On average, hackers infiltrate unsuspecting users computers every 39 seconds.Unsurprisingly, most attacks come from the internet.
Luckily, there are defensive measures available to protect users and their systems from cybercriminals.
Firewalls are security tools tasked with protecting your equipment from external threats,i.e.
threats coming from the internet.
That said, a firewall alone is not enough to keep you safe from most threats.
TRY NORTON SMART FIREWALL
What Is a Firewall and How Does It Work?
A firewall regulates connections between devices on your local area web connection (LAN) and the outside world.
In a nutshell, firewalls are hardware or software used to prevent unauthorized access to your setup web link.
They can be used by both individuals and large businesses to filter all incoming and outgoing data.
If the firewall filter catches anything suspicious, it denies it access to your box system and private connection.
Firewalls can also be configured to block specific programs from accessing the internet.
In this day and age, every computer needs a firewall for protect sensitive data.
What Kind of Attacks Do Firewalls Protect Against?
Firewalls prevent cybercriminals from gaining access to your system.
The issues include but are not limited to:
What Else Are Firewalls Used For?
Firewall programs can sometimes be used as proxy servers.
Since companies mainly use this feature, individuals most likely wont have to worry about it.
Firewall Pros & Cons
There are many advantages to running a firewall on your rig.
The increased security they provide is worth the price of a few notifications and warning pop-ups.
Finding a balance between security and ease of use may prove a challenge at first.
Disable too many features, and youll be more vulnerable to attacks.
Set the filter intensity too high, and youll run into issues withsafe content getting blocked.
Heres how to find and configure the prefs that allow approved programs and connections.
If you only tick Private, it can only get online through your home online grid.
The process of whitelisting a connection is similar with most of the best third-party firewalls.
Does a Firewall Alone Offer Enough Protection?
No firewalls are only effective against specific types of threats.
Theyre essential but by no means the only tool you need if youre concerned about security.
In addition to a firewall, youll need an antivirus.
Thebest firewallscome bundled with third-party antiviruses, withNortonbeing my personal favorite.
For Windows users, that is.
If you use a Mac, I recommendIntego.
A firewall mainly serves as a preventative measure against malicious online attacks.
Youll need a good antivirus to neutralize any active threat.
Keep in mind that not all firewalls are created equal.
The Windows Defender default firewall is useful but somewhat barebones feature-wise.
What Are Some Good Firewall Recommendations?
Conveniently, some antiviruses come bundled with firewalls, covering most of your cybersecurity needs with just one program.
There are also somedecent free firewallsthat outshine those that come with every PC and Mac.
I particularly like how Norton makes it easy to manage ports.
McAfeesfirewall is easier to use but not as customizable.
If youre a Mac user, Intego is your best option.
If a premium antivirus doesnt fit into your budget, Tinywall is a great option.
Its very customizable but didnt block as many threats as Norton during my tests.
ZoneAlarm is also pretty good, but you cant utilize stealth mode with the free version.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do firewalls do?
Firewalls block a wide variety ofinternet-based attacks.
How do firewalls work?
Firewalls work byanalyzing your internet activityand blocking anything that seems suspicious.
This applies both to data coming into your connection from external sources and data that you send out.
This second aspect is important because it can stop your devices from being used to spread malware.
In their analysis, firewalls look at the source of data as well as the content.
Firewalls are focused on protecting your web connection, meaning theyarent effective against all online threats.
For example, they generally wont stop you from downloading malware by mistake.
Do I need a firewall?
Firewalls areessentialfor keeping your web link safe.
The good news is you already have one.
Every Mac and Windows computer comes with one, but these are far fromthe best firewallsout there.
Third-party firewalls are generally more effective at blocking malicious traffic and offer better custom features.
How do I stop my firewall from blocking connections?
If you think your firewall is blocking something thats actually safe, youre experiencing afalse positive.
This can usually be addressed through your firewalls controls.
Clicking on the app in question should show an option to allow connections through the app.
Just be certain its actually a false positive before letting it through your firewall.
If its a new app youve just downloaded, your firewall might be blocking it for a good reason.
Thebest firewallskeep false positives to a minimum.
