Set up Firewall

Many people liken the Web and the Internet to a miniature society. In that society, every computer is a house. If the computer is also your home, it is best to be protected "high-walled". So, lock your computer, keep it safe from strangers just as simple as locking your door when you're away. That is completely possible thanks to firewall solutions - firewall.

whether from outside to your computer or from your computer outside.With a firewall, users can be assured that they are being exercised the right to monitor communication data between their computers and other computers or systems.It is possible to see a firewall as a guard who checks the "passport" of any data packets that go into the computer or away from the user's computer, allowing only valid data packets. go through and remove all invalid packets.

Firewall solutions are really necessary, derived from the way data moves over the Internet. Suppose you send your loved one a letter so that the letter is transmitted through the Internet, first it must be divided into small packages. These packets will find the most optimal path to the recipient's address and then re-assemble (in the numbered order before) and restore the original form.

Package splitting simplifies data transfer on the Internet but it can lead to some problems. If someone intentionally fails to send you some packets, installing a trap makes your computer not know how to handle these packets or make packets Assembling in the wrong order, they can take remote control of your computer and cause serious problems. The unauthorized control can then use your Internet connection to launch other attacks without revealing his whereabouts.

The firewall will ensure all incoming data is valid, preventing external users from taking control of your computer.It is also important to control the outbound data of the firewall, as it will prevent unauthorized intruders from "injecting" harmful viruses into your computer to launch backdoor attacks on machines. Other properties on the Internet.

Basic firewall

A firewall is a hardware-based or software-based solution that checks data

One advice is to use a firewall for any computer or network connected to the Internet.For a broadband Internet connection, the firewall is more important, because this type of connection is always on (always on) so hackers will have more time when trying to break into your computer.Broadband connection is also more convenient for hackers when it is used as a means to continue attacking other computers.

In the first few weeks after installation, the firewall software will often ask you if you want to allow a program to send data to the Internet. This is the stage when the firewall is setting its parameters, so it is important to answer those questions correctly. If you allow an X program to communicate with the Internet, the firewall will grant this program permission to send data out and then not ask you again. You should be especially cautious with advertising programs and spy programs. These programs may have been installed on your computer to silently send data about you to advertising company companies outside. A good firewall software will tell you about the presence of such programs if it has been installed on the hard drive.

Some programs need constant Internet connectivity, like short-message programs (IM), which can be problematic if the computer has a firewall. The firewall may inadvertently prevent these programs from accessing the Internet, making the program inoperable. You can adjust the settings of the firewall itself or the IM software itself so that they can "coexist". If the problem persists, you can check on the firewall manufacturer's Web site and the IM software to see. How to edit the parameters.

Another note about firewalls is how strong they depend, very much on the user. If you change the settings and reduce the level of control over passing messages, including messages originating from file sharing programs, there is a risk that hackers can take advantage and send viruses. to your computer. Obviously, you do not want to set up the firewall in the strictest mode as this will greatly limit the ability to communicate with the outside. Therefore, when using a firewall, there must be a balance between the need to exchange data and the level of security that needs to be set up for the system.

In addition, you need to install a firewall with an antivirus software. Some firewalls do not have the ability to control data output, which means it cannot prevent back door attacks. In addition, anti-virus software needs to be able to capture viruses that are exploiting this form of attack from your computer. Anti-virus programs also protect your computer from worms that are spreading strongly via email.

Firewall options

There are several companies that produce firewall products and you have two types to choose from: hardware firewall and software firewall.

Hardware firewall. If you're willing to spend $ 50 to $ 200, you might consider using a hardware firewall solution. Overall, hardware firewalls provide higher levels of protection than software firewalls and are easier to maintain. The hardware firewall also has another advantage of not taking up system resources on the computer as a software firewall.

Hardware firewall is a very good choice for small businesses, especially for companies that share Internet connection. It is possible to combine a firewall and a router on the same hardware system and use this system to protect the entire network. Hardware firewalls can be a more cost-effective option than software firewalls often installed on every personal computer on the network.

Among the companies that provide hardware firewalls are Linksys ( http://www.linksys.com ) and NetGear ( http://www.netgear.com ). The hardware firewall offered by these companies is often built into routers for small businesses and home networks.

Software firewall. If you don't want to spend money buying a hardware firewall, you can use a software firewall. In terms of price, software firewalls are usually not as expensive as a hardware firewall, some are even free and you can download them from the Internet.

Compared to hardware firewalls, software firewalls allow more flexibility, especially when it is necessary to reset the settings to better suit the specific needs of each company. They can work well on many different systems, unlike hardware firewalls that integrate with routers that work just fine on small networks. Software firewalls are also a suitable option for laptops because your computer is still protected even if you bring your computer anywhere.

Because software firewalls are mobile and cost less than hardware firewalls, we will focus on learning about it for the rest of this article, starting with a free software firewall - ZoneAlarm.

