Firewalls

Everyone who uses a computer knows that computer security is a huge concern. It seems that every week the newspapers are full of reports of computer viruses infecting computers all over the world, or companies releasing urgent updates to fix security holes in their software. In order to protect their computers, businesses and individuals are increasingly relying on firewalls.

WHY DO I NEED A FIREWALL?

As a computer users yourself, even if you are lucky enough that you have not had to deal with any major viruses, you have likely had to deal with the consequences of spyware and other malicious programs that had been installed on your computer while you browse the Internet. To deal with this probably, you probably have had to spend countless frustrating hours trying to erase all the spyware and other malicious programs that have taken up residence on your computer.

Even if you don’t think your computer is infected, it probably is. That is why spyware and viruses are so dangerous; you could be using your computer with no idea that they’re there.

WHAT IS A FIREWALL?

At its most basic level, a firewall acts as a barrier between your home network and the Internet. Just like a physical firewall was designed to stop fire spreading to certain parts of a building, a software firewall is designed to prevent viruses and out harmful software from spreading from the Internet onto your home network.

The firewall itself is a piece of software that is usually run by a piece of hardware like your cable modem or router. That way it can act as the first line of defense for your home network. If the firewall was only contained on your own computer, if you have other computers set up on a wireless network it would not be able to protect them.

The firewall’s primary function is to act as a gateway for all Internet traffic coming into your home network. Whenever the firewall receives any traffic, also known as a network packet, it will first analyze its contents to make sure it is safe. If the firewall determines that the traffic is not dangerous, it will redirect it to your computer.

HOW DOES A FIREWALL WORK?

How does the firewall determine what traffic is safe and what traffic is dangerous? The first way is user-defined parameters. You could, for instance, block traffic from specific IP addresses or Internet domains. However, this is of only limited use, since you can’t be expected to keep track of and list the thousands and even millions of sites on the Internet that could harm your computer.

More useful is the work the firewall can do itself by screening incoming traffic to make sure it corresponds to the kind of traffic you would want to receive. For instance, while the firewall would let traffic sent from a website through to your computer, it would block someone trying to log on to your computer remotely.

Connecting your computer will always expose your home network to some risk, no software or hardware can remove the problem completely. By using a firewire, however, you can limit the risk to a large extent and allow you to use the Internet without worrying about infecting your home computers.



 

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