| A firewall is your first step in protecting your
home computer.
A software firewall prevents inbound attacks against your computer
by restricting internet traffic. Imagine a fence around your computer
designed to keep 'nasty' things out. More expensive and sophisticated
hardware firewalls can provide even higher levels of security.
A firewall isn't the full solution. This means if you infect yourself
with a virus for example, the firewall may not be enough. A firewall
may help prevent the virus spreading, but it will not prevent your
computer's infection, in this case. For full protection you need
the latest anti-virus software, regular
patching, and proper handling of suspicious
emails and attachments.
A software firewall resides on a single computer
where that computer acts as the firewall for the network. Software
firewalls are typically employed where only one user is connected
at a time, such as one person who connects to the Internet via dialup
(either through an ISP or through the Monash University modems).
For the average user, this kind of protection is all that is required.
Recommended software firewalls include:
ITS recommends that Windows users should activate
the firewall setting as per the directions below. Older versions
of Windows (Windows 95, 98, etc) should install the free software
firewall Zonealarm as a minimum. ITS has prepared general instructions
for installing Zone Alarm.
A hardware firewall is a stand-alone device for
multiple users connecting to the internet. It is designed for users
who are part of a smaller network (like a home network) or for environments
where there is more than one computer connecting to the Internet.
A hardware firewall is recommended for broadband users.
Recommended hardware firewalls include:
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