Working with ZoneAlarm

To download this free firewall software, go to http://www.zonealarm.com . Scroll down to the lower right corner of the Zone Labs home page to reach the Direct Links area and click on the ZoneAlarm (Free) link.

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In the installation window, you can select the folder to save the program on the hard disk.

You will be taken to the ZoneAlarm product introduction page and here you can choose one of the three versions of this software, including the free version. Click the ZoneAlarm Download button at the bottom of the page, then select Download Free ZoneAlarm. Then click the Save key in the File Download window. Select the folder where you want to save the installation file on your hard drive and click Save. Depending on the speed of your Internet connection, it will take between a minute and a few minutes to download this 3.58 MB capacity software to your computer.

After the download is complete, open the folder to save the downloaded file and double-click the file to install. If you want to change the installation directory of the program, click Browse. However, you should keep the default installation directory. Click Next to continue.

Enter your name and email address and click Next. Read the agreement, select the checkbox and click the Install button. The installation process takes a few minutes, depending on the speed of your Internet connection. After installation is complete, click Yes to start the package.

After a few seconds (please be patient, because you have to wait to see an advertisement), you will see the welcome screen of ZoneAlarm. At this point, the installation process has ended, please press the Next key on the screen.

At the Review Alert Setting window, you should press the Alert Me Whenever ZoneAlarm Block Traffic key. With this option, the firewall will notify you when it detects an unauthorized outside object trying to connect to your computer. You will also be notified when ZoneAlarm detects an external object similar to a hacker trying to infiltrate the computer. This setting should be set in the first few days of using ZoneAlarm to be able to set the firewall parameters to best suit your needs. We can then change the settings so that ZoneAlarm monitors Internet activities automatically. Next, click Next.

In the Secure Program window, ZoneAlarm offers to automatically configure your browser, email and other regular programs to work with the firewall. In most cases, you should click Yes. However, if you want to control all Internet access yourself, click No or Advanded (Remember, these two options will require you to do some more yourself later). After selecting, press the Finish key.

Now you have the opportunity to start learning lessons about ZoneAlarm (If you are familiar with or have used ZoneAlarm before, you can skip this section). The lesson is about 3 to 5 minutes long and you will have an overview of how the program works. After finishing the lesson, click Finish to start running ZoneAlarm.

Understand warnings of ZoneAlarm

Starting and running ZoneAlarm is an easy process, you don't have to interfere much. Like all other firewall programs, ZoneAlarm runs in the background, protecting your computer while you still work with other programs. When the program is running, you will see the ZoneAlarm icon appear in the system tray (System Tray) of the operating system.

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In the early days of using ZoneAlarm, you should let the program show warning windows every time it detects an invasion. You can set the settings for this feature during the firewall installation process.

Although the firewall basically controls its own running process, there are some cases that require user intervention - That's when alert windows appear. Don't be surprised if a ZoneAlarm warning window appears after just a few seconds you start the program. If you see a ZoneAlarm window (with a blue title), answer its question by clicking Yes or No after carefully reading the explanation. If you are not sure, click the More Info key to get more information. Some cases you may choose Remember This Answer The Next Time I Use This Program to program yourself to handle similar situations. (If there is a spyware or ad program installed on your computer, you will probably see such warning windows).

If you see an Alert window with a red title appear, that's when ZoneAlarm informs you that an external object is trying to access your computer. This is an info window, does not require you to take any further action, in addition to pressing the OK key. If you do not want to see these windows appear again, you need to check the Don't Show This Dialog Again checkbox before pressing OK. (To be able to read the warning information later, click the Alert & Log checkbox on the program window, then select the On key in the Alert Events Show section).

Use ZoneAlarm.

If you need to change some settings for ZoneAlarm, you should open the program window by double-clicking the ZoneAlarm icon in the system tray. Settings for ZoneAlarm can be set through the headers on the left side of the program book.

Overview. This section allows you to understand the statistics of ZoneAlarm activity. Click on the Preferences tab to change detailed settings.

Firewall. General settings that affect the entire program door operation are located here. For simplicity, ZoneAlarm uses the concept of Zone. Internet Zone includes computers and Internet sites that you have not set up to protect. In contrast, Trusted Zone includes computers and Internet sites that you have previously set protection. By default, Internet Zone needs to be set to the highest level of protection, ie High.

Program Control. You may need to go to this section from time to time to adjust some customization settings for ZoneAlarm. Program Control allows you to determine which programs must consult the firewall before accessing the Internet (ZoneAlarm uses this information when creating warning windows mentioned earlier). If you have problems with spyware and advertising programs, at some point you can set the setting for this item to High. In addition, the Medium level is suitable for most users.

