Internet Firewall: Computer, Internet, Network Security with Firewalls

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Protect your computer with an internet firewall!

These days, it's commonplace to be connected to a network of computers, often the Internet, or perhaps a Local Area Network (LAN) in the office. While such connections make communicating to different people simpler and faster, it has also become a source of virtual threats we have come to know as malware.

An internet firewall is a piece of software or hardware that helps prevent malware from entering your computer. In this lens you will learn how firewalls work and which type of firewall is best for you.

Do you have a firewall?

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The History of Firewalls

Here's a brief history of firewalls:

The first incarnation of firewalls came out in 1985. Packet filter firewalls were created by Cisco back then. Next came circuit level firewalls by AT&T Bell Labs around the same time.

Early into the nineties, third-generation firewalls called application layer firewalls were being researched on and eventually developed. And soon after, DEC launched the first commercial firewall, called SEAL.

The University of Southern California also created their own version of firewalls, a fourth generation packet filter firewall system called Visas. It also became the foundations for another commercial product called Firewall-1 by Check Point Software.

The fifth generation of firewalls is called the Kernel Proxy Architecture, the basis for Cisco Centri Firewall.

Types of Malware

Without an internet firewall, your computer is exposed to several harmful threats that can damage your files and the whole system it resides in. Worse, your computer can become a host that spreads even more harm to other computers connected on the same network as you. Here's a list of malware a computer is up against.

Virus
Perhaps the most popular type of malware, a computer virus "infects" files when a source file containing a virus is opened.
Worm
Computer worms spread destruction on their own by installing their own files rather than infecting other "host" files.
Trojan
Computer trojans or trojan horses are intruding software that are designed to control the system or leak information from the attacked system to a remote location.
Spyware and Adware
Spyware, as the name implies, spies on the computer it resides in and transmits information for the advantage of its creators. Adware, on the other hand, are software that have advertisements included in them. Adware often have spyware included, so be careful still!

Firewall Software and Hardware

There are usually two classifications of firewalls, namely firewall software and firewall hardware.

Firewall Software
These are often called personal firewalls or softwalls. Once installed, they monitor incoming and outgoing information through the your computer. Depending on your settings, suspicious connections are flagged and the firewall software usually asks you whether to allow them or not. Firewall software can come in the usual variants: freeware or shareware. Read more »

Firewall Hardware
Unlike firewall software, which work at the application level, hardware firewalls, which are also called network firewalls, typically work at the network layer. They usually have a pre-configured setup for filtering and blocking packets based on certain network-related information (IP addresses, etc.), although it may need a bit more expertise to customize these firewalls to one's preferences. Read more »

Internet Firewall: Proxy Servers

A proxy server acts as a go-between for client computers and servers. Typically, computers that contact other computers talk transparently. When proxy services are present, the computers that connect to one another appear to be talking to themselves, but they are actually talking to the proxy server-client system. Because they are placed in between two computers each time the two communicate, proxies can act as firewalls as well.

Read more »

Internet Firewall Tips and Best Practices

Here's a short list of best practices with internet firewalls. For an in-depth articles read this.

Start early. Install computer security software as soon as possible.
Have at least one type of firewall installed. Make sure you have such filtering software to wipe all the malware you may not know you have.
You don't need to have a "dirty" computer to check if your firewall is working. There are several ways to test your firewalls.
Turn off potentially unsafe system features. It may be wiser to turn off such features especially if you don't need them.
Practice safe surfing and email reading habits. This is best learned on one's own. You have to have an eye for which attachment-ridden email messages actually contain viruses. You have to find out which software are actually spyware and adware.

More Internet Firewall Tips and Best Practices

Firewall best practices: "Firewalls are not the end-all, be-all solution to information security. They are, however, a necessary component of an effective information security infrastructure."
ISA Firewall Best Practices, Tips and Tricks (Part 1): "I've never put up a list of what I consider to be key ISA firewall best practices, tips and tricks on the www.isaserver.org Web site."
Firewall tips: "Turn off file sharing if you don't need it. If a port scan is done on your computer, a hacker may find a back door to your machine and have access to your files via file sharing."
Ten Tips for Avoiding Spyware: "From firewalls to freeware, we'll show you how to keep adware and spyware at bay -- and your organization's computers running strong."
Hacking Email: 99 Email Security and Productivity Tips: "The 99 tips in this article make up the best in email practices. From how to ethically use the 'BCC:' to what attachments will make your mobile emailing compatible with everyone else's, this list covers everything you need to know about emailing."

Firewall Tutorial on YouTube

Videos of the Week (Vol. 9): Desktop Firewalls

Learn how to protect yourself with a desktop firewall!

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Internet Firewall and Network Security Blogs

Here are some niche blogs covering topics such as internet firewalls and everything related to network security.

Internet Firewall: Computer, Internet, Network Security with Firewalls

Protect your computer with an internet firewall!

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The History of Firewalls

Types of Malware

Firewall Software and Hardware

Internet Firewall: Proxy Servers

Internet Firewall Tips and Best Practices

More Internet Firewall Tips and Best Practices

Firewall Tutorial on YouTube

Videos of the Week (Vol. 9): Desktop Firewalls

Internet Firewall and Network Security Blogs

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Firewall Software from Amazon

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Firewall Hardware from Amazon

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