Home PC Firewall Guide
| The Internet is a hostile network like the wild west without a sheriff! A personal computer connected to the Internet without a firewall can be hijacked and added to an Internet outlaw's botnet in just a few minutes. | ||
| A firewall can block malware that could otherwise scan your computer for vulnerabilities and then try to break in at a weak point. The only way to make a home computer 100% secure is to turn it off or disconnect it from the Internet. The real issue is how to make one 99.9% secure when it is connected. At a minimum, home computers need to have personal firewall and anti-malware software installed and kept up-to-date to find and remove viruses, spyware, Trojans and other malware. A home network that uses a wired or wireless router with firewall features provides additional protection. | ||
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The Wild West! "...The result is the Wild West: a lawless society. On the Internet, there really isn’t a rule of law imposed from above. It’s every man, or every network, for himself. Those that can afford bespoke security have it, but those who can't -- think home computer users -- have to make do. This is very much the world of Internet security..." Source: Bruce Schneier quoted in Computer security's dubious future, Roger Grimes, Infoworld, February 22, 2008. Home PC Firewall Choices Microsoft Windows Firewall -- The Windows 7, Vista and XP Service Pack 2/3 operating systems have firewalls built in that are turned on by default to block threats from the Internet. You should leave this feature turned on until you replace it with third-party software and/or hardware. Two-Way Third-Party Firewall Software -- These firewalls block both incoming and outgoing threats. A computer has outgoing threats when it becomes infected with a virus, trojan horse or spyware. A challenge for this type of firewall is to distinguish between threats and legitimate software. Three common ways to address this are by vendors including a list of safe software for the firewall to check [white list], malware to block [black list] and/or by issuing a pop up alert to the user asking for advice on what to do [better for experts]. For links to vendors and reviews of over thirty products, see our Personal Firewall Reviews page. Recommended products with links to vendors:
Internet Security Software Suites -- These products include two or more security features such as a personal firewall, anti-virus, anti-spyware and more. For links to vendors and reviews of over thirty products, see our Internet Security & Utility Suites page. Recommended products with links to vendors:
Hardware Firewalls -- A hardware firewall is usually a small box that sits between a modem and a computer or network. The firewall is either based on "network address translation" (NAT) which hides your computer from the Internet or NAT plus "stateful packet inspection" (SPI) for more protection. There are three basic types of hardware devices that include firewalls for home users, Wired Routers, Wireless Routers, and Broadband Gateways. They are inexpensive enough to be used with one computer and can also be used to create a home computer network. They can be used in addition to a software firewall on each computer because they run on a separate box preventing most compatibility problems. Recommended broadband gateway products with links to vendors.
Staying Up-To-Date -- For current security news, alerts and reviews, see our Internet Security News page and sign up for our free newsletter. Resources
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