Why You Need Internet Firewall Software
You already have an antivirus software installed on your computer. All this time, nothing bad really ever happened to you and your computer. So you’re thinking, why would I need another security software? What is firewall software anyway? And most importantly, why would you need one?
Well, an antivirus software is more like a doctor for your computer. It can diagnose and treat “diseases” (viruses, trojans, malwares, etc.) that got in your computer. Sometimes they can prevent these threats from getting into your computer, but that’s not what antivirus software is made for.
Firewall software, on the other hand, works like security guards. They keep watch to everything that on in your computer. When they see something strange or suspect there’s “something fishy” (like a virus/trojan or a hacker attack) trying to get into your computer, they will immediately “burn” them (thus, the name “firewall”).
When buying security software often times multiple items are bundled together. An antivirus, firewall, and antispyware are generally bundled and considered an “internet security suite”, to be more specific. Anyways – back to firewall software. Of course not all of the options on the market are made the same. With this being said, you want to pick the option that is best for the security of your PC. Here are some simple guidelines for you to take a look at when looking for your own internet firewall:
1. Inbound and outbound packet filtering.
Some firewalls can only scan inbound packets while not scanning outbound ones. Trojans work by sending out sensitive information from within your computer. Because of this, scanning outbound packets is an essential part to your PC’s security.
2. Hacker/ Brute Force Protection.
It’s not enough to secure your computer against viruses, trojans, and malwares. We also need to secure your computer from brute force attacks (sending a great number of packets to our computer as to overwhelm it). Once your computer gets overwhelmed (K.O.), a hacker can basically do anything to your it (i.e. taking away your secret files and passwords (you know what they can do with your passwords, right?)).
3. Internal Protection.
Our computer works by utilizing numerous sensitive files and processes. These files and processes are so sensitive that they may not be changed or interrupted at any given time. Should something happen to them, your computer would be rendered useless! The best firewall software would always keep an eye on these files and processes as to keep them from being harmed and changed by anything or anyone.
4. Ease of Use and Installation.
Not everyone is a technical genius. The best firewall options come ready to run and protect your computer right out of the box. Their default settings can be used to keep your PC protected as-is, or you can customize them if doing so seem better fit.
5. Smart Protection.
Every day there are hundreds of new viruses, trojans, and malwares which are becoming increasingly more complex as technology advances. Firewalls, as your computer’s security guards, should be able to “learn” and “recognize” these new threats quickly and efficiently. No matter how good a firewall software is considered, if it can only stop “old and obsolete” threats, then it’s useless!
Prevention is always better than to have to cure. Stop the threats and attacks before they are given the chance of getting into your computer. Getting firewall software is always a smart move, and getting one with all of the above features is a must.
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