What's a Firewall?

Crown · Post by **Crown** » 2003-08-13 10:41pm

I mean I think I know what it is, it is meant to stop people from getting onto your computer when you are online right?

Well I am running WindowsXP with a broadband connection, should I have a firewall? How do I get one, that is easy for a newb like me? Does Windows have one, or do I habe to pay $ to get one?

Shinova · Post by **Shinova** » 2003-08-13 10:49pm

I hear XP has a built-in firewall, but most people recommend Kerio (the personal version is free and unlimited use).

And if you have broadband and you use cable, you will need a firewall since your connection's on the whole time.

Crown · Post by **Crown** » 2003-08-13 10:54pm

Should I just do a google search for Keiro then?

Mitth`raw`nuruodo · Post by **Mitth`raw`nuruodo** » 2003-08-13 10:58pm

Crown wrote:I mean I think I know what it is, it is meant to stop people from getting onto your computer when you are online right?

Well, there are software firewalls (programs, you download or whatever-a lot of times free-and then just use them) and hardware firewalls (physical things, usually little boxes that sit by your computer with wires connected to it, not free).

How Stuff Works: Firewalls

First thing to come up when I typed "firewall" in a search engine, seems helpful

phongn · Post by **phongn** » 2003-08-13 11:28pm

Crown wrote:I mean I think I know what it is, it is meant to stop people from getting onto your computer when you are online right?

A firewall attempts to block unauthorized network traffic.

Well I am running WindowsXP with a broadband connection, should I have a firewall? How do I get one, that is easy for a newb like me? Does Windows have one, or do I habe to pay $ to get one?

Windows 2000, XP and 2003 have built-in firewalls, but they protect inbound only. If you want some outbound protection (against, say, trojans) you'll need to get a different one.

Crown · Post by **Crown** » 2003-08-13 11:40pm

phongn wrote:
Crown wrote:I mean I think I know what it is, it is meant to stop people from getting onto your computer when you are online right?
A firewall attempts to block unauthorized network traffic.

Well I am running WindowsXP with a broadband connection, should I have a firewall? How do I get one, that is easy for a newb like me? Does Windows have one, or do I habe to pay $ to get one?
Windows 2000, XP and 2003 have built-in firewalls, but they protect inbound only. If you want some outbound protection (against, say, trojans) you'll need to get a different one.

With XP, is it activated automatically, or do I have to go somewhere to activate it? I just don't want to be sucker whos computer goes tits-up when I could have prevented it, that's all.

phongn · Post by **phongn** » 2003-08-13 11:48pm

Go into your Network Connections control panel. Open up the relevent connection and click properties, then go to Advanced. Turn on the firewall.

It should block attacks, but I can't remember if there's a default hole in the firewall to allow Windows Networking through.

Crown · Post by **Crown** » 2003-08-13 11:54pm

Thanks phongn, very usefull mate!

Slartibartfast · Post by **Slartibartfast** » 2003-08-14 12:10am

It should be on by default tho.

Knife · Post by **Knife** » 2003-08-14 12:24am

Crown wrote:I mean I think I know what it is, it is meant to stop people from getting onto your computer when you are online right?

Well I am running WindowsXP with a broadband connection, should I have a firewall? How do I get one, that is easy for a newb like me? Does Windows have one, or do I habe to pay $ to get one?

If you have high speed internet, you should have a firewall. You could probably get away with the one in Windows but there are various firewalls out there that you could get, some for free.

Zone Alarm comes to mind. They have free ones for home users, medium grade of course, and high end ones you can buy.

Shinova · Post by **Shinova** » 2003-08-14 02:29am

Kerio's a good one in that it lets you control access to individual ports, specifying in or out.

Vendetta · Post by **Vendetta** » 2003-08-14 01:21pm

Slartibartfast wrote:It should be on by default tho.

No, that would be clever.

Microsoft do not do clever.

TheFeniX · Post by **TheFeniX** » 2003-08-14 01:33pm

Zonealarm is actually a hybrid firewall/IDS.

Firewalls are for the most parts stupid devices. The best config you can setup is "Everything out, nothing in." That means the the firewall will deny ANY traffic originating from outside trying to get inside. And it will allows any request you make from behind the firewall. Then as you try and run different services you open up "holes" to allow some services to be accessed (ex: Remote access, VPN, Battle.net, MSN, etc.).

IDS (Intrusion Detection Systems) are a lot smarter, but alone are fairly weak. They tell you "IP is attempted to access port <X>" or "Internet Explorer is trying to access the Internet (I love this one in ZoneAlarm, always makes me laugh). But an IDS alone is just a barking dog that can't actually do anything.

Hardware firewalls are almost always the way to go if you have the money and are truely worried about security. A virus or worm can always disable a software firewall.

phongn · Post by **phongn** » 2003-08-14 01:40pm

TheFeniX wrote:Hardware firewalls are almost always the way to go if you have the money and are truely worried about security. A virus or worm can always disable a software firewall.

Not a few people on the ArsTechnica boards manage to save up and get used Cisco firewalls off eBay..

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