 
Just got back form a friend’s place after receiving a panic phone call this morning. His computer had just started to act on its own. His hard drive was churning away, and it was extremely slow.
After a few minutes of troubleshooting, it was confirmed that his computer was most likely at the hands of a hacker.
During the process of cleaning his computer he said how can this happen? I have the best antivirus software installed. This is a very good question as a lot of people do not realize that an antivirus virus software alone will not stop direct “Hacker” attacks. A direct “Hacker” attack is not a virus. It is someone trying to access your computer from any open ports.
This gets even worst if you have Broadband access which is also known as high-speed internet access. The popularity of broadband access is increasing because it is much faster than a dial-up connection. There is no need of dialing. You can use your phone line while you are connected to the internet. The downside is broadband access is more susceptible to hacker attacks. Therefore, a good firewall program is a must for broadband users.
Broadband users are more susceptible to hacker attacks because their internet connection is always on. This is true even when they do not open the e-mail program and web browser. Broadband connection usually has a static IP address with unprotected or “open” ports. Hackers can locate these unprotected computers easily using routine port scans.
A personal firewall is what broadband users need to protect their PCs from hackers. A firewall program masks the IP address, making the computer invisible on the internet. PC users can use program controls to allow or deny internet access to programs. Sophisticated firewall software also have ID lock feature, which prevents personal information from leaving the computer without permission. Personal firewall can also block pop-up ads and cookies and provide other features for overall protection.
A firewall is a type of software that monitors all incoming network traffic while you're online and allows in only the connections that are known and trusted.
Without a firewall, your computer is basically an "open door" to hackers. Once they gain access to the computer, hackers can do different things. They can install an application in the computer, hijack the data files, steal confidential banking and identity data, or use the computer to hack another computer. All of your private information such as passwords, credit card numbers you've used for online purchases and documents that you don't want to share with anyone are all available for hackers to steal. Whether you have a dial-up, broadband or DSL connection, every minute that your computer is connected to the Internet, it is at risk.
Do you need a Firewall?
YES... you do need a firewall. Without a firewall, your computer can be compromised within SECONDS after connecting to the Internet. If you're a dialup user, it might take a little longer, but it will happen. The reason for this is the automated hacking drones that are constantly scanning Internet-connected computers, looking for any vulnerability.
What Kind of Firewall Do I Need?
The first question is "Do I need a software-based firewall or a hardware-based firewall?" If you have a high-speed Internet connection such as DSL or cable, and you have a router between your DSL/cable modem and your computer, then you most likely already have a hardware-based firewall. If your router has NAT (network address translation), or your modem has a built-in router with NAT, you have a hardware firewall which effectively makes your PC invisible to the attacking hordes. If you're not sure if you have a NAT router, do a web search for your router's make and model and you should be able to find the manufacturer's specs or a review that answers the question.
If you have a highspeed modem that is connected directly to your computer (no router in between), chances are you do NOT have a hardware firewall in place. And if you have a dialup connection, you definitely don't have a hardware firewall. So in the absence of a hardware firewall, you absolutely need a software-based firewall.
Another big question is “Does your firewall stop outbound connections”. If your computer has been hacked or you have an undetected virus, then your computer might be sending out data without your knowledge.
Software Firewalls
The idea behind a software firewall is to protect your computer from harm by checking incoming and outgoing traffic for known Malware. Normally the software firewall will alert you to all kinds of traffic you may or may not know that is coming and going from your computer to the internet. It will probably ask you if you want to let this traffic though. Once you get past the training phase you are setup and ready to surf. Some of the user advantages for a software firewall are how easy setup is and updates are similar to antivirus software. Also a lot of software firewalls are built into antivirus programs so you night already have one running now. Some of the down sides to this kind of firewall are that the software vendors may not tell you about vulnerabilities and there are always going to be chances that without updates your computer can still be at risk. Just keep in mind that you should treat your software firewall the same as your antivirus products and keep it updated.
Hardware Firewalls
Hardware firewalls are normally safer because they are separate devices than your computer and any dangerous traffic get stopped before it hits your computer. Also if for some reason your network gets attacked your firewall takes the burden of the attack and not you’re PC. Other pro’s to the hardware firewall is that you can use it to protect all the computers on your network and this can save money from not having to load the software on all your computers. Hardware firewalls are also normally better because they are made to just protect your network and only serve this proposes unlike software firewalls that are just programs to run on your computer and can be disabled from other software and Malware.
A new threat is the use of portable devices.
According to a 2005 FBI Computer Crime Survey, 44% of organizations have reported network intrusions from within their own organizations. Technology analyst Gartner warns that portable devices containing a USB or FireWire connection are a serious new threat to businesses. In their report, Gartner named removable media devices as a significant security risk in the workplace and advised that these can be used both to download confidential data, and also to introduce a virus into the company network. Portable devise such as media players, including iPod, Creative Zen, USB sticks, CompactFlash, memory cards, CDs, floppies & other storage devices PDAs, BlackBerry handhelds, mobile phone and similar communication devices Network cards, laptops and other network connections.
A very important routine is to make sure that your firewall is kept up to date. This is especially true for the software firewall.
Article written by Bernie Delorme, webmaster of many Computer Security resources such as
PCSecurityPost,
Antivirus,
Spyware.
Registry Cleaner.
Firewall.
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