Who Needs a Firewall?

Simply stated, all users require a firewall. It's as important as antiviral software for computer protection and definitely one layer that should be considered for online security. Perhaps the real question should be rephrased to "How many users realize they need a firewall to protect their PC?" It appears that many PC Users with no previous computing experience or backgrounds have purchased computers for the very first time for the sole purpose of joining the mysterious but exciting Internet world. That being said, this article was written with the novice user as the primary target audience. It is far more likely that experienced users may have skill, interest and knowledge to seek online security on their own. Experienced users tend to be more willing to try new stuff, which categorizes them as "early adopters". The average novice user, on the other hand, being inexperienced in the mechanics of computing may be under the following misconceptions:

I simply do not need a firewall as that's only for corporations with huge networks and data to protect.
I do not really understand what a firewall can do for me.
A Firewall is something that is very technical and difficult for me to use.

In some cases, they may be right with regards to difficulty; however, firewalls are becoming more user friendly as they evolve. We have already explored online security in another article, which gave an excellent example of how security is not being realized by the average PC user. Symantec found 44% of users don't even have a recent version of an antiviral product.

If you have never had a chance to read any of Fred Langa's articles, you must visit his site @ langa.com (see the sidebar for his link). He provides the latest and most informative articles on a vast range of computing topics. The best thing of all is that he writes his articles for everyone to understand. Even newbies will learn a whole lot by becoming regular readers. There is a wonderful detailed article that explores The Four Myths of Online Security. I recommend that you read it. Even though it was written in 2000, it still holds true today as security becomes even a greater issue than it was then. Here are Fred's four Myths plus one that we added for good measure:

Nobody is watching me.
My PC is safe, the dealer/manufacturer setup the security options before delivery.
I use a dialup connection so my IP address changes each time.
I'm not on a network so I'm safe. This is the user that doesn't realize that the Internet is a network.
I use and update my antiviral software.

You require remote access to your computer files.
You are operating any type of web server.
You use remote access programs such as PC Anywhere, Laplink or Wingate.
You want to monitor intrusion attempts.
You want protection from Trojan horse programs like Netbus or Back Orifice.

At the original time of his article, Steve suggested that some day firewalls will be standard equipment on all PC's. Today, in 2007, Steve's prediction have come to pass with built-in firewall protection in both the Windows XP and Vista operating systems as well as most wireless routers. New computers are delivered equipped with some sort of trial version security suite along with the built-in firewall in Windows XP or Vista. Many Internet Service Providers are offering their customers free and fee based security options with their subscriptions. Another advancement in firewalls have seen many new products being developed to include a whole suite of security products in one software program. There are definitely pro's and cons with respect to all in one security products so do some careful research before choosing one product to completely protect your system.

Who Needs a Firewall?

Related Articles on Firewalls

Test your firewall for holes in your protection...