These days everyone that uses the internet needs to know about firewalls. Whether you are a business owner, student or just browsing the web at home, you need to be aware of the very serious and growing threat of cybercrime. Cybercriminals are using increasingly advanced tactics to maliciously attack internet users – whether this is by infecting their device with a virus, stealing data or committing identity fraud. The good news is that a firewall can protect users from outside malicious threats and they are one of the best cybersecurity products out there. Read on for a beginner’s guide that will help you to learn about why you need a firewall.
What Is A Firewall?
A firewall acts as a gatekeeper between your computer and the information coming from the internet connection into your computer system. The firewall will enforce security policies established by the user to either permit access or block unauthorized access to potentially dangerous material. Essentially, this is a filter that will allow safe information to enter the system and block anything that is not obeying the safety rules.
What Does It Protect Me From?
So, what exactly does a firewall protect me from? A firewall can protect you from many malicious attacks that could have serious consequences. A firewall can protect you from trojans, which are malicious programs designed to inflict damage to a computer system. A firewall can also protect you against Backdoors, which are programs that allow someone to control your computer remotely. In addition to this, a firewall will protect you from key loggers, which can track your keystrokes and will put information like log-in details and credit card information at risk.
What Type Of Firewall Is Best?
Once you start researching firewalls, it is easy to be overwhelmed particularly when there is so much technical jargon to wrap your head around. However, Firewalls can be split into two categories: software and hardware. A software firewall is installed on your computer and usually come with a default configuration that makes them easy to set up and run. A hardware firewall from a specialist like SonicWall Online is a physical external device that sits between your computer and modem. They are harder to set up but are more advanced and can protect a whole network of computers.
Using A Firewall
To use your firewall, you need to establish the level of security that you want to use. As mentioned, most software firewalls come with a default configuration that will be fine for most but you may want to make adjustments, especially if children use the computer. You need to establish what kind of traffic you want to allow through and which traffic you want blocked. You can then start using the internet freely and with confidence each day.
This post should help you to grasp the basics of a firewall. A firewall is one of the most important layers of defense when it comes to cybersecurity and allows you to stop cybercriminals from gaining access to your computer.