big players like Symantec (Norton) or McAfee is always a good bet, and both are equipped with automatic wizards to help you set up the security. The deciding factor here is your Antivirus software. If you are running McAfee VirusScan, then buy the McAfee Firewall (or if you use Norton AntiVirus, use Norton Personal Firewall) you will find the two products work together and often let you control both from just one of them. This can be very helpful in making them easier to use, and you won't need to spend lots of time finding your way around a different looking screen either.

If you are reasonably confident with computers (perhaps in the future, or if you want to add another computer) and are looking for better security, you may want to consider a hardware firewall also. This is a physical device that plugs into the wire between your computer and the internet while hiding your computer from the rest of the world. They are very effective, more secure and require little maintenance; most can even let you share your internet connection with another computer if you have more than one in the house. I wouldn't recommend one if you aren't too happy about playing about with cabling; if you do not have broadband (cable internet); or only have one computer simply because this isn't necessary for a casual user or novice. They generally retail for about $40-60, such as this one, which allows you to connect up to four PCs to the one internet connection. The important thing to note about hardware firewalls is that they only protect you from incoming attacks; they cannot control programs on your computer from connecting to the internet. For this reason, it is best to have a basic firewall application (like the one included with Windows XP Service Pack 2 or one of the below free options) too.

If money is a major factor, or you don't want spend any:

You can still get very good protection by spending absolutely nothing and downloading a free firewall program. I (and many millions of internet users) recommend [url=http://www.zonelabs.com/store/content/catalog/products/sku_list_za.jsp?lid=dbtopnav_za]ZoneAlarm[/url ]. This is fairly basic, but will provide all the protection you need against all the internet nasties. The only problem with it, as it is free, it may not be quite as easy to use. While I'm confident that it is easy enough to set up, if you'd rather have a program that configures itself automatically to keep you protected then go for one of the two paid options above.

Based on what you've said, I'd personally recommend you buy one of the brand name firewalls, like Norton or McAfee. There are several advantages with these to a new computer user like yourself: you will get full printed instruction manuals to help you set up the program and use more advanced features later on; you usually get access to a few months of phone support to help you out if you encounter problems; they will also feature automatic guided set-up tools to make the whole experience easier and less daunting.

I hope this isn't too complicated or technical for you, and wish you all the best with your computer. If you have any questions about this article, please reply to the post and I'll be more than happy to help.

Submitted by: Jamie T. of Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom

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Answer:

A. I could just answer your question simply and directly, but that might leave you with the impression that there is little to worry about and little responsibility on your part to prevent future problems caused by unwanted company that attaches itself to programs, files, cookies, or that just plain sneak in and play havoc in your system because you were not prepared.

Although you asked about firewalls, I suspect that you - as well as many users - consider anti-bug (or bug remover) maintenance to be a nuisance and a time consumer that is regarded about on the same level as cleaning out the oven and cleaning out the refrigerator cooling coils. Nonetheless, I must stand upon my soap box and dwell upon your answer as well as a more complete understanding of the seriousness of the need for thoroughness by stressing tolerance, patience, and being more observant, concerned, and responsible in keeping your hard drive clean through thoughtful housekeeping procedures and software.

Firewalls

A firewall can be designed in a hardware device, such as a router, which attempts to prevent unwarranted entry into your computer system from the internet. Sometimes, however, it is not as effective as would be desirable and so there are software programs that go a step further and communicate with you about rules that it would like you to make regarding who can and cannot come in to your computer system from the internet. This software firewall can also request you to apply rules as to who can and cannot go to the internet from your computer. Such as sneaky software that managed to convince you to install it into your system on false pretense. Once installed, these sneaky programs will attempt to send information back to the internet to various recipients. In some cases this may cause you to be the recipient of unwanted email or updated software you do not need or want that may cause system problems or overwhelming junk mail.

If you have the latest version of Windows XP with Service Pack 2 and subsequent updates, just make sure the firewall is turned on. To find out, open Network Connections, right click on each connection icon, select Properties, select Advanced, select Settings, and select ON (recommended).

If you find this procedure a bit more confusing than by the number, consider the strong possibility of joining a local computer users group for help and personal growth in the use of the various programs you might enjoy being involved with. Contact your local newspaper and library for assistance in obtaining contact individuals and meeting dates and times.

Again, assuming you have a relatively new computer with Windows XP, make certain that you have the latest version Service Pack (SP2) and subsequent updates. To go one step further: if you have dial-up service, I would advise you to utilize access to the internet via high speed broad band cable or DSL - at least for the XP Service Pack update since it is so large and time consuming. In the event that you do not have the latest version and you plan on updating to it, it is imperative to follow certain procedures not only prior to this update but for most program installations. So, with me to answer your question is like my seeing your hard drive as a loaded gun with a hair trigger. I need to cover more than one base for your question.

Anti-Spyware, Anti-Virus software, & House Keeping

You need to make certain that there are no virus, worms, Trojans, or spyware on the drive. You also need to make sure that you have cleaned out all unnecessary cookies, temporary files, and temporary internet files. All the procedures are quite easy and straight-forward once you have the most appropriate software in place and procedures set up. I have created a set of instructions on creating a House Keeping folder that incorporates all the necessary steps for keeping the bad guys and bad stuff out of your system at no or low cost. It is available for anyone who is interested.

Choosing the right anti-spyware programs and anti-virus varies from expert to expert and user to user, but for Windows XP I use (in this order) the latest engine and profile versions of SpywareBlaster, Spybot, Adaware, and Microsoft Anti-Spyware Beta 1 and follow their procedures as outlined in their Help files.

Most of all, I can't emphasize enough how much being a part of a computer users group would be a benefit to you to help you accomplish this with a minimum of frustration and anguish, let alone avoiding having to deal with the cost to hire someone to fix your system who could still botch the job and leave you worse off than before.

And just in case you ARE a member of a computer users group and haven't found the time to attend the meetings and some of the fascinating special interest groups meetings - make the effort. It will pay dividends many times over. I know.

Off the soap box. Once the system is clean, be sure to disable the antivirus and antispyware software during the XP update procedure. Once the update is complete and the computer reboots, the system should have everything enabled back to normal.

Here is a parallel to your House Keeping routine: In order to drive your car and keep it running, you know you need to keep the windshield clean. You need to change the oil and filter. You need to check the battery, brakes and tires on a regular basis. And if you don't keep your air and gas filters clean, the car just won't run right - if at all.

Same with your computer. Just keep things in perspective. You need to keep the bad guys out, block, disable, and/or remove the bad guys that got in - (firewall, anti-spyware, anti-virus). You need to keep an awesome and sometimes overwhelming amounts of junk files that build up over time when installing programs, uninstalling programs and surfing the net. And every once in a while you need to make sure that once everything is clean and healthy, there are files that are heavily used and modified and may be fragmented into pieces and need to be defragmented - to enhance the system's performance. Maybe once a week. There are many methods for making this very effective, and I have covered a discussion of a technique I use which is available for anyone who is interested.

Being aware of the problem is a good thing. Doing something effective about it on a regular basis is another good thing.

Don't limit your perspective to just "firewall" and "antivirus". Become informed. Once informed, pass your knowledge on to your friends. You become better at your efforts and gain strength and confidence in your ability to handle the problem.

Submitted by: Dennis S., member and program director of the Tampa Bay Computer Society, Clearwater, FL

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Answer:

Hi Stanley M,

A firewall is similar to the position of a doorman at an exclusive nightclub; it acts as a filtration device. It will allow those that are good company into the club and those that arent out based on instructions given by the club manager, but in a PC sense, a firewall monitor both entry and exits. In this analogy the door man is the firewall software or hardware that you plan to use, the club manager would be yourself as the end user and the people trying to get in and out of the club would be your PCs network traffic. For starters, if you are not making a connection to the Internet or an external network outside your Local Area Network (LAN), a firewall would not be necessary. If you have a LAN, where more than one computer is connected together via a network, the statement aforementioned is presuming that all computers in your LAN consists of users that are trusted and are not of any malicious nature. For if this was the case then a firewall would be required for each computer inside the LAN, most probably a software one. Firewalls are really a security precaution with concerns to network traffic being received from external sources outside your PC, if you only have one computer, or local network, for a number of computers. Any connection to the World Wide Web (WWW) or Internet is considered external to your PC or LAN, meaning that your computer/s at home has established a connection with an Internet Service Provider (ISP) and will be assigned an Internet Protocol (IP) address, currently in a dotted quad format similar to 203.59.177.193, that will identify your computer on the World Wide Network. If your IP address were to be compromised to a malicious user on the WWW, they will be able to make attacks at your computer, or in the analogys case, try to get into the club. The firewall will try to sort out network traffic and allow only those with high integrity or trusted sources in and out of your computer. How do people find out my IP address? Well every time you access a website, the web server will log your page request and the network address that the request was made from. A connection will be established between the Web Servers to your computer, exchanging network packets, finally, after time, allowing you to see the web page. This is just an example of obtaining IP addresses, any web application has the ability to do the same as a web address from the web service and client are required for any network activity to commence, and thus allow the web application to function as intended. http://www.cnet.com is a familiar web address, and easy to remember, but behind that domain name is an IP address similar to that one you received when connected with your ISP. A Malicious element on the WWW doesnt need to obtain your IP address, as there are some who make random attacks, and you may just be the unlucky one that has the matching IP address. I have always used Norton Internet Security that comes with my motherboard, so it comes free with the purchase of my computer and allows me to update it free for 6 months. I find it easy to use, and am very fond of how it lets you customize what programs are allowed to access the internet and restrict which websites are allowed to execute scripts and what not. Of course if you dont want to cause your brain a meltdown you can always allow the program to automatically configure each programs Internet access by default. Though if you were to encounter an application that didnt run as expected on the Internet, it is probably due to the automatic configuration, and a little intervention is needed. I refer to my MSN Messenger games that I tend to play with my close friends over the Internet. I set the program to prompt me of any unique network activities, it identifies the program, and if its a program I use often I choose for it to remember the choice I made. The good thing about software firewalls like Norton is that you get to choose which programs has access to the Internet, so any network activity outside those set by yourself, will be blocked. Norton also has a block all activities feature in the task bar, which I rarely use, but is a great way to isolate your computer from any network activity. Also if you plan to run a web service, like for a website. Norton will detect any incoming traffic and will set this up as well. There are other firewalls like ZoneAlarm, Mcafee Firewall. After upgrading my OS to Windows XP Professional x64 Edition, to get an idea of the look and feel for the AMD64 Windows, I have lost my Firewall protection as Norton is yet to release a 64-bit compatible version. So I will have to settle for the firewall Windows XP comes packaged with, which if enabled will block any suspicious network activities, I think updates to later versions allow a little more customization as to which programs are allowed to access the internet, Im not too sure as I havent invested much time in looking through the features. In my experience, Windows XP prompts me that a program is trying to access the internet, and then I give feedback of yes or no. Hopefully Norton will release an x64 compatible version soon.

