Verizon at Home

[#1]

Firewall:  The term conjures up images of medieval battlements hardened to withstand assault from hordes of pyrotechnic-wielding raiders.

In today’s online world, a firewall serves much the same purpose for personal computers, with pyrotechnics taking the form of viruses, spyware, and worms (the cyber kind) that are the tools of identity thieves and other online raiders.  Like ancient castle fortifications, computer firewalls are the first line of defense and, if you don’t have one, you are leaving yourself open to attack and devastating consequences.

Most computer operating systems now come with a firewall feature built into their software, but it’s up to the user to activate the feature – and many wait until it’s too late.  Designed to protect personal computers and personal data from being accessed by unauthorized persons or systems and alert you to immediate threats, a firewall examines all incoming and outgoing Internet traffic.  It allows only traffic that meets the security policies that were set up by the computer user, and Internet traffic that does not meet these security policies is blocked by the firewall and never reaches your computer.

In the age of high-speed Internet connections, broadband access allows data to move between a hacker and your computer very quickly. Instantaneously, the hacker can easily load malicious programs onto your computer or interact with the information on your computer.

Dedicated connections make it easier for hackers to hijack your computer and use it for a server to distribute their illegal or unethical programs and spam to others you contact on the Web. They commonly attempt to take control of your computer in the middle of the night when you are less likely to notice their activities.

Have you checked the status of your firewall and adjusted the settings recently? Why not?

Computer firewalls help protect against this cyber invasion.  It’s the virtual stone and mortar designed to keep the hacker horde from helping itself to your personal data, computer files and your very identity.

[#2]

Very good post. I know in Vista and also Windows 7, the firewall by default only blocks incoming connections. So if you were to pick up a malicious program or Email, Windows will let that program go straight out on the Internet to get more. Vista and Windows 7 comes with a very good firewall that can block unwanted outbound connections from your computer. There are various firewall programs that can monitor and control inbound and outbound connections. I have found that the Windows Firewall works very well when controlled properly. There is one software out there called Windows Firewall control that does a very good job at controlling and monitoring the firewall that comes with Windows as opposed to a third party add on product. I am not advertising or attempting to promote any one product, but just wanted to add to the fine blog by Jim Smith.

Stay safe

[#3]

On Windows XP at least SP2 blocking incomming connections only.

[#4]

Yes you are correct. Outbound blocking was a Vista added feature, and many do not know about it. It is not as easy as just enabling it. So the Firewall Control tool was born. Renamed to Windows 7 Firewall Control, from Vista Firewall Control. There may be other tooks but I believe this was the first and it works well for me.

[#5]

I wish they would enable edit post feature here, and allow you to quote the previous post, and not the main Blog. It would allow me to fix the other tooks to other tools.