Firewall
A firewall is used to separate a single computer or
computers connected to a private network from the Internet. A firewall blocks
certain traffic, making it harder for a hacker to take over control of your
computer.
Particularly computers connected to the Internet using a
broadband connection are very vulnerable to hacking. If your computer is
connected to the Internet, it is essential to use a firewall. Otherwise, your
computer will be hacked very soon.
There are two types of firewalls. Firstly, there are
hardware firewalls. They are usually designed as a separate computer that is
connected to the Internet. The local area network is then connected to the
computer through a separate network card. The firewall filters all traffic that
goes through it. Secondly, there are software firewalls. These can be installed
directly on a personal computer. Software firewalls are normally used by home
users who don’t have a computer network. Software firewalls are also useful in
order to provide additional protection for users within a network environment.
For example, if one computer within the network is affected by a virus or worm,
then the software firewalls installed on the other computers may stop this worm
from being propagated.