Hardware firewalls are similar to software firewalls in function; it filters off suspicious network transmissions. I own a router that has a firewall built in. It will examine all headers of network packets, headers contain information of who the activity is sent from and who it is intended for, in brief. Once analysis is complete, data will be forwarded to the computer on the LAN that originally made the request. Say my computer wants to access http://www.cnet.com, my browser will make the request, my router will pickup the request and forward it to the ISP attaching the computer details from which the request was made, a request will be made for the IP address equivalent of the URL (conversions made via Domain Name Servers), which will then return a notice of the requests success back through my ISP to the router. The router then analyses the transmitted data, stripping it of the computer details and forwards the reply back to the computer which the request originally came. A network connection will be established and data transfer of the home page and other web elements will be transferred using a similar method above. This is a very brief explanation of the process by which a router forwards both requests and data received. Of course setting up a web service on one of the computers, required the configuring of the router and its port redirection feature. Say I wanted to setup a personal Web Server, just viewable to my trusted friend, whom I would be willing to share my IP address. I had to configure, using the web interface, and make all incoming network transmissions on port 80 be forwarded to the LAN network address on the computer that is running the server software. Typically 192.168.0.*, this method also identifies how an inbuilt firewall that comes with routers blocks all incoming network transmissions, bar the requests made through the routers forwarding system. Port 80 is the standard port for network transfers made under the hyper text transfer protocol, the standard protocol for websites. Of course opening up port 80 to be redirected to that computer, will expose the computer to attacks that use port 80. Different web ports a required for different web application standards, FTP uses port 21, secure SSL sites use port 443, and of course there are many varying port values up to 9999. Games being played online use different ports, unique ports aids in organising network traffic, one could imagine a lot of cars trying to get to different places on the same highway. It would take awhile and can be confusing. The fewer ports you have open the less likely you can be attacked, a firewall minimises traffic to only use the ports that you will require, generally determined by the applications that you use.

Once you own a firewall, it is very much your say on what you let in, and out of your personal PC, regardless of it being hardware or software. Though software ones are much easier to configure and come in a more presentable, easy to use, graphical user interface, in my opinion. If you are going to use the internet, I too would lean you towards getting a firewall installed on your computer. At times, even just a firewall will not be enough, anti-spyware, anti-virus and anti-malware software are good partners to firewalls in ensuring your computer will not be exposed to what is now an everyday problem when using the Internet.

Hope this helps.


Submitted by: Van T. of Perth, WA, Australia

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Answer:

Stanley, allow me to start by laying down that yes, a firewall is absolutely vital to Internet security. Understanding how a firewall works requires some knowledge of how the Internet works. Everyone on the Internet has an 'IP address.' (IP is short for Internet Protocol.) An IP address is something of an online name that your Internet Service Provider gives you. When you go to a website, you are really using a name that is easier to remember than four sets of three digit numbers. Anyways, whenever your computer 'talks' to another IP address, it opens a connection on a specific port. For example, when you visit a website, your browser connects to that website's IP address, on port 80 (which, again, is the numeral representation of http://). When you receive your mail, your computer 'talks' on port 110, and to send mail, port 25. All in all, there are 65535 ports. However, sometimes programs will open one of these ports on your own computer - sometimes intentionally, sometimes not. Regardless, these ports being open can lead to what is called a security hole.

When a port is left open, it can be used by someone else maliciously to do various things. One of them is called a Denial of Service attack - the MSBlast / Lovesan virus is a classical example. The other kind of security hole is called a Trojan horse. A Trojan horse is a program on your computer that can do almost anything to your computer, and it is controlled by another person. . . at another computer. 'Subseven' is an infamous Trojan.

A firewall is like a bottle cap for these holes, so your computer doesn't 'spill the milk.' It will watch all of your computer's traffic, carefully looking for any suspicious activity. For example, ZoneAlarm, the best firewall around IMHO, will report subseven as 'attempting to act as a server on port [varies].' It will then ask whether or not you want to allow the program to do so. Because most of the time it is hard to tell if it is a malicious program or not, you can click on it's 'advisor' button, where it will open a web page explaining what is happening in greater detail.

While EVERYONE needs a firewall (though I have heard dial-up Internet Service Providers say otherwise), some people already have one, but aren't aware of it. If you have Windows XP, service pack 2, Windows has a built-in firewall already doing it's job rather effectively. Some dial-up providers actually provide their customers with their own free firewall.

Some of the most popular firewalls you may wish to try are 'Norton Personal Firewall', McAfee's firewall (the name of which is currently slipping my mind), and, as mentioned, ZoneLab's ZoneAlarm.

So, do you need to have a firewall? Absolutely. What does a firewall do?

It protects your computer, and all of the documents you have on it, from prying eyes. Do you need to go and buy a firewall? No, not necessarily.

ZoneLabs has a free version of ZoneAlarm available. It isn't as pretty or as easy to use, but it will do the job.

Hope this helps,

Submitted by: William H.

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Answer:

Well Stanley, think of it like this: your internet connected computer is like a large room. All internet traffic flowing into and out of your computer has to pass through ports, which are like the doors to this room. There are thousands of ports (65536 to be
exact!) that internet traffic can flow through, and certain ports are designated for certain purposes. The HTTP port (port 80) is the most common and heavily used port. When you type an internet address into your web browser, then view and navigate a new page or website, all that traffic is flowing through port 80.
Other common ports are port 21, for FTP (file transfers), port 23 for Telnet (remote computer administration), or port 110 for POP3 (email retrieval).

A firewall is a program that runs on your computer and effectively shuts and locks all these open doors into your computer. All traffic flowing into and out of your computer has to pass through one of the doors that the firewall leaves open. Most good firewalls will configure themselves automatically, so that after you install it, you won't really notice a change.
Sometimes if you use a new or unusual program, the firewall might have to be reconfigured. Most will do this automatically too, however, by simply popping open a window to let you know what's going on and asking you what you would like to do. A firewall is a must for anyone with a broadband connection. It prevents malicious people and programs from breaking in to your computer, and if you by chance get infected with spyware or other malicious software, it will keep that traffic from getting out and slowing down your internet connection.

Two good firewalls that can be downloaded and used for free are ZoneAlarm and Sygate personal firewall. Both are extremely effective and easy to use, and they don't cost a penny for personal users! I have used both and can attest to their ease of use and their quality. One thing to note, however, is that ZoneAlarm can interfere with some online games, so if you're into that kind of thing, you might want to choose a different firewall. Just download the firewall you like, double click on it's installer program, and they will install and configure in a snap. You're only a few clicks away from safer browsing, and possibly faster browsing!

Submitted by: Nick J.

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Answer:

A: Yes Stanley, there always seems to be a plethora of programs people should have running to help protect their computer. Having a firewall is no exception; a firewall with a good antivirus can be the difference between a happy computer or a flambed computer.

What a firewall does in its simplest terms is block certain types of traffic (information/data) from entering/leaving your computer. For example, every time you go to a web page, chat with friends on instant messenger, or send/receive e-mail, information is being transmitted/received by your computer. Now, certain types of information comes in/leaves thru different doors, known as ports. The world wide web sends information to your computer through port 80, and there are hundreds of different ports that many people dont even know about or use.

So, why is monitoring this type of traffic important? Well, hackers can enter your computer using open ports you didnt even know you left open (think of leaving your back door unlocked), or try and disguise a malicious packet to look like a legitimate packet. A firewall will stop the traffic before it enters and asks you if its OK if this packet goes though. It usually tries to figure out where the packet is from, or at least give you some information about it.

There are different types of firewalls; firewalls can filter by port number (do not allow anything through port 25), by IP address (anything from IP address 125.45.202.01 is not allowed on this system), by program (WinAmp is not allowed access to the internet), or a combination of all three.

If you have Service Pack 2, Microsoft nicely bundled a firewall in with all the other security features. To make sure its turned on, go to START > CONTROL PANEL > SECURITY CENTER and see if the firewall is turned on.

If you would rather have your own firewall, there is a whole slew out there ranging from free to subscription based. Zone Alarm is a free firewall (www.zonelabs.com) which allows you to choose programs you want to have access to the internet. If there is a new program you did not specify in the setup trying to access the internet (like a program trying to look for updates), a window will pop up asking you if you would like it to allow the program access to the internet. Zone Alarm can also inform you when certain IP addresses are trying to access your computer. These can be legitimate, or they can be malicious. You can also give programs one time access to the internet or your computer, if it tries again you will be prompted whether to allow/disallow the connection. Zone Alarm is very user-friendly for people unsure of the inner workings of firewalls and offers step by step setup.

If you do decide to get your own firewall and you have SP2, just make sure you turn Microsofts firewall off, two firewalls on can become confusing! Oh and be sure to update your firewall regularly with the latest patches from the vendor!

I hope this helps you out Stanley. If you would like to learn more about firewalls, just google it and I am sure you will find a slew of information!

Cheers,

Submitted by: Melissa A.

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Answer:

Hi Stanley,

Firewalls have been around since before the Internet became the rage 20 yrs. ago. The military has been using them since the early 70's to prevent the "enemy" from eavesdropping. To put it as simply as possible, a firewall is a way to keep unwanted access to your computer from those who would take advantage of any "open doors" your computer may have. Firewalls are only needed if you access the internet as opposed to an anti-virus program which is always needed. People who take advantage of open doors are called "hackers". Most hackers do it for the fun of it because they can. It's like a mountain climber always being asked why he/she climbs mountains and the reply is usually "because it's there". These types of hackers are generally young and have way too much time on their hands. The other type of hacker has only bad intentions. They hack to hurt and/or spy on you. If a hacker has access to your computer, he can upload a program to do almost anything. The worst of which could be identity theft, the second being destroying the data on your hard drive. Since you say you are very new to this world I won't go into details. You can find literally thousands of pages on the internet that explains how a firewall works. Just key in "firewall" on any google search.

