What is it?
Do I need one?
How do i know if I already have one?
I’ve heard firewall mentioned a lot lately and don’t know just what it is.
Since we had this computer upgraded ,about 3 months ago Norton has evidentally done a good job of virus containment.
A firewall (in the computer sense) has nothing to do with viruses. Firewalls help prevent unauthorized access to a given computer or computer network.
When you are on the internet you are essentially a node viewable by all other computers on the internet. Afterall, when you request information from a remote computer it needs to send you data. To an only semi-literate hacker it is possible to perform all kinds of shenanigans on your PC from the simply joking to the downright malicious.
A firewall essentially acts like a security guard at the entrance to your PC. As with real security guards some are better than others. Also as with real life security protecting your PC with a firewall can be invisible to the user to intrusive. The greater the security the more bumps you will run into as you attempt to use the internet. What level is appropriate for you depends on the level of security vs. hassle you want to deal with.
At the simplest level, with minimal effort on the user’s part, a firewall will prevent casual hackers from gaining access to your system. Again, as in the real world, some criminals are better than others. While nothing is 100% secure as long as it is attached to a network you can hopefully make your computer unappealing by making a hacker work to gain entry. If the hacker doesn’t feel there isn’t anything valuable or useful behind your locked door they are more likely to give you a pass and go for easier pickings.
Do you need a firewall? I guess it depends on what level of hassle you are willing to put up with. If someone gains access to your machine they might crash it, do nothing, grab your passwords and credit card numbers (if you use them) and so on. The stories I’ve read of people this has happened to liken it to a real thief breaking in and walking off with your life. Of course, most people don’t get robbed in their lifetime (at least not by burglars) so you have to decide how much security is appropriate for you.