The Automatic Lock section in Program Contrel allows you to completely isolate the Internet, block all messages from your computer to the Internet and vice versa. If you use broadband Internet and turn on your computer all day, you should choose Automatic Lock any time you don't work with your computer. You can turn on Automatic Lock by clicking on the padlock icon above the ZoneAlarm window.

Alerts & Logs. Go to this section to activate or deactivate the warning feature of ZoneAlarm. You can also view the log file to record all ZoneAlarm activities by clicking on the Log Viewer tab.

Email Protection. As part of ZoneAlarm, the MailSafe feature scans the email messages you receive and attachments to find and remove viruses that may harm your computer. You can enable or deactivate MailSafe feature via Email Protection. You should enable this feature unless you encounter serious problems, such as when ZoneAlarm has problems and blocks attachments in all your email messages.

Emergency! If you have a situation where you suspect your computer is being hacked, you can press the Stop button above the ZoneAlarm window to immediately block all Internet traffic to your computer. Click on the Stop button again to allow normal Internet traffic to continue.

Close the ZoneAlarm window. When you want to close the ZoneAlarm window, press ALT-F4 and OK. ZoneAlarm window will disappear, but the firewall will continue to run and you will still see the program icon in the system tray.

Use ICF.

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If you don't know the content of the message in the alert window, click the More Info key to get the information you need.

One of the most attractive features of WinXP is ICF (Internet Connec-tion Firewall). This is the first time Microsoft has integrated a firewall into an operating system for personal computer users. ICF only controls incoming traffic flows without controlling outgoing traffic flows. Although ICF only provides the most basic firewall protection features - far less than ZoneAlarm's features - this is also a good option for many people.

To configure ICF, click Start, Control Panel, Network And Internet Connections and Network Connections. Right-click and the connection you want to protect with ICF and click and select Properties in the drop-down menu. Then click on the Advanced tab.

Activate / deactivate ICF. To activate ICF, select the Protect My Computer And Network checkbox and click OK. Otherwise, to deactivate ICF, cancel the check box and click OK.

Add applications. Unlike ZoneAlarm, ICF does not automatically support other applications, such as AIM (AOL Instant Messenger) or NetMeeting. In order for ICF to work with these applications, you must provide more information for it. (You need to know your IP address can be done. Click Start and Run. Type cmd in the dialog box and click OK. At the command prompt, type ipconfig and press Enter)

Go back to the Properties window of the Internet connection as mentioned above. Click the Advanced tab and the Setting key. In the window that appears (titled ICF Properties or Advanced Settings), click on the Service tab and the Add key. In the Service Setting window, type in the name of the service, your IP address and port number (You can find the port number information at Microsoft Service Support Website at http://support.microsoft .com ). Click OK to finish. If you receive an error message that indicates that a device or application uses that port, try another port listed on the Microsoft site.

Allow PING. If you use ICF on a network that relies heavily on PING (Packet Internet Groper), you need to tell ICF to allow the traffic of that command. Return to the window titled ICF Properties (or Advanced Settings) and click the ICMP tab. Check the Allow Incoming Echo Request checkbox and click OK to allow your computer to use the PING command.

Other Firewall software options

If you search for client features of software firewalls, there are probably some low-cost options below that will meet your needs.

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The Program Control section of ZoneAlarm allows you to set some settings for a number   Customizable features.

BlackICE PC Protection. This product ($ 39.95) for single computers or small networks. BlackICE ( http://blackice.iss.net ) is an easy-to-use firewall that excels in preventing hackers from injecting viruses into your computer.

McAfee Personal Firewall. McAfee ( http://www.mcafee.com ) offers a subscription fee for their firewall application of $ 34.95 a year. This product will record detailed information about all suspicious intrusions and very strong control of outbound traffic as well as incoming afternoon traffic.

Norton Personal Firewall. This product ($ 49.95) by Symantic ( http://www.symantec.com ) is also excellent in monitoring both-way traffic. The feature of the program also supports many connections to many different networks. ZoneLabs. In addition to the great free product ZoneAlarm, ZoneLabs ( http://www.zonelabs.com ) also offers three other paid products: ZoneAlarm Pro (49.95 USD), ZoneAlarm Pro with Web Filtering (59.95 USD), and ZoneAlarm Plus ($ 39.95) on their Website. All 3 products are much more feature rich than the free version and all are easy to use.

One thing worth noting is that regardless of which firewall you choose, it is essential to actually run it. Some users do not have the patience with the firewall warning windows that have been turned off for program activation. However, if you are willing to answer firewall questions in the first few days of using the program, when you have configured the firewall to suit your needs, the original annoying windows will no longer be available. .

For broadband Internet users, firewalls are even more important. If you don't "lock" your computer with a firewall, it's almost certain that an unauthorized intruder will eventually find vulnerabilities on your computer. As silent thieves broke into the night, once the stranger broke into his computer, it was hard for you to know until everything was too late.