Since computers are still being built with these weaknesses, I ALWAYS recommend that anyone who desires to access the internet use a firewall, even if it's Microsoft's weak one. A firewall is essentiaI if you want to enjoy all that the internet has to offer. I have been using Zone Labs' Zone Alarm Pro for several years and have never been broken into. You pay a subscription for the "Pro" version but they have a free version that is always picked as the best free firewall out there. It's even been considered better than most firewalls you pay for. CNET has reviews of all the major firewalls if you want to read them.

Viruses are the scourge of personal computers today. As the word implies, viruses are little programs can infect your computer with either malicious code that destroys data and the like or a virus can just pop a banner up on your screen and say "Good Morning To You, Hav A Nice Day" The most common way a virus gets on your system is through email. Viruses can be attached to seemingly innocent emails. They can be hidden on a CD. They can even be sleeping until a certain date and time. They can be in your closet, (just kidding).Again, I won't put any technical explanations on you but there are many sites that explain how they work. Some folks will use a 'security suite' that contains a firewall, anti-virus, and a spam blocker in one package. This works fine for some but I use a different anti-virus than say, the one provided by Zone Labs' security suite. McAfee Anti-Virus is an excellent choice (I use it) and so is MicroTrend's anti-virus program. McAfee has the advantage in my book because of it's online subscription method. Updates to the definition file (every time a new virus is found, the specs for fighting it goes here) are automatic as long as you're connected to the internet.

Stanley, I have been in this business over 35yrs. and I am still at awe with the progress we make every day. The internet has taught me so much, I doubt all the PhDs out there could come close to covering it all. I visit web sites all over the world and have chatted with people all over the world. You have entered a world full of wonder and with a few precautions, you won't regret it. ENJOY!!

Jack F. (old enough to BE a grandpa)


Submitted by: Jack F. of Tucson, AZ

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Hi Stanley,
Yes, you need a firewall. Threats to your computer come in several varieties, including (1) virus and worms, (2) probes into your computer from the Internet and (3) various kinds of spyware. You need protection against all three, and because the threats come from different sources and do different things, that means different applications to detect and neutralize them.

As you have recognized, virus and worms require an anti-virus product to scan your arriving e-mail and other files being accessed by your computer such as those on the floppy disks your grandchildren bring you. Spyware requires scanners that retroactively find and allow removal of files and applications that have arrived from the Internet sites you visit and/or monitors that detect and prevent an attempt to install the stuff.

What does the firewall do? Every device connected to the Internet has an address and if someone sends a request to the address of your computer it may respond with a computer equivalent of "Yes, I'm here. What do you want?" Armed with the knowledge that there is a responsive computer at the probed address, the sender can try to access your files looking for information he can sell (credit card numbers, bank account numbers and passwords), or he might place an application on your computer that looks for this kind of information and sends it to him (a trojan) or an application that allows him to use your computer to send spam or attack other computers. The point is, you want to hide your computer from such probes and you want your computer to notify you if some application installed on it attempts to connect to the Internet. That is what a firewall does.

There are two types of firewalls: hardware devices and software applications. Some people use both. If you have a single computer connected to the Internet, a software firewall will do the trick for you. What you have to do is obtain and set up the firewall so it will allow Internet traffic for the applications you control (your Internet browser, e-mail application and your anti-virus updater, for instance), prevent other applications from connecting to the Internet with a notification that the attempt is being made, and hide your computer from the random probes I mentioned above.

If you are running Windows XP, there is a firewall included with the operating system. If is somewhat limited, in that it will not prevent and report outgoing traffic, but you already have it and it is a good start. Check its status (enabled or disabled) by clicking My Computer | My Network Places | View Network Connections. If the firewall is active for a connection, the description next to each icon will say so. If not, right click the connection icon, click Properties, click the Advanced tab and you will find the firewall activation procedures.

Another source of firewalls are the security suites sold by the anti-virus companies. As I mentioned, the various threats to your computer require different methods to counter them. The anti-virus companies such as McAfee and Symantec (Norton) have responded by bundling the different responses under one name. McAfee calls the bundle the McAfee Security Suite, while Symantec calls it the Internet Security Suite. You pay one fee for the whole thing and all updates are handled together.

Finally, you should have a look at the firewall from Zone Labs (www.zonelabs.com) called Zone Alarm. There is a free version which can be downloaded from their site and other free download sites such as Cnet's www.download.com. This firewall has an excellent reputation and does report outgoing connections as well as prevent the incoming probes from finding your computer. There is a moderately priced paid version that adds features such as a blocker for pop-up ads and more control over the kind if information that is allowed to leave your computer.

I've tried to focus here on why you need a firewall, what it does and how to obtain it. I hope that is helpful.


Submitted by: Bob R.

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Stanley, if you'd like a startling demonstration of just how necessary a firewall is, try plugging a computer (one with no important information on
it!) into the Internet without a firewall installed. You'll find that within 10 minutes -- probably less -- it'll be infected with some sort of virus, worm, spyware or adware, or all of the above. This is how so-called "zombie" PCs are created: the bad guys secretly install software on your unprotected PC, which can then be remotely controlled to relay unsolicited commercial e-mail, more adware and spyware and other nasty stuff, or to participate in Denial Of Service attacks against websites.

Windows XP has a built in firewall which can give you basic protection.
However, it only takes care of incoming traffic. If a piece of malware does manage to sneak onto your computer somehow, and starts transmitting outbound data -- which most, if not all of them, do -- you won't be alerted.

One solution is to use a hardware firewall system, which generally will give you rock solid protection. However, they can be fairly tricky to set up properly.

The other solution is software, such as the free Zonealarm product from Zone Labs. Installation is fairly straightforward, and the program will take care of most of the configuration for you. It will monitor incoming and outbound traffic and alert you to any potentially suspicious activity. As you become more proficient with it, you can dig a little deeper into the configuration options if you like, and tweak them. It's also available in a paid Pro version, which supports networks very well, should you decide to set one up.

A lot of people are under the impression that a firewall is only necessary on a cable, DSL or other broadband connection which is "on" all the time, but that's not true. Even if you're using a dialup connection and are only connected to the Internet for short periods of time, you can still have a problem. It only takes a few seconds for something malicious to slip through, and once it's on your computer, it can keep an eye on your computer's status, and secretly "phone home" each time you're online.

There are other software products aside from Zonealarm; I'm talking about this one in particular because I've used it for years with very good results. You might want to do a search on "firewall" and then do a little experimenting to see if there's another product with which you're more comfortable.

Whatever you choose, after you've been running it for a while, take a peek at the log which keeps track of attempted remote connections to your computer. It'll give you a good indication of why you're much better off with a firewall than without one.


Submitted by: Scott J.

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From one grandpa, to another.

Let me start, by saying I don't like pulling my hair out either when it comes to ANY software. Firewalls in particular!! You did not mention, what OS you are using, or if you are on Dial-up, or High Speed Cable. so I'll just give you what I have, and do. Every program below I mention, has been thoroughly tested, and WORKS, and affords me the protection I need!

I run, Win-XP that includes a Firewall (software) and my High Speed connection is through a router made by Netgear (hardware firewall). I do NOT use any other software installed firewalls period!!

1. I avoid " Web nasties" with Avast Antivirus, that scans and protects my 'Internet Mail', Instant Messaging' (ALL), has a 'Network Shield', 'P2P Shield', 'Web Shield', and 'Standard Shield', (HD) It's Home Version is free! http://www.avast.com/

2.When I'm on the Network, (online) I have two Tool Bars I use. One is Fraudeliminator, so if I click on one of those links embedded in my E-mail, that 'looks good' it will alert me, that it's a Fraud, or Scam...and YES it works, and it's also free.
http://www.fraudeliminator.com/

3. The other Toolbar is Advanced Search Bar, and NO it does not have spyware, or does it Highjack my Browser, and it has many options that are useful, including a Pop-up Blocker, and it's also free.
http://www.advancedsearchbar.com/

They are all simple to install, they all WORK, as advertised, and I have NEVER, gotten a Virus, or been highjacked, by ANY "Web nasites." and I've been dealing with computers since 1982.

Follow the links I've included, give them your own minds evaluation and a try. They all work, with any OS, and unless you have some SPECIAL security needs, such as the Pentagon, stay away from other (software installed) "Firewalls!'

The very last bit of advice, is keep your OS system, security up to date. Run a good Spyware removal tool occasionally on your OS such as Ad-Aware SE http://www.lavasoftusa.com/ which is free, and Spybot-Search & Destroy which is also free. http://www.spybot.info/en/index.html and of course, keep up with the latest reviews and discussions, such as on Cnet and other great Tech Sites.
Oh...yes, and ENJOY the world at your fingertips!

Submitted by: John G.

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Hi, Stanley!

Although I can provide you a doctoral article about firewalls, because you said you are a beginner, I'll limit my postage to the plain English, non-expert style.

Here there are some things you have to know for the future:
(1) The PC hardware was built in order to be as open to its user as it can be; That made any PC to be both flexible and, unfortunately, unprotected.
(2) Same goes for many PC Operating Systems; the obsolete DOS and nowadays Windows are such examples.
(3) There are a lot of conceivable ways a computer (PC) can execute instructions; this means that not only the EXE and DLL files are executables. For instance an Excel worksheet, an Access database and any WEB PAGE can contain executable information.
Because the PCs together with their operating systems makes such unprotected work-environments, then an abnormal behavior is possible due to some malicious executables the computer executed. So you need protection against this stuff - especially when it comes to web navigation.
(4) A firewall is usually software solution (some firewalls requires hardware devices too) that prevents unwanted access to important "zones" into the computer by guarding the computer's Internet connection. It is correct to think the "zones" as being any system's or user's private information regardless their nature (DATA or EXECUTABLE). If properly set, a well designed firewall is unbeatable.

So what you need to do in order to protect your computer against malicious executables that can come thru the Internet, is to install a firewall. Here there is a list of well designed firewalls that come preset and allows you to customize them easily - they are verbose enough to provide you a good picture about their features.

