A firewall is simply a method of defense for your computer(s) that prevents unwanted intruders or “hackers” from infiltrating your computer. Hackers randomly search the Internet for vulnerable PC’s by sending out “pings”. That’s sort of like randomly dialing phone numbers. Computers that respond become potential targets. Believe me, hackers do exist and their numbers are growing. Any computer that is online can be hacked at any time, but dialup (phone line) connections are really pretty safe. There are certain settings that change every single time you dial up and log on, that make it almost impossible for you to be a target. Therefore, I would say that if you have a dialup line, you are really not in any danger whatsoever. High speed DSL and Cable connections though are another story. Computers that are always online 24/7 are much more “at risk”. Many people think that since they do not keep credit card numbers or sensitive financial information on their computer, then they need not be concerned about a “hacker attack”. Well, hackers can do more than just read your files (which is actually quite difficult). They can compromise your PC with viruses, worms, or even just spyware. (Spyware is software that tracks your internet use, and reports it back to someone to be sold for marketing purposes, and it’s getting quite popular.) There have been more than 25 viruses, worms etc. discovered in the last 30 days (really!) and viruses have done untold harm to tens of thousands of computers costing hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of damage, not to mention the lost productivity. That alone is reason enough to pay attention to these “cyber-vandals”. For home and small business users, there are two main types of firewall to be concerned with, a software firewall, or a hardware firewall. A software firewall runs on your computer, and monitors all activity. It reports back to you often and asks you to make certain “permission” decisions based on the information it’s giving you. It blocks unwanted activity, and remembers the decisions you make for the next time. The down side though to a software firewall is that the information it gives you can be confusing and cryptic to a new user. Plus, it runs in the Windows background at all times and uses your valuable system resources. I personally do not suggest using software firewalls. For a hardware firewall, consider getting something called a Cable/DSL router. YCS sells many different kinds depending on your needs. The firewall options are all the same, but the differences is the fact you are able to also use this device to share your internet with more than one computer. Since you can have a wireless connection, or wired, or other options depending on your internet, the price of this hardware firewall varies, usually between $90 - $150. After the initial setup, you’ll never know you even have one. No informational reports, no choices to make, just set it, and forget it. The down side to hardware routers is that they do require some knowledge to set up. But your YCS tech is sure to be a phone call away to install and configure it for you. This is, in my opinion, the best way to provide yourself with firewall protection. As “high speed” or “broadband” Internet connections are becoming more and more common at homes and businesses, not having any sort of firewall protection is like always leaving your car unlocked. Sooner or later, maybe weeks, months or even years, they’re probably gonna get ya’. So do you need one? I would get it as soon as you can budget it. |
