Firewalls
What is a firewall?
A firewall is a piece of software between your computer and
the outside world. Firewalls can be configured to allow some information
to come through while keeping the rest out.
What types of firewalls are there?
There are many firewalls. There are firewalls
that are built into a piece of equipment. These are more
secure because there is no operating system loaded that can provide security
loopholes. The other type of firewall installs on your system similar to
an antivirus program. These are know as personal firewalls. It
usually runs in the background looking for port probes and other forms of
attack.. These tend to be adequate for the small home user and are not as
expensive to purchase.
What Firewall is best for me?
If you use a dial up internet connection and are a single
home user, a personal firewall is the way to go. Business users with
multiple people in a network need a little more protection. As a
user with multiple network connections, it is very important to have proper
security. A Router/Firewall combination is usually the best choice, but it
would be a good idea to contact your system administrator or computer firm to
make sure your security demands are met. Here are links for Blackice
Defender and ZoneAlarm personal
firewalls.
I have a firewall, now what?
Firewalls usually generate reports. These reports
usually consist of the attacker, type of attack, and when the attack took
place. This information can be useful if you know how to use it.
With this information you can determine the Internet Provider the hacker is
using to access the internet. Probing ports and looking for open computers
to hack is usually against the terms and conditions of service. The offending
party can be disconnected from that service if they don't comply with the
conditions of their provider.
Note: A majority of the systems used by hackers to probe ports are systems that have already been hacked. When sending email to an ISP about an attack, be professional and nice. Chances are they have no idea they have been hacked and your email may be the only clue to let them know.