NetOP Desktop Firewall - it's best feature is that it gets operational before Windows gets. So there is no way some Internet malicious software can do anything to your computer.
Tiny Personal Firewall - by Tiny Software. It is a small, fast and easy to customize firewall. It is a chance to download it for free. (tiny Software publishes some other firewalls too.)
Sygate Personal Firewall - There are a lot of users that highly recommend it.
Zone Alarm - this is world's most trusted and best known firewall. The registered version comes together with Kaspersky antivirus a complete set of powerful options you can use for customization.

Please do not forget to scan your computer against spyware and malware too. Do not forget to upgrade the operating system too - Microsoft provides Windows updates for free; all you have to do is to click on the Windows update icon on the start-menu.

Sincerely yours,

Submitted by: Emil C. A. from Romania

Gamers who know what they are doing hate firewalls. They just annoy and get in the way. If you have broadband, inteligence and a pimp comp, ditch the firewall.

I have a comp that has been connected to the net, DLing and ULing for the past 8 months about 95% of the time. Never had a spyare, virus or hack problem.

Why you might ask? Because I'm almost always online, my computer can get updates when ever it wants. So I always have the latest definitions. I am not a n00b about opening email attachments, I don't use outlook and I scan stuff from file sharing before I open it.

I set up AVG to look for and DL updates automatically and scheduled daily scans. Did the same for spybot S&D. I have autoupdates for xp going and I disabled all firewalls. Yay me!

*** Additional advice from our members ***


Answer:
If you have your computer directly connected to a cable modem or a DSL modem, a firewall is an absolute necessity. For the purpose of this discussion, I'm going to assume that this is how you are connected.
If you're dialing up to the Internet, these are still good precautions to take, for all of the reasons we will discuss here. By definition, a firewall basically stops connections to and from your computer that you don't authorize, and allows connections that you do. It's not always people trying to connect to (hack) your computer, but it could be viruses or worms automatically scanning the Internet for open, unprotected computers that they could replicate themselves to.

There are two basic types of firewalls available. Hardware-based firewalls connect between your cable or DSL modem, and are generally configured with your web browser. Usually, they work by utilizing network address translation (NAT) to identify Internet connections that you have made vs. communications that you did not request.
Software-based firewalls are by far the easiest to use and, in some
cases, are free. The most notable of these, and the best in my
opinion, is ZoneAlarm (http://www.zonealarm.com). I mentioned above that firewalls allow connections that you authorize. Along those lines, ZoneAlarm will ask you when a program tries to connect to the Internet. If you recognize the program (i.e. Windows Media Player), you can allow the connection. It won't ask you again, so it's not constantly asking you questions. Once it does quiet down, you will only see notices when new software tries to connect to the Internet, or (potentially) if you have a virus and it tries to reach out to other computers. This prevents your personal information from making it off of your computer.

Other free firewall programs to look at:

-- Kerio Personal Firewall (http://www.kerio.com)
-- Sygate Personal Firewall (http://smb.sygate.com/products/spf_standard.htm)

An important note: while it may be OK to run multiple anti-virus software packages simultaneously, you should never run two software-based firewall programs at the same time. They could have unpredictable interactions with each other, and block all communications into and out of your computer. Therefore, if you're running Windows XP, you should disable the Windows Firewall component before installing a software firewall.

Once you have your software installed and running to your satisfaction, test it to make sure that it works correctly. Use a utility like ShieldsUp! (https://grc.com/x/ne.dll?bh0bkyd2) which is free and very comprehensive, or Security Space Desktop Audit
(https://secure1.securityspace.com/smysecure/desktop_index.html) which costs $9.95 for one year's worth of unlimited audits. I highly recommend the ShieldsUp! page, as it is very descriptive and offers many detailed discussions of Internet vulnerabilities and is good reading for anyone, experienced or novice.
--

Submitted by: Bill S.

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Stanley,

A firewall simply puts up a "barrier" between you and the Internet. Nothing comes or goes without your attention or approval. Its that simple. Windows XP has one available, but it is not a complete firewall. Most firewalls will protect the computer in both directions, inbound and outbound information. Win Xp's firewall only protects in one direction. A firewall is a "must have" item. I installed one when I got DSL and had intrusions blocked in just the first few minutes after installation. There are many unscrupulous people in cyberspace that are ever working, night and day, to see if they can get into as many systems as possible for less than honorable purposes. On top of this, there are businesses that would like to have unlimited access to your surfing habits so that they can bombard you with pop-ups, etc. The only firewall that I can recommend (because its the only one I've tried or needed) is Zone Alarm. It works very well and best of all it is free at Downloads.com. I've used Zone Alarm for years and have found it to be very reliable and did I mention that it is free? I recommend Zone Alarm to everyone and did I mention that it is free. Zone Alarm is very user friendly, doesn't take hardly anything to setup, and did I mention that it is free? Zone Alarm Pro is available to purchase, but for the price, you just can't beat the free version. It is recommended by many IT people (Kim Komando, Wayne Cunningham, etc. Lee might even recommend it, but you'll have to ask him for sure.) By the way, a good pop-up blocker to get is Smart Pop-up Killer. It is small, works in the background, and is only present when IE is up. Good luck, Stanley (and did I mention that Zone Alarm is free?).

Submitted by: Mike

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Stanley - Glad to see that the grandpas of the world are starting to use the Internet. But, like in the wild, wild west, you need to protect yourself upon entry. Here are some ways to decide what you need to do to protect yourself.

First, you should understand that there are two types of firewalls - hardware firewalls and software firewalls. Hardware firewalls are generally used to protect networks where there are many end users - typically at large companies, schools, e-commerce web sites, etc. They can also be useful for small office or home office networks that use wireless technology. But, from the tone of your letter, I believe your situation involves a single personal computer connected to the Internet via a dial-up modem, DSL connection or cable Internet access. In that case, you really don't need a hardware firewall. However, if you decide to get together with other grandpas in the future and start doing some online gaming using a wireless point at your house, you should probably submit another question to CNET.

So, what does a firewall do? Basically, a firewall acts as a traffic cop for your PC - screening and filtering data that enters your PC via your Internet connection. In simple terms, it keeps the bad guys - hackers - out of your PC. Although the Internet is a great place, remember - it is a two-way highway. You can go out and see the Internet world, but some portions of the Internet world will also try to come into your PC to visit you!

What can these hackers do to you? They can run scanner software to find computers to target for virus attacks, spam attacks (stealing your e-mail address to send fraudulent material out), denial of service attacks (flooding Internet sites with sign-ons to clog the server), etc. If you do not protecet your PC from them, it is vulnerable to attack. This is particularly true of PCs that are "always on" - ie, using a DSL or cable Internet access connection. As a good citizen of the Internet, it is your duty to protect your computer from these hackers and their tactics.

So, knowing that you need to protect yourself, how does a software firewall accomplish that? A software firewall is a program that you load into your PC to protect it. In simple terms, when properly configured, the software firewall will shield your PC by hiding its "address" from people outside your network - ie, Internet intruders. If they don't know you are there, then intruders cannot target your PC for attack.

Software firewalls can also have other useful features. Some can create logs of activity against your PC for your review. Some have additional built-in security features like anti-virus protection. Finally, some have other Internet security tools like anti-spyware and anti-spam software. If you don't already have those type of protective tools, you might want to check out a firewall suite that contains all of them.

There are a number of different software firewall products available. A really good one is ZoneAlarm. A free version of ZoneAlarm is available at www.zonelabs.com. You can also check out Norton Internet Security at www.symantec.com. Better yet, just search the CNET web site at www.cnet.com! You can find product reviews, ratings and cost information.

Good luck,

Submitted by: Jerry B. of Manchester CT

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Yes, Stanley, for general users a firewall is necessary. Whatever one's setup, there's no good sense surfing without a software firewall.
Originally firewalls were designed to block unwanted intrusions; later, the capability to control network access of programs from one's own computer was added. This provided securtiy against some known possible problems with legitimate software and protected against the malware apps phoning home. Modern paid firewalls also now look at the data packets for suspicious acitivity (stateful inspection) and monitor memory to prevent applications memory space from being modified by another program.
For free personal use, you can start with Kerio, Sygate, or Agnitum's Outpost. IFF it works on your system, I can also recommend ZoneAlarm's free version. (The last one that worked for me under 98SE or XP SP2 was 4.559.x; I haven't tried the latest release.) They are all easy to set up, have a 'wizard' to guide you through setup, and offer learning modes - one gives permisiions as they arise. Be stingy - if something doesn't work because you've denied access, you can always easlily modify settings.
All the free personal-use versions offer online support via fora, user groups, FAQs, and often third-party unofficial support sites.
It's a bit more work, and occasional frustration, but I suggest you try a few and find the one that best suits your needs and fancy. Ditto for paid versions.
I suggest steering clear of all-in-one security suites, at least until they mature a bit - they tend to get large, unwieldy, and often step on their own cr - er, toes.
Please note, nothing is perfect, and a layered approach to system security is highly recommended: an anti-virus app (AntiVir and AVG are probably the two best free-version ones extant, by my usage); a firewall; a malware scanner (Spybot Search & Destroy, AdAware SE, Ewido Security Suite, A2 [A-square], use a couple and scan weekly - run 'em, minimize window, go on with your live - takes five minutes); and a malware blocker (SpywareBlaster.) I can also recommend Microsoft's Anti-Spyware Beta for now.
I know this may sound like a lot of stuf to deal with, but it's piecework <g> and once dealt with, clear sailing. Just remember to update and scan regularly.
For convenience, use a pop-up blocker. Pop-up Stopper from Panicware is still the best and comes in a free version.
Using the setup offered above, I've had _no_ infections or other malware for almost a year.
Please note, in making my suggestions I haven't meant to slight other good apps; I speak only of the ones I have tried, used, and found to work.
Sorry about the long post. I hope this helps.

