Select firewall policy: better shield virus attacks

Source: Internet
Author: User

When anyone or things can enter your computer at any time, your computer is vulnerable to attacks. You can use a firewall to restrict external access to your computer and its information.
What does a firewall do?

The firewall protects your computer or website and shields external malware or unnecessary network traffic attacks like a shield. The firewall can be set to block data from certain regions and allow other related and necessary data to pass through. These are especially recommended for "always-Online" network users who rely on wired or DSL modem access.

Which type of firewall is the best?

The firewall can be either hardware (peripheral) or software (internal ). Although they both have their own advantages and disadvantages, it is more important to determine the type of firewall to use.

Hardware firewall:

This is usually called a network firewall. These peripheral devices are located between your computer or network and your cable or DSL modem. Many vendors and some network service providers (ISPs) provide "routers" that also include firewall functions. The hardware-based firewall is especially used to protect multiple computers, but it also provides high protection for a single computer.

If your firewall is followed by only one computer, or you can ensure that all other computers on the network are updated with patches at any time, you will not be attacked by viruses, worms, or other malicious code, you do not need to install additional software firewalls for protection. Hardware-based firewalls have their own advantages and have independent devices running their own operating systems. Therefore, they provide additional defense against attacks. Their cost is insufficient, but now there are many products that are priced at less than $100 (or even less than $50)

Software Firewall:

Some operating systems include built-in firewalls. If you have an external firewall, you can consider adding an internal firewall protection layer while there is an external firewall. If you do not have a built-in firewall, you can obtain a firewall software from a local computer store, software vendor, or ISP at a relatively small or even zero cost.

Because there are risks related to downloading software from the network to unprotected computers, it is best to install firewall software from CD, DVD or floppy disk. Although only one software firewall can provide some protection, you need to know that the firewall and the information to be protected are on the same computer, it will weaken the firewall's ability to capture malicious data streams before entering the computer.

How do I know which configuration to choose?

Most commercial firewall products, whether based on hardware or software firewalls, are configured as the most acceptable security mode. Because each firewall is different, you need to read and understand its accompanying files to determine whether its default settings can meet your needs. You can also get additional help from your firewall vendor or ISP (either technical support or website. In addition, alarms about the latest viruses and worms (such as US-CERT's computer security alerts) sometimes contain settings that you can execute on your firewall.

Unfortunately, although Correctly Setting a firewall can effectively prevent some attacks, it cannot create false illusions about computer security. Although the firewall provides considerable protection, it cannot prevent your computer from being attacked. Especially for viruses that are infected with program files on your computer, the firewall can provide very little or almost no protection, such as the virus spread by email. However, the use of firewalls combined with other protection measures (such as anti-virus software and other computer-safe methods) can enhance the blocking of attacks.

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