| What is a Firewall?The term "firewall" | | | | the web cam. All the activities being done in |
| illustrates a system that protects a network | | | | the house were being telecasted on the |
| and the machines on them from various types | | | | websites."Spies:Spies are out to get secret |
| of attack. Firewalls are geared towards | | | | information. It may be difficult to detect |
| keeping the server up all the time and | | | | break-ins by spies since they will probably |
| protecting the entire network.The primary | | | | leave no trace if they get what they are |
| goal of a firewall is to implement a desired | | | | looking for.A personal firewall, therefore, |
| security policy; controlling access in both | | | | is one of the methods you can use to deny |
| directions through the firewall, and to | | | | such intrusions.How Firewalls work?Firewalls |
| protect the firewall itself from compromise. | | | | basically work as a filter between your |
| It wards off intrusion attempts, Trojans and | | | | application and network connection. They act |
| other malicious attacks.Personal | | | | as gatekeepers and as per your settings, show |
| Firewalls:They are meant for the home user in | | | | a port as open or closed for communication. |
| a networked environment. They aim to block | | | | You can grant rights for different |
| simple attacks, unlike the enterprise level | | | | applications to gain access to the internet |
| firewalls that the corporate world uses at | | | | and also in a reverse manner by blocking |
| the server or router end. There are many ways | | | | outside applications trying to use ports and |
| to implement a firewall, each with specific | | | | protocols and preventing attacks. Hence you |
| advantages and disadvantages.Are they really | | | | can block ports that you don't use or even |
| needed?Nowadays organizations and | | | | block common ports used by Trojans.Using |
| professionals use Internet technology to | | | | Firewalls you can also block protocols, so |
| establish their online presence and showcase | | | | restricting access to NetBIOS will prevent |
| their products and services globally. Their | | | | computers on the network from accessing your |
| endeavor is to leverage digital technology to | | | | data. Firewalls often use a combination of |
| make their business work for them.All the | | | | ports, protocols, and application level |
| organizations and professionals are shifting | | | | security to give you the desired |
| from Dialup to broadband and getting a fixed | | | | security.Firewalls are configured to discard |
| IP. It has led to an increase in security | | | | packets with particular attributes such |
| attacks, bugs in everyday working. This does | | | | as:Specific source or destination IP |
| not mean that Dialup being anonymous dynamic | | | | addresses.Specific protocol typesTCP flags |
| link or the firewall of the ISP network make | | | | set/clear in the packet header.Choosing a |
| you pretty safe.Now if your machine was under | | | | firewall:Choose the firewalls which have the |
| attack, you must have wondered what went | | | | ability to ward of all intrusion attempts, |
| wrong making your system crash suddenly. So I | | | | control applications that can access the |
| would rather like to say, it's not necessary | | | | internet, preventing the malicious scripts or |
| for anyone to actually know about you or your | | | | controls from stealing information or |
| IP address to gain access to your system.If | | | | uploading files and prevent Trojans and other |
| you system is infected or prone to | | | | backdoor agents from running as servers.The |
| intrusions, then beyond the anonymity of your | | | | purpose of having a firewall cannot be |
| Dialup connection or a dynamic IP, your | | | | diminished in order to gain speed. However, |
| system can be hacked.Types of | | | | secure, high-performance firewalls are |
| AttacksIntrusion:There are many ways to gain | | | | required to remove the bottleneck when using |
| unauthorized access to a system. Operating | | | | high speed Internet connections. The |
| system vulnerabilities, cracked or guessed | | | | World-Wide-Web makes possible the generation |
| passwords are some of the more common. Once | | | | of enormous amounts of traffic at the click |
| access is attained, the intruder can send | | | | of a mouse.Some of the good firewall |
| email, tamper with data, or use the system | | | | performers available in the market are |
| privileges to attack another | | | | below:BlackICE DefendereSafe DesktopMcAfee |
| system.Information Theft and Tampering:Data | | | | Personal FirewallNeowatchNorton Personal |
| theft and tampering do not always require | | | | FirewallPGP Desktop SecuritySygate Personal |
| that the system be compromised. There have | | | | FirewallsTiny Personal FirewallZone AlarmZone |
| been many bugs with FTP servers that allow | | | | Alarm ProMost of these firewalls are free for |
| attackers to download password files or | | | | personal use or offer a free trial period. |
| upload Trojan horses.Service Attacks:Any | | | | All the personal firewalls available can't |
| attack that keeps the intended user from | | | | ensure 100% security for your machine. |
| being able to use the services provided by | | | | Regular maintenance of the machine is needed |
| their servers is considered a denial of | | | | for ensuring safety.Some of the tasks advised |
| service attack. There are many types of | | | | for maintaining system not prone to |
| denial of service attacks, and unfortunately | | | | intrusions:Disable file and print sharing if |
| are very difficult to defend against. "Mail | | | | you are not going to be on network.Update |
| bombs" are one example in which an attacker | | | | your antivirus signature files regularly.Use |
| repeatedly sends large mail files in the | | | | a specialized Trojan cleaner.Regular apply |
| attempt at filling the server's disk | | | | security patches to your software and |
| filesystem thus preventing legitimate mail | | | | operating system.Don't open email attachments |
| from being received.Types of | | | | if you have don't know the contents it may |
| AttackersJoyrider:Not all attacks on computer | | | | contain.Don't allow unknown applications to |
| systems are malicious. Joyriders are just | | | | access to the internet or to your |
| looking for fun. Your system may be broken | | | | system.Regularly check log files of your |
| into just because it was easy, or to use the | | | | personal firewall and antivirus |
| machine as a platform to attack others. It | | | | software.Disable ActiveX and java and |
| may be difficult to detect intrusion on a | | | | uninstall windows scripting host if not |
| system that is used for this purpose. If the | | | | required.Turn off Macros in Applications like |
| log files are modified, and if everything | | | | Microsoft Office and turn macro protection |
| appears to be working, you may never | | | | on.Check the open ports of your system and |
| know.Vandals:A vandal is malicious. They | | | | see them against the common list of Trojans |
| break in to delete files or crash computer | | | | ports to see if they are being used by some |
| systems either because they don't like you, | | | | Trojan.Log Off from your internet connection |
| or because they enjoy destroying things. If a | | | | if not required. Being online on the internet |
| vandal breaks into your computer, you will | | | | for long duration gives any intruder more and |
| know about it right away. Vandals may also | | | | sufficient time to breach system |
| steal secrets and target your privacy."In an | | | | security.Unplug peripherals like web cam, |
| incident a Trojan was being used to operate | | | | microphone if they are not being used. |