I left out a coupla very important things. Run only _one_ firewall and anti-virus app at a time (you may have more installed, but chose only one of each to autostart and monitor your system.) Also, generally run firewalls in "stealth" mode.
Be aware of your system's security settings - file sharing, browser (Active-X, Java permissions, logon,etc.) Microsoft's website has lots of useful info, and I can well recommend PCPitstop for general use.
Do not be overly concerned with cookies. They are mostly (99% or so) innocuous, and often useful.
Use a good disk cleaner now and then. All kinds abound, some are simple and good, I can recommend Disk Cleaner from R. J. Moerland at http://www.xs4all.nl/~mp2004/,
Use lots of RAM and shy away from RAM defragmenters.
Ah, the registry. Can of worms; be careful. However, I broke down, saved up and bough TuneUp Utilities. Free, good, and useful also are RegClean from Microsoft and TweakNow RegCleaner.
Karen Kenworthy has a raft of useful utilities.
EasyCleaner by Toni Helenius has been very useful, but approach some functions with a tad of caution.
PCWorld, CNET of course (!), and others make good places to start for basic info and more; also for software, snapfiles.com is hard to beat - that's how I found most of the utilities I use when I first started with my Intel-based machine.

oh, boy, just one more thing - defragment! The hard drive gets cluttered with bits and pieces of files scattered about - it's a fact of life. Defragmenting keeps things neat, fast, and helps prevent a slew of unpleasantries.
Use Windows built-in, or for best-in-class for home use, spring for Diskeeper from Executive Software. I did, and have never regretted it. (There are some high-geek defrag utilities that are very good, but I haven't figured out how to properly use them yet.)


Submitted by: Jonesy

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Dear Grandpa:

Hey, if you've got your antivirus to the point where you can understand it, then a firewall shouldn't be too bad. Think of a firewall as just that. The thing in your '59 Mercury that kept the heat of the engine away from you in the drivers seat, especially in the case of a fire. That's what a "firewall" for your computer will do.....electronically. Basically, there are two kinds. Hardware and software. Because you have antivirus protection, you may already have the software kind. The most protection you can get is with both kinds. All you really need to do is buy a device called a "router" with built in firewall. I personally use a linksys for my home system. Typically, routers are designed to "route" more than one computer to your single internet connection to your internet service provider (your ISP, or network company). Routers have also the advantage of providing additional protection from the outside world of hackers (a "firewall") by making you invisible to them. Here's an "armchair" description of how a firewall works. Pretend like your computer is actually the house you live in. Mail comes to your house (as well as all other deliveries) by the street address you ask them to be sent to. Now lets say that you want to start a business. You don't want everyone in the world to know your home address. Well, with the Postal service, you would simply rent a post office box, and from now on, you would use that as your address. No one would know where you lived, and would not be able to send a "stinky bomb" to your home address. Okay, so your computer is the home address, and the router is your PO box, sort of. Now imagine that every time someone ordered something from your company, you could give them an entirely new PO box. Each and every time! That would really keep them from knowing your address, right?

O.K., now in computer terms. Your computer's "mailing address" that is visible on the world wide web, is what is known as an IP (internet protocol) address. You probably didn't assign this address, windows will do it for you, and it's something like 198.128.2. Well, everytime you go on the world wide web, your address is hanging out there in the breeze. If a hacker gets ahold of your address, they can get into your computer (without you even knowing about it) and do all sorts of nasty things. With a router in between your computer and your internet provider, you become invisible. You see, your router keeps your address invisible by becoming a different address for you. And it changes every time you connect. The routers address can be seen on the web, but the router contains no information of it's own, so a hacker trying to get into that address, won't get anywhere.

A firewall router is pretty much plug and play. The only work required may be talking to your internet provider and having them make an adjustment for your router so that they recognize you.
Have fun,

Submitted by: Greg

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To Stan (or "Granpa," as he referred to himself):

We're never too old to learn, and the best first step is to ask questions and seek advice. There are a number of good PC related magazines as well as on-line arena such as C-Net.

I used to be a "power user" at a major corporation, and had responsibility for selecting, purchasing and installing PC's for our large department, as well as selecting and installing new software and helping the end users get started. However, I retired from that company while the Internet was still relatively new, and spamming, hacking, scamming, phishing, etc., were not yet major issues. We knew about the danger of virus infections, and knew that McAfee seemed to be the most "on-top-of-things," but I don't remember that McAfee was a retailed software package back then. Peter Norton Software had not yet been merged with Symantec, and the Norton name was more familiar to and respected by most users. Norton was brilliant, and his software was bug-free and powerful, while still user friendly. Many of us used one of these methods to check for, and clean up virus problems.

A few years later my personal situation changed, and I was without a home computer for several years. When I was preparing to purchase one recently, I decided to do a little research first, as to which brands and models were the most highly recommended, and eventually bought one that shall remain nameless, but is still highly recommended in C-Net and a PC World magazine comparison article. The term "Firewall" was new to me, as were the terms "Privacy Service," "Spam Killer," and "cookies."

Reading articles in the PC related magazines answered those questions for me before I bought my computer -- I had wanted to be prepared with good software (or knowledge of appropriate measures to take) BEFORE I ordered and set up my computer. One of the editors of PC World magazine "ripped" Symantec's "costly update fees," so I leaned toward the McAfee "Security Center" package, which includes 1) VirusScan, 2) Personal Firewall, 3) Privacy Service, and 4) SpamKiller modules which are integrated in the package, but can be installed individually and used selectively. A 3-month free trial of this package was also preloaded on the computer I bought, and I immediately extended it for 12 additional months for a very reasonable fee at time of purchase. I find it full-featured and powerful, yet easy to use, and so far, very effective.

A couple things I like about the product: Its recommended default settings are effective and fit most casual users needs; however, a right-click on its taskbar icon offer options to change any of its settings with easy-to-understand information and explanations, with "recommended for the novice" notations. It shows summary reports of current and past activity, as well as incidents of attempted hacking. During installation, one of the options is whether or not you want it to automatically check on-line for new updates to automatically download and install (it can do this without your assistance while you are connected to the Internet doing "your own thing.") An option sets it to "always ask you" before it does this in every instance, and you can even set how frequently it will do this. You can set it (an installation default) to automatically run its virus scans at a certain time and day on a recurring basis (such as in the wee hours when you are not using your computer -- but the computer must, of course, be turned ON). It automatically logs every time a possible hacker -- such as a porno or phishing website in Shanghai China -- tries to access my computer, and through which port. Further, it automatically reports these incidents periodically to Hackerwatch.org, an organization whose mission is to protect innocent unsuspecting users by tracking these offenders down and reporting to government agencies, both in the US and the country of the offending user.

In brief, my experience makes it easy for me to be comfortable in highly recommending the McAfee "SecurityCenter" product without hesitation or caveats. I have found that their customer support is good, and their pricing policies are fair and reasonable.

I hope this helps, and best of luck and happy browsing to you!


Submitted by: Mac E.

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Answer:

Stanley,

In the very simplest terms...A (software or hardware), firewall is simply your own personal unpaid traffic cop (unless you choose a paid version usually called the "Pro Edition"). He (it) works for you to control whether a program may contact the internet &/or the internet may contact a program on your computer or network. (I don't personally consider Windows Firewall avail. in Windows XP a "true firewall" in my opinion, as it is only a one way gate that stops incomming traffic, but not outgoing traffic. And should you have a malicious program or data collecting spyware program installed on your computer, it allows the unseen call home feature to take place. A true firewall would allow you to see the action of that calling home, and a choice/chance to stop it from doing so).

Depending on how a firewall is configured, it may ask you each time a program requests internet access or server rights access, it may allow the action everytime access is requested by a program, or it may deny such rights everytime. But w/ every program, you choose what access those programs will have when it comes to internet access/server rights access.

Connecting to the internet is one of the most dangerous things we usually do to our computers, and attacks aren't a mere coincidence, they are a fact of life once connected. Once we plug in that connection, we open thousands of doors or ports that are completey unlocked. A firewall can lock those doors, and we can choose which doors to unlock or keep locked after we install one, based on our own personal choices & "Safe Needs."

Whether a Dial up connection, DSL or Cable, I personally wouldn't connect a computer to the internet without first installing & properly configuring a software firewall. Recent independent tests have shown as low as a 2 min. or less safe time period before spyware/virus infection or a hack attack will usually take place of an unprotected computer once you activate that "simple door unto the world," the internet connection.

I personally like & use "Zone Alarm Free" from www.zonelabs.com as my firewall of choice (My chosen personal unpaid traffic cop), though there are many other good ones out there.

It's free, effective, easy to configure, and has a great easy to follow for the beginner & techie alike tutorial as part of the install process. I won't play on the net without the simple protection of a firewall, and you shouldn't either. Not for more than a minute!

In the past I have even been tipped off about a malicious program installed on my computer or a customer's computer by the simple firewall "pop-up request of internet access" by said programs. It helps today to have that gate keeper/traffic cop watching all your doors (ports), the locks on those doors, and maintaining the keys to those locks for you.

Configuring is really quite simple. Allow once (click Allow), Deny once (cick Deny), Allow always (check the box on the left & click Allow-Green Check Mark), or Deny always (check the box on the left & click Deny-Red "X")....Or ask each time internet access &/or Server Rights is requested (simply a Blue question mark). Most Instant Messengers will also need Server Rights Access to work, but most other programs will not.

I allow these programs constant internet access in XP; Internet Explorer (or your internet browser of choice- I personally use FireFox from Mozilla.org), my AV update service (Live Update Engine Com Module w/ Norton AV), Windows Automatic Update service, Generic Host Process for Win32 Services, & MS Anti-Spy auto updating service.

All others are simply on an "Ask Me" per use/need/request basis, and I personaly like those pop-up's. This way I am in complete & total control of my computer/internet connection access...Not the "Net Nasties."

Good Luck.


Submitted by: Gary L.

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Stanley,

I see three questions: 1) what's a firewall?, 2) why do I need one?, and 3) which one?

1) A firewall is a program or device that inspects the traffic traveling between your local computer(s) and remote computers (AKA, the Internet). In simple terms, your computer asks for information from a remote computer, and the remote computer sends it. However, there are also remote computers that try to send information that your computer didn't ask for. This information is frequently malicious, and can piggy-back other nasties such as spyware, spam and viruses. A proper firewall prevents unrequested information from entering your computer.

2) A proper firewall is a part of a front-line base defense against Web nasties. If you spend any time on the Internet, you need to do what you can to protect your computer. A firewall is one of several such protection mechanisms. You also need antivirus (which you already mentioned), anti-spyware, and anti-spam.

