Having control over authorized or unauthorized access to connection ports, e-mail, attachments, software or even the wifi network – that’s the overall promise your firewall normally delivers.
And there’s no fooling around with this type of installation, which is invaluable in protecting against possible intrusions.
A firewall may not protect against all dangers, but in many cases it limits the harmful consequences.
Just as you wear your seatbelt when driving a car, you need to protect yourself with a firewall when operating a computer.
Firewall mechanisms
Who hasn’t already installed a firewall on their computer?
The primary objective of a firewall is to close off access ports from unexpected, malicious and intrusive connection attempts.
However, while we’ve all been careful to install this ingress/egress control tool on our computers since the 90s, we don’t all really know what its features are.
If the term “firewall”, literally translated as “firewall”, seems perfectly appropriate, it’s because the tool is intended to act as an obstacle to the spread of damage and the degradation of your network, in the same way as a fire door in a building is intended to prevent the ravages of flames.
Instead of flames, the firewall blocks intruders.
It’s all about protecting server access from the very real threats posed by the Internet in all its splendor.
And when a hacker wants to steal, control or extract data from a network he’s interested in, he puts all his energy into forcing security barriers, while taking care not to be detected.
This is where the firewall comes in, like a smoke detector of sorts.
To be able to cope with the ingenuity of the ever-growing number of skilled web hackers, firewalls need to evolve almost in real time.
Network firewall and personal firewall, a formidable combination
The natural response is to prevent unauthorized access to your own computer network.
This invisible, yet very real barrier is mandatory and vital to the protection of computer data.
But for even greater data security, the personal firewall, also known as the host-based firewall, is a small revolution that deploys additional forces in terms of security, protection and ramparts in all situations.
The personal firewall works wherever you are, even when you’re no longer on your usual network.
And there are many situations in which its presence is justified, such as when you’re hooking up to a wifi network of any kind.
So it’s in places where you’re trying to keep in touch with the world of the Internet (airplanes, train stations, cafés, restaurants, hotels, libraries, or even at any customer’s or service provider’s premises) that the personal firewall comes into its own.
It follows you wherever you go, ensuring your network’s invulnerability.
Not an infallible but indispensable tool
If the firewall can’t claim to protect you from all risks of intrusion, it’s because hackers are constantly looking for ways to evolve.
So sometimes you’ll notice an attempt – often a Trojan Horse – that has been thwarted by your intervention.
Doing without a firewall today seems impossible, and would only jeopardize all your data, whether personal or professional.
Your business, just like your home, must therefore be equipped with an effective firewall that lives up to your expectations.
