What are Firewalls ?
Firewalls
What are Firewalls?
The term firewall is mentioned in the press and computer magazines often. You may even have one on your computer.. What are they?
Firewalls are a piece of hardware or software that protects your computer from intentional hostile attacks on your computer. For many home users this will take the form of a piece of software installed on their computer. This type of defense is essential in supporting your Internet Security.
With many small business running from peoples homes these days, most may have a small hardware firewall that they have all of their computers use to protect them.
What do Firewalls do?
A firewall examines all “traffic” (the name given to all the electronic information entering and leaving your computer) when you are connected and surfing to the Internet.
All firewalls use “rules” to determine what they are going to:
Block “traffic” from certain internet addresses.
Block certain types of “protocols” Telnet or FTP (ways of accessing a computer over distances).
Block suspicious looking traffic”.
Block attempts to probe your computer for information.
Block certain files types. (MP3 files).