3) Here you'll find a lot of opinions, but here are some facts: many publishers (including CNET) evaluate competing products and present you with a list of the "cream of the crop." In my research, some of the names that get "Editor's Choice" most frequently are ZoneAlarm ( http://www.zonelabs.com/store/content/catalog/products/sku_list_za.jsp?lid=nav_za
) for a stand-alone firewall program, and Trend Micro PC-cillin Internet Security 2005 ( http://www.trendmicro.com/en/home/us/personal.htm ) for a package that includes firewall, antivirus, anti-spyware, anti-spam, and more. If you have a local computer network attached to the internet through a high-speed ("broadband") connection, then the Linksys BEFSX41 router is recommended as a firewall device, but I'd still have either ZoneAlarm or PC-cillin on the computer(s).


Submitted by: Michael B. of Taylorsville, UT, USA

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Answer. A firewall (sometimes called a desktop firewall) is a software application used to protect a single Internet-connected computer from intruders. Personal firewall protection is especially useful for users with "always-on" connections such as DSL or Cable. Firewall are good to have as they can detect any intrusions and can often block them. Having a firewall is a good thing to have as it is often the first step to prevent any one to break into your system. If you are using Windows XP with Service Pack 2, then a firewall application is already running on your system as Service Pack 2 has the firewall application built in.
Put it this way, Im sure at one point, you had installed Wall Socket Covers which prevented a baby to put his/her finger in the wall socketand thus not get electricuted. A firewall is just that but used for computers. I have a firewall since I have Cable and the one that I have been using is ZoneAlarm. I reccomended it as ZoneAlarm is free, get the highest rating by CNet, PCWold,ComputerShopper. I have been using ZoneAlarm for the past 4 years, and it has a very good intrusion detection and prevention system along with a complete "lockdown" which at times, can be used to disable the internet if your computer is really acting crazy. ZoneAlarm's installation is pretty simple and easy, it will keep asking a user if you want a certain windows app to access the internet simply click on Allow or Disallow on the question screen ZoneAlarm Shows you. Learning new technology is not often easy, but it is definately worth it.&n! bsp; You can always email me back if you want more help and I will be more than happy to guide you.
Thanks
Submitted by: Viraj M.

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Stanley,
A firewall in the simplest of terms is a device or application that controls traffic between a private network and the public Internet and using one to protect your computer is definitely the way to go. They can also help keep intruders from attacking your PC or worse, stealing private information.
Windows XP ships with Windows firewall which is fairly straight forward and will be managed for the most part by Windows. It lives right on your desktop PC and does a fairly good job of keeping the "nasties" out.
If you are planning to connect more than one computer to the Internet in your home, you might consider going with a router product from linksys. These not only provide basic firewall protection, but can also allow you to easily add multiple computers to your Internet connection.
Firewalls are a good thing to have between your system and the Internet, expecially if you have a highspeed connection that is always on (one you do not have to dial into). Setting this up could save you a great deal of cleanup work in the long run.
I hope this has been of some help
Submitted by: Derek S. of Chilton WI
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Answer:

Hi Stanley:

A firewall opens and closes communications channels called "PORTS", these ports are, depending on what is being communicated open and closes the port. Initially these ports are open, which means a hacker does not even have to knock, it is an open door and the hacker just walks in and takes over your computer. Lets see what kind of information you have on your hard drive? And as of late, there have been hackers that access your computer, take files and folders and lock them up via encryption. Then turn around and charge you for the encryption key to unlock them. Firewalls help to prevent this. Firewalls will only allow access to your computer, on your say so (you give it permission to do so) or (the really good firewalls) do not allow an application access to the internet without your permission. so the firewall leaves you in control of your computer, not a hacker taking control of your property. And yes, in this day and age, a person needs to have all of the protection they !
can get from a firewall.

Even with a dial-up nowadays a person should use a firewall. Even though dial-up ISP's by their very nature are a dynamic (always changing) address (IP number) and most people with dial-up's think they are secure, they are not. This is because with high speed broadband being accessible to the hacker they can more quickly detect an open address (IP) much more quickly. So with a dial-up get a fire wall.

Now if you are on a cable or DSL (Digital Subscriber Line) broadband connection it is even more imperative that a firewall be used as most addressing (IP) is static (does not change, even though some cable or DSL companies say that they are a dynamic address (I have one of those broadband connections , I have yet to see a new IP address) most are a static IP address. Most broadband connections are left turned on 24/7/365, hence it is easier for hackers to hack a broadband address.

These are the reasons for having a firewall. A hacker can and will scan for open ports find them and access them if the ports are not protected.

A final note. You should consider having these hmmm, might we say helper applications as follows (and they can be obtained at an absolutely pronominal price of, zero cost! all of the applications are for personal use only, non-business/non-commerical use, cut and paste the address' below to your broswer);

A firewall
ZoneLabs ZoneAlarm can be found at this address:
http://download.zonelabs.com/bin/free/10_12_zl/zlsSetup_55_094_000.exe
If you need further information CNet has reviews on ZoneAlarm. CNet rates ZoneAlarm very highly.

A Spyware/Adaware
There are two Spyware/Adaware applications that should be used together; Lavasoft Adaware SE and can be found at:
http://www.download.com/Ad-Aware-SE-Personal-Edition/3000-8022_4-10045910.html?part=dl-ad-aware&subj=dl&tag=top5

Search and Destroy can be found at:
http://www.pcworld.com/downloads/file-download.asp?fid=22262&fileidx=1

An anti-virus application
Grisoft AVG anti-virus application
http://free.grisoft.com/doc/1
The best thing about Grisoft is that it updates its virus definition all on its own and requires no yearly subscription to keep the definitions up to date. They also notify a person of the updated application.

When it comes to knowledge about firewalls, CNet has a very good course that is free of charge and on-line. These courses are not always available right away, but you can when the course comes up for Firewalls, sign up for it at this address http://courses.help.com/index.jsp.

If anymore information is needed go to the following address:
http://www.rickswebfactory.com/
There are some articles of interest there on firewalls.

Submitted by: Rick B. of Warren, MI

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Answer:

Stanley,
First of all I think it's excellent that you are exploring the world of computers, it should open up a world bigger than you can imagine. Now to the task at hand, firewalls. Firewalls are not necessarily needed, at least in my opinion and here's why I think that way.
First, firewalls do block incoming web "nasties" as you put it, but they can also block traffic that you need to allow to your computer.
Secondly, they can be difficult to set up and for a new user you aren't going to go to the dark side of the internet much looking for stuff, so here's what I recommend.
You already have anti-virus which is a good step, I would also recommend picking up Webroot's SpySweeper, www.webroot.com. If you are not sure about how this program works and if you should buy it download the free-trial version to acclimate yourself to how the program runs and is setup. This program will keep you adware, spyware and trojan free. After you install SpySweeper make sure to update the definitions in the program which is really easy to do there is a big button in the options that will allow you to do this with one click. If you run scans I'd say 2-3 times a week you are guaranteed to stay clean, you can even schedule scans within the program to automatically run when you are least likely to be on the PC and therefore slowing down what ever work you may be doing on it. I would also recommend that you update your definitions once a week to stay on top of the latest threats. I use this program in conjuntion with a anti-virus program both at work and home and have very little internet browsing problems, and considering your experience this is a much simpler way to make your browsing experience both safe and entertaining.


Hope this helps you Stan, and good luck in your internet experience.

Submitted by: CK

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Answer:

Hi Stanley,

When your computer is connected to the internet, it allows you to connect to other computers around the globe to request information. You are already familiar with entering a website address and viewing the information contained there. The reverse is also true. Other computers on the internet can connect to your computer and request information. This being a less than perfect world means that there are people out there that will try to exploit this two way interaction, be it rogue advertiser's or even malicious hackers, that will try to gather information from your computer without you knowing it, or worse, even try to sabotage it. This is where the firewall comes in.

A firewall can be thought of as a mini fortress, with your computer in the middle, and the firewall as the fortress walls between you and the rest of the world, keeping unwanted invaiders out. At various points in this wall are guarded gates, that will allow legitimate connections to your computer through, but prevent dangerous ones. These gates in computer terms are called ports, and different types of information use different ports. For example, when you browse the web, the information from the sites you visit will generally arrive at port 80, incoming email usually arrives at port 110, and so on. There are many different ports for many different types of service, web pages, email, streaming video/audio, online games etc...

The role of the firewall is to monitor all these different connections and decide which ones are legitimate, and which ones present a risk and to block the potentially dangerous ones. As you can see, using a computer on the internet without a firewall potentially makes you very vulnerable to attacks. It's a bit like driving a car without wearing a seatbelt, should something hit you, you are in a lot more danger without it.

There are many great choices for firewall software, including: Tripwire and Zone Alert. You may find that your antivirus provider also provides firewall products. I personally use McAfee for both antivirus and firewall protection. I like the simple to use setup for both and they periodically update themselves for added protection from newer types of attacks.

Once you have your firewall installed there really isn't much else to do apart from enjoy a safer experience on the web.

Finally, I would recomend taking a look back through some of the great previous discussions on CNET regarding Anti Spyware/Adware software. By using all three (Antivirus, Firewall and Anti Spyware) you are protecting yourself as much as you can in an otherwise dangerous electronic world.

I hope that I have helped answer your question, and wish you continued happy and safe surfing.

Regards,

Submitted by: Brian B. of Emeryville, CA

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Answer:

Greetings Stanley,

A firewall traditionally has been a physical structure erected between rooms in a building so that no matter what went on on one side, i.e. that part of the building burning to the ground, the other side of the firewall would remain unaffected.

That analogy has been applied to the world of networking With a connection to the group of worldwide networks known as the Internet through your Internet Service Provider (ISP), you can send and receive traffice from any other computer that also has a connection to the Internet. Unfortunately this internet connection is analogous to having a front door to your house without locks-if someone finds the door, they can just walk right via your Internet connection in with impunity and deposit unwanted software as well as compromise the privacy of your personal information stored on your computer.

A firewall in the network sense acts like a sentry at your door, checking everything that goes in and out. This can take the form of a software firewall that you would install on each computer just like you did your antivirus software, or a hardware firewall that you would place in between your DSL or cable modem and your computer (or switch if you have your own network). To take the analogy further, a software firewall is like having a a lock on each of the rooms in your house-someone can enter your house (private network), but needs to get by the firewall on each computer. A hardware firewall is more like a lock on your front door-it protects everything inside, and you only need one of them (this analogy assumes there is only one entrance and no windows!). I would strongly recommend a hardware firewall such as the Linksys BEFSX41, as they are generally more secure, are easier to configure, and you only need one of them.

