PC-Security: Importance of Firewalls

The main purpose of a firewall is to control access to or from a computer for security purposes.

A firewall is a software program, hardware device, or a combination of both that monitors the information coming through the Internet connection into your computer. The firewall will only let information in that you asked for. A firewall will also monitor information going out from your computer to the internet. It will only let information out that you say can go out.

Windows Vista firewall is a full fledged firewall application. It is turned on by default and should be left on unless you are replacing it with another firewall. Have no doubt, the Vista firewall is a good firewall.

Windows XP's Internet Connect Firewall is really only half a firewall. It only checks information coming into your computer. It doesn't check information going out from you computer. Why is this significant? If you have inadvertantly become infected with a virus, trojan, worm, or spyware, that little malicious devil can send out your personal information, use your computer to infect other computers, or even allow hackers to access your computer to do whatever they please.

A true firewall will stop that malicious software from getting out of your computer and notify you there is a problem so you can clean it up. Software programs like Comodo and ZoneAlarm are true firewalls. A firewall may very well be the most important piece of security software on a computer.