Use a Firewall to help protect your information

Definition of a Firewall.
"Any of a number of security schemes that prevent unauthorized users from gaining access to a computer network". The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition, Copyright © 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company.


What does this mean to you?.
Stop hackers from accessing your computer to steal, nuke or sell your data.

For the last 3 years, my day job has been working as a Broadband and Dialup Technican for a large Internet Service Provider in Sydney, Australia. I regularly answer phone calls troubleshooting difficult connection problems.

As more member's install software firewalls,more connection problems are rearing their heads. Out of the box, once you install firewall software, it's not unusual for firewall software too block access to email and the web, and it's hard for members to know how to reduce the firewall security to allow their email to still come through. Let alone get web access!. If this happens to you, phone the support department who made the software. Go to their site for contact details.

Here is a solution. If you have dialup internet access, you are pretty much stuck with firewall software, unless you invest in expensive firewall hardware to stop hackers, crackers and slackers stealing your information.

If you have Broadband access, make sure your Broadband modem or router has a built-in firewall .

Most broadband firewalls are set to "off" when they leave the manufacturer. So enable your broadband firewall. Once your firewall is turned on, it's almost impossible for hackers to break through your firewall and into your computer's hard drive. You can smile now. Your data is almost completely secure. See below.

In fact, crackers, are unlikely to even see your computer to attack, unlike firewall software, which only reacts once a hacker see's your computer and lines you up as their next target. Computer Hardware with an in-built firewall is the answer.

Firewall hardware is awesome at protecting you from almost all hackers. Elite hackers will find a way to access your system if they really want the data. Even if it means physically stealing your computer. So always, password protect, your computer. And turn it off when you are not using it, preventing unwanted fingers from deleting your hard drive or stuffing up your operating system.

Already have a firewall installed?. See how secure it is. Go to this site and test it against vulnerable computer liabilities.

However, the more protection you have, the better your computer will sleep at night, so I recommend having two firewalls. One hardware (e.g on your broadband modem), and the other software based.

I've recently installed Zone Alarm and been happy with it's protection from intruders.This firewall is especially useful for those multiplayer gaming nights as it allowsyou to allow one program to work (your game) and stop all other traffic.

ZoneAlarm free for individual and non-profit groups (excluding governmental entities and educational institutions).

Instructions for testing your firewall