In most cases you only need to configure the firewall with some basic settings that your ISP would provide and you're in business. If you have Windows XP and have enabled the Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) service, Windows XP will open and close ports on this firewall as needed for some of the more esoteric services such as instant messaging, etc.

Submitted by: Ted L.

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Answer:

Stanley,

There are many ways that a malicious person can take control of your computer without ever actually physically touching it. One of these ways is to send you email or download to you (through a browser session) software that will send information from your computer to the malicious person. A personal firewall can reduce the liklihood of that happening. Major virus-protection software companies also sell personal firewalls. Once installed, it will tell you when some program on your computer is trying to access the internet, and ask your permission to grant it. If you don't intend for the program to connect to the internet, you can stop it from doing so. The personal firewall will also memorize the programs which you say are OK to allow to connect, so you don't have to answer the same question repeatedly.

Another type of "hardware" firewall is needed if you are using an ADSL broadband phoneline connection (this means using a service that gives you always-on connection to the internet using your phone line, but allows you to talk on the phone at the same time) or if you are using cable broadband (this is a service using the same cable that gives you TV). The "hardware" firewall is also called a gateway router or broadband router. This is placed between your computer and your internet connection, and prevents anyone from taking over your computer through your broadband connection. The takeover can be surreptitious - so someone can steal personal information without your ever knowing it.
A wireless form of broadband router is available, but I advise against it - it exposes you to malicious use of your connection if someone in your neighborhood, within about 2000 feet of your house, has a receiver and your wireless firewall isn't set up with security and protection. If you connect by a modem dialup (so you can't use the telephone for calls while you are on the internet) you don't need a hardware firewall.
--

Submitted by: Bert B.

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Answer:

Stanley, I can relate to not wanting to pull out any more hairs because of a computer. So my answer will head straight to the solution which, based on what you said, is best for you.

A firewall masks your computer from the outside world by creating a generic type of "address" that isn't, for all intents and purposes, your computer. Think of it as two doors in a security situation in a building, or to keep out the cold. You open one door, go into the space between doors, and that door closes behind you. Only then does the second door open and you are outside.

You will hear two types of firewalls described, hardware and software.
My answer only focuses on the hardware type, as given your situation you obviously want something that plugs in and works, you can then pretty much forget about it, and keep your remaining hairs! Software firewalls are, as the name implies, programs which are installed on your computer.
Unfortunately they will pop up boxes when certain internet events happen asking for your decisions, which is where you start pulling out hairs!

The simple answer is to go to a computer store and look for "Routers", read the box for a description of the firewall features to get acquainted. Unless you need the functionality of moving your computer around the house, avoid "wireless" routers. Make sure the router is designed to accommodate the kind of internet connection you use - dial up or high speed (DSL or Cable). Bring it home, follow setup instructions in terms of the sequence of plugging in wiring, and forget it

Submitted by: dougjp

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Answer:

The best and most obvious answer for you is to buy an Internet Router. The advantages of having a dedicated machine are these:

1) It will remain up even when all machines on your network are down.
2) Most are pretty much 'plug and play', with scripted browser based configuration wizards that will "clone" your PC's MAC address if necessary to support your ISP, as well as set up your lan.
3) If you can access the WAN, the firewall is in place, unless you have explicitly disabled it.

On the other hand, I have little faith in the PC software based "personal firewalls" that are available. If they fail to load, your machine is vulnerable. Ping attacks can slow or shut down your machine. If you plan on having more than one machine share your high-speed connection, PC-based solutions require something called dual-homing - this entails the installation of another network card, and then defining one as your LAN interface and the other as the WAN interface. Then you have to get a switch, etc,etc, etc. You get all of that and more in an Internet Router.

Non-firewall services that they provide include: DHCP server for your network, which automatically assigns IP addresses, as well providing DNS and router information to the systems connected. Most have built-in 4-5 port 10/100 Mbps switches to maximize peer-peer throughput.

Internet routers also have many of the features of a firewall:

- Network address translation (NAT) - a protocol that hides your machine from the outside world, so that ip/port scanners will not be able to inspect your machine for possible entry points.
- Ping suppression - a common attack is the PingOfDeath. This seeks to overwhelm your computer by inundating it with pings, and thus gain access to administrator privileges. By ignoring pings, as well as pushing WAN ping response out to the router, your machines are protected.
- IP. MAC, port, and protocol(UDP/TCP) restriction software to allow or disallow traffic between the WAN and LAN.

All of the home-grade internet routers I've seen do not allow for packet inspection, which more sophisticated firewall products provide. This allows the firewall to block packets based on their content. I doubt that most home users need or want the administrative headaches involved with this approach.

One thing to make sure to look for is something called "IPSEC pass-through", which will allow your home PC to connect to your company's VPN(Virtual Private Network) with the addition of some software usually provided by your company.

Internet Routers can be had for less than $30, given many of the discounts available. In fact, I've found that you can get a decent Internet/Wireless G router for around $20 after rebates. When setting up networks for friends, I frequently get them the wireless router and disable the wireless functionality unless they need it.

Submitted by: Rick D.

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Answer:

Hello Stanly

To make it simple YES a firewall is on of the most required piece of software you need on you're computer,

Lots of people think its fun to scan the internet to see if they can access some one else's computer , they use little programs and true these programs they access a computer who is not protected .
Once they have accessed to a unprotected computer they are able to steal information from you're computer , think of passwords, credit carts , you're personal information .
Some even think its funny to destroy a computer by making changes in the computer .
Now a firewall closes down ports so that a scanner is not able to access a computer and steal or damage,
A firewall das exactly what the word says, it puts up a wall of fire to protect you're computer from the outside,

Here is a site which gives you all the information about what kind of firewalls there are and the protection it gives

http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/f/firewall.html

There are a lot of good free to use firewalls , here are some examples .
first of all there is the good old zone alarm ,
http://www.zonealarm.com/

on this site you can down load a free to use firewall .also do a spyware check .
Spyware are little programs which get to you're computer by just looking on a site or using a program, they send information about you're internet behavior and use up you're bandwidth.

Then there is the very good free to use personal fire wall from Sygate .
http://smb.sygate.com/support/documents/spf/default.htm

On this site there is a lot of good information how to install and run the free firewall
Be save and protect you're computer

Greetings

Submitted by: Dutchy

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Answer:

Stanley, you are like many of us out here in that you want to protect your computer with the least amount of learning curve involved with the task.
There are many software based firewalls out there that do an OK job and probably the best are those associated with the mainline companies such as Symantec or McAfee. They do however start to make things complicated in the options that you have to choose and if you allow them to provide full coverage you may find out that many things you want to do are blocked to you. What I would recommend to you would be a combination of several things to provide the necessary security that you want:

1. A hardware based Firewall solution in the form of a router. This device, which will cost you typically under a hundred dollars, assigns a secondary IP address to your actual computer and prevents most uninvited excursions into your computer. Typically you would use a router only if you have several computers in the house connected together and using the same internet connection but that is not necessary. A router is easy to hook up. I use a simple one from Linksys and this should provide all the firewall protection you need as it keeps your computer hidden with a layer of protection from your active IP address. IMHO, this is much better than a software based firewall solution and much simpler as well. but.you also need to do more as follows:

2. Use a robust virus protection program and there will be many opinions as to which is best. If you stick with the big players in this field you will be ok. Dont activate any firewall options with whatever you purchase as your router will be doing just fine for you. Subscribe to the virus definition update part of this as if you dont any new viruses out there will have access without being scanned.

3. Further protect your computer with popup blocking and spyware blocking. This is crucial also as popup and spyware things will clog your computers memory faster than anything I know. I use Ad-Aware and Spybot Search and destroy and run them manually about once a week. Even though Im careful where I go on the internet it seems I always pick up something that can be safely removed.I also have two teens that are not at all troubled by clicking on any type of link while online. I havent had any troubles at all since using those combinations aboveits a maintenance issue that will require some time but it will help you learn about your computer and will guarantee trouble free internet browsing.

Finally, please remember, a couple bucks spent on this type of protection will keep you in happy computing much longer than hauling off and spending the bucks right away for that new program you want to try out.

Good luck to you !!!!!

Submitted by: Pat

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Answer:

The antivirus software helps to prevent malicious programs from doing things like deleting files and other stuff to mess up your computer.
The software can check your incoming emails and other programs that might run on your computer to insure that they don't match the pattern of a known virus. In order for a virus to run, it has to first get loaded on your computer, usually through an email, something that you loaded from a disk, or something on the Internet that you downloaded.

The firewall handles another kind of threat. In order for your computer to communicate with the outside world (primarily through your Internet
connection) the software has a limited number of places that it will permit incoming and outgoing messages (these places are called ports and are assigned to different numbers.) Normally, communication with your browser (e.g., Internet Explorer) takes place on port 80. There are other ports assigned for FTP and secure communication, among others.
There are people who run programs that scan the Internet looking for open ports where they may be able make a connection and run unauthorized programs on your computer. The firewall can hide these ports from the outside world, both through reassigning the address of your connection and by making the port appear to not be assigned.

There are a couple of ways that you can protect yourself with a firewall, and it is wise to use both for the highest level of safety.
First is a hardware device called a router that contains firewall capabilities. If you have a home network or use a home wireless connection you probably already have one of these. Secondly, there is firewall software (e.g., Zone Alarm) that runs on your computer that can
provide additional protection if someone gets by the first level.
There is some configuration that needs to take place, so as a novice you may want to ask someone for help, or at least make sure that you read the documentation thoroughly and have some understanding of how to set things up. If you use Zone Alarm, for instance, the default installation gives you excellent protection, but you need to understand what types of things you don't want the firewall to stop. For a router, you can also get away with the default settings for the most part, but you should at least assign another ID and password for administering it, since an intruder is likely to know the one that ships with the device.


Submitted by: Bruce B. of Dudley, MA USA

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Answer:

Welcome to the world of computers, Stanley. Since you're new at this, I'll try to keep it as simple as possible. Computers can be scary for "Newbies".

Let me just say that a firewall is absolutely imperative if you're going to be using the Internet. Anti-Spyware is another "Must Have". For starters, download and install Microsoft Antispyware from the Microsoft website. >> http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/spyware/software/ << This is a trial with the option to buy after July 31, 2005. I've been using it in conjunction with "Spybot-Search & Destroy" without any problems.

