Firewall
Basics
Don't Get Burned Online
Even if you think no one would bother to attack your
solitary home computer online, as soon as you connect to
the Internet, your computer becomes a target for hackers,
malicious code, personal data theft, and other unseen
dangers. A personal firewall can be a valuable defense
against these online threats, keeping your computer and
your personal information safe.
What a Firewall Can Do For You
Firewalls function like their namesake by providing a line
of defense between computers that share information. The
purpose of a personal firewall is to control the flow of
information back and forth between your computer and your
Web server. A firewall examines all traffic routed between
your computer and the Internet to see if it meets certain
criteria. If it does, it is allowed in. If it doesn't, it
is stopped. Protecting your computer from intrusion, the
firewall keeps your machine from getting burned by
destructive intrusions that could result in data loss or
file corruption.
A firewall can give you the tools you
need to protect your private information while connected
to a public network:
- You may select which information you
would like to protect, such as a credit card number or
password. If you attempt to send that number to an
insecure site - such as one that doesn't support
sufficient encryption -- the firewall will alert you.
- Firewalls can also prevent Web
servers from getting access to other sensitive data,
like your address, while you're browsing.
- Cookies, small text files stored on
your computer by a Web server, can be useful for
surfing because they help other sites remember you
when you revisit, eliminating the need to enter login
information with each visit and keeping your shopping
basket current. But they may also raise privacy
concerns since they could be used to track your web
surfing unknowingly;. With
Norton
Personal Firewall 2003,
you can block cookies on a site-by-site basis.
- You can also block Java applets and
ActiveX controls, both of which may endanger personal
information and computer security.
- In addition to controlling
information, firewalls can let you know if anyone has
tried to access that information using intrusion
detection that notifies you and analyzes the data for
patterns that may point to a weak spot in your
security system.
Do You Need a Firewall?
Anyone who surfs the Web can benefit from personal
firewall software whether you use dial-up or enjoy an
always-on Internet connection. Many PC users believe that
no one would bother breaking into their anonymous home
computer. Unfortunately, this is not true. Every computer
on the Internet has its own IP address, a unique string of
numbers that serve as a type of identification. Hackers
often program their computers to scan random IP addresses
and attack whenever a vulnerable machine is found. They
don't need to know your machine personally to attack it.
And this intrusion could cost you many files and programs
-- especially if you have to reinstall your operating
system without warning.
Norton
Personal Firewall 2003
can provide you with the
ultimate in security for your home computer, right out of
the box. Because it automatically configures itself
specifically to your PC, it is easy to use and provides
customized security for your needs. It immediately
"hides" your PC and takes other steps to guard
it against common hacking techniques. You can choose basic
settings quickly with easy-to-use presets, or you can
adjust the security settings to your exact preferences
using more detailed customizations. Anyone online can
benefit from personal firewall software. Don't let hackers
and other online dangers threaten your PC. Keep them safe,
behind Norton
Personal Firewall. Norton Personal
Firewall is part of the Norton
Internet Security 2003 suite of products.
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