Guide to Firewalls
| Guide to Firewalls from Acu IT Solutions |
| Few people realise that unless they take precautions, connecting to the Internet can expose much of the data stored on their PC to be viewed by anyone else on the Web. The solution to this problem is a firewall, a piece of software which monitors and authenticates Web surfers trying to gain access to your PC or network. |
| TCP/IP |
| Company networks usually have firewall capabilities built in to the router hardware employed to access the Internet but anybody using an Internet connection is at risk. Firewall products are almost identical in their methods, being designed to grant or deny access according to the TCP/IP address or network port of the PC attempting to gain entry, using a combination of intruder detection methods that rely on the software being able to identify suspicious activity. |
| FILTERING |
| Make sure the software can filter all applications, system services and protocols including file and printer shares (NetBIOS), IP protocols ( TCP/IP, UDP/IP), service-based protocols (FTP, Telnet), ARP/RARP and DHCP. Additionally, the ability to block IPX and NetBEUI on a per device basis is desirable, while the program should be able to load at bootup and close only when the PC is shut down, ensuring complete protection at all times. |
| SECURITY |
| Also look for definable levels of security. Network users should make sure that the software lets them share an Internet connection across a LAN without any special configuration. Traffic filtering on a per application basis is desirable and back-tracing techniques that provide a history of intruders activities is a must, as is password protection that makes it impossible for other people to disable your firewall security. As hackers are frequently devising different methods of attacks designed to circumvent the intrusion detection facilities provided by firewall software, make sure the software developer provides regular updates, at least on a yearly basis. |
We hope this buying advice atricle gave you some tips on what to look out for when choosing an item to buy that suits your needs. We welcome feedback and additions to our tutorials / how-to's and tips feel free to contact us with your ideas and updates. |
