Firewall Security
Firewall security has been described as a complex area within your total Internet Security package. It is in fact not as difficult as it seems, just so long as you have a basic understanding of what it is and how it works then you will be able to set up a basic firewall.The actual need for an effective firewall cannot be stated strongly enough -- you need a firewall. A firewall will protect your personal information, control (manage) your own computer programs, and prevent others from accessing you computer.
If you have a larger network then I recommend that you have a consultant assist you in clarifying what you need from your firewall and selecting the correct firewall (hardware firewall or software firewall) for your specific needs. A larger network will almost certainly require a hardware firewall and possibly some software firewall on each individual PC, just for peace of mind.
There are a number of different types of firewalls. Some are just basic applications others are more complex however, they all have one thing in common they are designed to limit the access your computer has to the internet and to limit the access the internet has to your computer.
There are two main types of firewalls; hardware firewall and software firewall.
Hardware firewalls are generally associated with either a large network or as part of an internet connection. The hardware component is usually referred to as a router and may be combined with a switch or modem depending upon its function. Many home and small business users will be aware that their modem / router has the capability of using its hardware firewall (router firewall) if they configure it correctly. This is preferable to a software firewall for this situation. Often in larger networks the firewall may be part of a managed switch and / or associated with the server. This sort of arrangement requires network consultants to develop the effective network security and to configure the firewall appliance appropriately. The Cisco firewall is built within a Cisco router (switch) and needs to be configured by a technician familiar with Cisco security. Other brands do an equally good job, usually at a much reduced cost, it is just that Cisco has held a position for many years as a top provider of the firewall appliance.
A firewall security software application is intended to provide you protection against a wide variety of things. Its main function is to limit the access your programs have from your computer to the internet. This is referred to as application security and protects your personal information from being transmitted to the originator of any spyware, adware, or virus that was installed onto your computer, it may also prevent your programs from updating automatically. Consequently you need to manually update your programs, which may have some advantages also.
Firewall security software also provides you with protection while you are online. It helps you to prevent sites from accessing your computer while you are surfing the internet, these are generally set up by hackers intent on gaining your data. There are many different types of websites (not all bad) that you may visit on a daily basis that attempt to access your computer. Some do this for the benefit of improving their services to you or for improving their own marketing. A firewall security software application can provide you with an added level of security so that you can make effective choices about your computer security, network security and internet security.
There are some things to consider when using a firewall security program. You need to carefully monitor the settings of the software in order to ensure that you do not end up blocked from accessing the internet completely. It is one of the major complaints with firewall applications. They can also block any site, which uses connections such as streaming video sites, download sites, and file storage sites. If you are using a VPN link then the VPN firewall settings are faily complex but once set up work brilliantly.
The necessity of these programs, however, cannot be denied, there are an increasing number of sites, which can create an issue with firewalls, and there are a number of different levels of control that the firewall can be set at depending on the type that you get.
There is a variety of different firewall security software applications. There are also firewall applications that come with internet security suites as well as standalone applications. They also have a wide spectrum of features that allow you to provide a great deal of flexibility. Firewalls can also help to provide you with privacy and help to block certain types of sites. On most firewalls there are options to block particular sites and can further help with parental controls to help to protect your family.
Wireless network security adds another dimension to the role of the firewalls security capability, especially if you are relying on a software internet security firewall. If you have combined uses and access points the setting up of the firewall software can be very complex and generally best avoided.
Windows firewall that comes with Windows XP and Windows Vista is an attempt by Microsoft to reduce the likelyhood of their software from being compromised by any of the threats mentioned above. However because it has to be kept simple (or basic) I recommend that you do not rely on it. For instance it does not prevent any Microsoft programs that may be compromised (infected) from transmitting data which is a major concern. I would only use this basic firewall if I was also behind a hardware firewall. You can go with the most basic firewall security software, which is found in later versions of windows as long as you are aware that this does not offer a great deal of flexibility when it comes to setting up permissions and monitoring activity.
There is an excellent article on this subject at Ezines