Assuming that you've just purchased a new computer running Windows XP SP-2, you should have a firewall already active. It comes with Windows.

To be sure it's working, click on the "Start" menu - Control Panel - Security Center.

In the Security Center window, you'll see the three main aspects of your computers security, Firewall, Automatic Updates, Virus Protection. They should all be "On". If the firewall is off, click on "Windows Firewall" at the bottom of the window. Another window will come up. Click it on.

Others may recommend that you use other software as well to further protect your system such as additional Antispyware and Firewalls. While these may be valid and very useful, I wouldn't recommend that to you at this point. It will only confuse you and you need to familiarize yourself a bit more to fully understand what all these security measures do. Right now, the best thing for you to be aware of is the "Security Center" and an easy to understand Antispyware utility like the one I suggested earlier. Those things will help keep your system safe and trouble free.

Submitted by: Robert K.

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Answer:

Hi,

Imagine your house with thousands of doors on each wall. Anyone walking by can come in and anyone inside can go out without you knowing what is happening. Things can be stolen or bad things can be put into your home.
How would you feel?

Your computer is like such a house where doors are called "ports". For example, if you plan to run a web server, it will probably run on the port number 80. A firewall is a piece of software that just locks all the doors and you can tune it for letting access to specific port (i.e.
port no 80 for your web server). Microsoft firewall is "half" a firewall. It only blocks the ports one way: from the outside world. But any bug you might already have in the computer is free to communicate its data anywhere outside your computer. Microsoft firewall is better than nothing, but far from enough.

I work in the IT industry for several years now and installed the following firewalls on my customers' computers and on my own pcs:

1. Zone Alarm Free edition (get it from http://www.zonelabs.com/store/content/company/products/znalm/freeDownload.jsp).

This firewall is great, but if you have to connect to your computer from the outside world (remotely), using the Remote Administrator software, it cannot let you custom the port number for the connection. As an individual, you don't need the full blown professional version.

2. Sygate Personal Firewall (get it from http://smb.sygate.com/products/spf_standard.htm).

This is the one I actually use as I sometimes need to access my computers remotely and it is very good.

Both are great piece of software and will protect your computer as well as any firewall you could buy.

I hope this was helpful.

Cheers,

Submitted by: Marc Q. of New Zealand

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Answer:

Yes, you need a firewall, but maybe you already have one and don't know it! Imagine your internet connection as an electronic doorway between
your computer and the rest of the world. Imagine there are lots and
lots of bad guys roaming the Internet streets with nothing better to do than to rattle every doorknob they find just to see if they can open one and do some mischief inside. Any computer that dares to connect to the internet unprotected nowadays will be identified and attacked within minutes. No joke. Now imagine a firewall as the doorman or gatekeeper to your computer. At the very least, it should keep out the riff-raff and let into your computer only those you approve of. Better firewalls will also block bad guys from getting out of your computer and keep them from passing out information about you. The best firewalls will actually make your internet doorway visible from the outside only to those you invite in the first place. Firewalls do this by either comparing the network messages going into and out of your computer, or by checking the programs sending and receiving network messages, or both, and blocking those you did not give permission to. By the very nature of what they do, all firewalls can be at times inconvenient, either by asking you for permissions, or by blocking you from various websites and/or network activities. I know several people who feel that firewalls are just too much bother, and that is their choice. I strongly believe firewalls are one part of a suite of applications essential to responsible internet access, along with anti-virus, anti-spam, anti-popup, and anti-spyware. Depending on your computer, your operating system, and how you connect to the Internet, you may already have some or all of these protections. As you did not say anything about these, I can only speculate. If your connection is cable or DSL, it is possible your connection has hardware firewall features built-in. It is possible your computer has a software firewall already running. A good way to tell is to go to www.grc.com and run its Shields-Up! test. This website is an excellent source of information on internet security, if a bit technical. As for specific recommendations, again the information you provide is too general, but I am sure that won't stop other people from offering their solutions anyway.

Submitted by: Jim P. of Denver, Colorado, USA

Don't let this Mac advertisment change the issue. All computers are vulnerable here, and the zero virus claim on the Mac should make you supicious, it's not true.

The reason that Microsoft is further ahead on this issue is because more than 90% of the US market is running Windows, those are votes with the check book. I've gone two years on 6 machines, and no virus, or other malware here thanks to strategy outlined at top of this thread. Well written.

In my opinion, adding Zonealarm is a much smarter decision than switching to the MAC.
You decide.

http://www.sophos.com/virusinfo/analyses/maccowhanda.html

If your really a geek, then I bet you probably have upgraded to Tiger v10.4. Why so fast? Do we really need to cover the security holes that have been IDed this updated closes?

Then we have poor marc72 compaining ealier that zone alarm does not have a mac version and shame on software vendors for not recognizing every platform available.

and my point is, they are all insecure if you don't keep them patched. You will presenting the mac as if you can just doze off...

One of the advatages of Windows is you have a bigger pool of experts working on solutions, so there are more options and generally lower prices for similar functions.

It's not about the Mac, it's about the market share of Windows.
cheers!

My question is this. Which system would you trust more?

According to market researcher OneStat.com, Windows now controls 97.46 percent of the global desktop OS market, compared to just 1.43 percent for Apple Macintosh and 0.26 percent for Linux.

Hackers are more likely to target more popular systems. Hence which system has been tested more for security?

I am running Win XP, sp 1, and have been reluctant to add sp 2, because it doesn't seem to be compatible with the anti-spyware (Spybot Search and Distroy){Pest Patrol), anti-virus (Norton updated daily), and firewall (Zone Alarm Pro, updates expired). I have used Windows Update to download all other critical updates, just not SP 2. Now my Cable Internet provider (Cox) is offering a free security suite of Firewall, anti-spy, anti-virus, parental controls, anti-popup, that is different from any of the above. What is the best to install or uninstall, without interfering with other essential programs?

I had the same eerie experience described way above there in this thread-namely the call for support, which lands you in India, where you must ask the person ( 6 different ones) to repeat what they said; and still, the issue of Mcafee not working at all, (in spite of the automatic debit for their services from your bank account!) the complex thirty step process did NOT fix the problem. And worse...I was billed $50 for that phone call to India! So forget McAfee, and Norton too. There are software companies with anitvirus and firewall and spyware who are easier to deal with and whose programs are very good. I guess there is something to be said about companies who become too successful...and say "...to hell with those idiot customers of ours...we don't need them"
Wellllll......an awful lot of folks are saying to hell with them today!

I have had good luck with GRISoft's AVG software, personal edition. That is free, but mind you, there is no support. For that you have to pay and get the commercial version. However, so far AVG Free seems to have kept my PCs in good shape.

As for not wanting to return a software you're dissatisfied with, you should seriously consider reading the EULA or having your lawyer read it for you, because you should definitely have the right to return a piece of software that did not fulfill your expectations.

Shrink wrap contract
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Shrink wrap contracts are license agreements or other terms and conditions of a (putatively) contractual nature which can only be read and accepted by the consumer after opening the product. The term describes the shrinkwrap plastic wrapping used to coat software boxes, though these contracts are not limited to the software industry. Web-wrap, click-wrap and browse-wrap are related terms which refer to license agreements in software which is downloaded or used over the internet.

The legal status of shrink wrap contracts in the US is somewhat unclear. One line of cases follows ProCD v. Zeidenberg which held such contracts enforceable (see, e.g., Brower v. Gateway [1] (http://www.kentlaw.edu/legalaspects/tony_brower.htm)) and the other follows Klocek v. Gateway, Inc., which found them unenforceable (e.g., Specht v. Netscape Communications Corp. [2] (http://www.nysd.uscourts.gov/courtweb/pdf/D02NYSC/01-07482.PDF)). These decisions are split on the question of consent, with the former holding that only objective manifestation of consent is required while the latter require at least the possibility of subjective consent.

In April 2004, a ruling [3] (http://www.techfirm.com/bakeragreement.pdf) in California challenged the practice of including EULAs within shrink wrapped software. This forced major software companies and retailers, including Microsoft and Best Buy, to accept returns of opened software, and to provide EULAs on their website for consumers to read before committing to the software.

Miguel K mentions different firewalls but never the one that is part of windows xp. Why is that?

No one explained that with a software firewall you will have to go thru a teaching period, telling it what programs to allow in and out of your computer. The first time a program wants to access the net, you will be asked to allow or block the access( there is a block to check so the firewall will remember your choice the next time the program is run ). For great protection and ease of operation I like Sygate's firewall.

I heartily agree. I don't know WHY everybody buys Norton products unless it's because they don't know better. I won't allow ANY Norton products on our home or business computers. They are horrible resource eaters and the support is woeful. I work in the community helping (mostly disabled) folks with computer access and I tell them the same thing.

I had one client who is blind and his daughter installed the Norton Suite without setting an adminstrator password. We could do nothing to change the setings afterwards. Technical support would have been VERY expensive so we spent hours searching their web site and others for an aswer before we found one.

Nobody has mentioned it yet but I have been using Black Ice for years without problems. It is hard to find in stores anymore but on line you can find it at
www.BlackICE.iss.net
Good Luck!

Hello everyone,
I can't seem to find any mention of the fact that when you install NOrton's antivirus 2005, that you are asked to "UNINSTALL" or disable the firewall that comes with windows xp. I have had to disable mine and feel very nervous about it, but Norton's will not function if I don't.
Also lots of email has not been scanned. Some email has been returned to sender and some email that I have tried to send repeatedly, also came back.

My question: is it safe to keep Norton's, now that I bought the 2005 edition or should I go for Zone alarm? How does anyone feel about PC-illin? I always understood that was a good one?
Sabina.

I am amazed by how much Norton-Bashing you people do. I have worked in the IT department of a major corporation for 15 years. Our division alone supports more than 34,000 desktop and laptop computers, not to mention all of the servers. Norton applications have never been a problem, when configured correctly. I will agree that out-of-the-box they can sometimes slow down a system, but that is because they try to err on the side of caution, which is excellent for novice users. As users become more knowledgeable and more proficient, they can tweak the application however they like.
Most of the bashing seems to come from those who rely on free software. There's no problem with free, but the really good free programs are few and far between. And, if you look at the history of such programs, you will find that most evolve into for-purchase programs, simply because you can't continue to provide a great program with no funding to back it up.
Anyway, that's my opinion.