Computer Firewalls

Computer Firewalls

A firewall is a computer software that provides protection from hacking attempts from the Internet. It is very important to install a suitable firewall software to protect the computer from spyware and virus infections. A large number of security companies have developed firewall software. Some of these software are free for personal use.

A firewall software is basically a "packet sniffer". Data that gets transferred via the Internet moves in the form of packets. The firewall software intercepts these packets, analyzes its contents and determines if it is harmful to the computer. If the packet contains malicious content, the firewall blocks it from accessing code on the computer, thus preventing damage to the computer.

Most spyware, malware and virus programs can be prevented by installing a suitable firewall. Firewalls can also prevent software from accessing the Internet and transmitting information without the user's knowledge. Thus even if a virus program gets installed on the computer, it still won't be able to access the Internet and transmit sensitive information like credit card numbers, etc.

The latest version of Microsoft Windows i.e. Windows Vista has an inbuilt firewall in it. This means if you are using Vista, you don't have to download and install additional firewall software. However, if you still want to install a third party firewall, you can do that for added protection.

For maximum protection, it is advisable to invest in an "Internet Security Suite". This is a software bundle that combines a virus scanner, email scanner, spyware protection and a firewall. By installing such software, you can get complete protection from all sorts of malware programs that spread via the Internet.

By John Browning

Free Home Computer Security

Free Home Computer Security
By Alexandru Kiss

Securing your home computer from the many different threats out there is a big challenge for every computer owner and often the solutions that you may need to use will cost you a good deal of money. Purchasing commercially produced anti-virus software and personal firewalls as well as anti-spyware programs will mean having to spend hundreds of dollars for the product and then spending more to upgrade and update the software each year.

All Is Not Lost

However, all is not lost because you can make use of a number of good security solutions. In these times when virtually every PC is under threat from viruses there are fortunately a few free security anti-virus software available that can be used to protect your system.

Take for instance, Avast Home Edition Free Antivirus that is perhaps your best option in so far as using a free computer security solution goes. This particular computer security software helps to provide your PC with active protection and it is also customizable and will keep your computer and your web browsing as well as emails and fire sharing safe from attack by malicious viruses.

Avira Personal Free Antivirus is another good free security solution and it is also right there with the best though it lacks Avast's full features. Nevertheless, this free security solution will protect your computer from spyware and it can also combat certain viruses as well.

AVG Antivirus Free Edition is another good example of what a free home computer security software can do to protect your computer and this is considered among the best free anti-virus software available. Its interface is very polished and easy to use and this software will protect your PC against both viruses as well as spyware though experts believe that both Avast and Avira have higher detection rates.

These three security software programs are certainly a cut above the rest and they can match any similar antivirus and antispyware software that you would otherwise need to purchase. When you consider how much protection you are getting for free it makes good sense to install at least one of these computer security software on your system to get added protection.

Home security is a very important facet to owning a home. You will need to approach this matter in a very thorough manner to ensure that nothing is left to chance and in addition you need to also ensure that all angles in regard to protecting your home have been covered. Failure to do so will end up costing you dear.