| ||
| ||
|
Security Information | |
|
|
Personal Firewalls for Home Users
What is a Firewall? The term "firewall" illustrates a system that protects a network and the machines on them from various types of attack. Firewalls are geared towards keeping the server up all the time and protecting the entire network. The primary goal of a firewall is to implement a desired security policy; controlling access in both directions through the firewall, and to protect the firewall itself from compromise. It wards off intrusion attempts, Trojans and other malicious attacks. Personal Firewalls: They are meant for the home user in a networked environment. They aim to block simple attacks, unlike the enterprise level firewalls that the corporate world uses at the server or router end. There are many ways to implement a firewall, each with specific advantages and disadvantages. Are they really needed? Nowadays organizations and professionals use Internet technology to establish their online presence and showcase their products and services globally. Their endeavor is to leverage digital technology to make their business work for them. All the organizations and professionals are shifting from Dialup to broadband and getting a fixed IP. It has led to an increase in security attacks, bugs in everyday working. This does not mean that Dialup being anonymous dynamic link or the firewall of the ISP network make you pretty safe. Now if your machine was under attack, you must have wondered what went wrong making your system crash suddenly. So I would rather like to say, it's not necessary for anyone to actually know about you or your IP address to gain access to your system. If you system is infected or prone to intrusions, then beyond the anonymity of your Dialup connection or a dynamic IP, your system can be hacked. Types of Attacks Intrusion: There are many ways to gain unauthorized access to a system. Operating system vulnerabilities, cracked or guessed passwords are some of the more common. Once access is attained, the intruder can send email, tamper with data, or use the system privileges to attack another system. Information Theft and Tampering: Data theft and tampering do not always require that the system be compromised. There have been many bugs with FTP servers that allow attackers to download password files or upload Trojan horses. Service Attacks: Any attack that keeps the intended user from being able to use the services provided by their servers is considered a denial of service attack. There are many types of denial of service attacks, and unfortunately are very difficult to defend against. "Mail bombs" are one example in which an attacker repeatedly sends large mail files in the attempt at filling the server's disk filesystem thus preventing legitimate mail from being received. Types of Attackers Joyrider: Not all attacks on computer systems are malicious. Joyriders are just looking for fun. Your system may be broken into just because it was easy, or to use the machine as a platform to attack others. It may be difficult to detect intrusion on a system that is used for this purpose. If the log files are modified, and if everything appears to be working, you may never know. Vandals: A vandal is malicious. They break in to delete files or crash computer systems either because they don't like you, or because they enjoy destroying things. If a vandal breaks into your computer, you will know about it right away. Vandals may also steal secrets and target your privacy. "In an incident a Trojan was being used to operate the web cam. All the activities being done in the house were being telecasted on the websites." Spies: Spies are out to get secret information. It may be difficult to detect break-ins by spies since they will probably leave no trace if they get what they are looking for. A personal firewall, therefore, is one of the methods you can use to deny such intrusions. How Firewalls work? Firewalls basically work as a filter between your application and network connection. They act as gatekeepers and as per your settings, show a port as open or closed for communication. You can grant rights for different applications to gain access to the internet and also in a reverse manner by blocking outside applications trying to use ports and protocols and preventing attacks. Hence you can block ports that you don't use or even block common ports used by Trojans. Using Firewalls you can also block protocols, so restricting access to NetBIOS will prevent computers on the network from accessing your data. Firewalls often use a combination of ports, protocols, and application level security to give you the desired security. Firewalls are configured to discard packets with particular attributes such as:
Choosing a firewall: Choose the firewalls which have the ability to ward of all intrusion attempts, control applications that can access the internet, preventing the malicious scripts or controls from stealing information or uploading files and prevent Trojans and other backdoor agents from running as servers. The purpose of having a firewall cannot be diminished in order to gain speed. However, secure, high-performance firewalls are required to remove the bottleneck when using high speed Internet connections. The World-Wide-Web makes possible the generation of enormous amounts of traffic at the click of a mouse. Some of the good firewall performers available in the market are below:
Most of these firewalls are free for personal use or offer a free trial period. All the personal firewalls available can't ensure 100% security for your machine. Regular maintenance of the machine is needed for ensuring safety. Some of the tasks advised for maintaining system not prone to intrusions:
About The Author Pawan Bangar,
MORE RESOURCES:
Security - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
How To Prevent Spyware Attacking Your Computer Spyware is software or hardware installed on a computerwithout a user's knowledge. It gathers information andreports it back to its source. Steganography - The Art Of Deception & Concealment The Message Must Get Through-----------------------------The year is 300A.D. Is the Internet Insecure Because of You? Long gone are the days that we could feel secure and know for certain that we had privacy. With the digital age upon us we can no longer be so sure that our privacy is secure. Temporary Internet Files - the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly A little bit of time invested into learning about internet security can go a long way in preventing mishaps on your computer. Temporary internet files are not something we should be afraid of, but we should certainly be careful in how much we trust them and how we deal with them. Cyber Crooks Go Phishing "Phishing," the latest craze among online evil-doers, has nothing to do with sitting at the end of a dock on a sunny afternoon dangling a worm to entice hungry catfish.But, if you take their bait, this new breed of online con artist will hook you, reel you in, and take you for every dollar you have. Web and Computer Security Well, if that would have been said to me by my father when I was 2 years of age, I would have understood. But when today, my own computer tells me that when I am 34, I wonder why I spent $1500 on my computer hardware and software just to enjoy the (un-realized) benefits of this great and revolutionary information technology?Today’s cyberspace is hazardous. Remove Rogue Desktop Icons Created By Spyware If you have used a Windows machine for a while, whether it's Windows XP, Windows 2000, or Windows 98, you're sure to have noticed desktop icons appearing from out of nowhere. How can icons mysteriously emerge on your Windows desktop?1. Phishing: A Scary Way of Life The Federal Bureau of Investigation has identified "phishing" as the "hottest and most troubling new scam on the Internet."What is Phishing?Phishing is a scam initiated via e-mail. With the Rise of Internet Crimes, Users are Turning to High-Tech "PI's" for Solutions High-tech private investigators are becoming the answer for many Internet users who have been victimized online. The use of e-mail by that unethical element lurking in cyberspace rings all too common these days. 8 Surefire Ways to Spot an E-Mail Identity Theft Scam! The E-Mail Identity Theft Scam is running Rampant. These E-Mail Scam artists will go to great lengths to Get Your Bank Account information and Steal your Identity. Message Board Security Problems Security leaks can be a big problem for any site using a message board. Hackers can actually use your message board to go in and change things on your site. IPv6 - Next Step In IP Security IPv6, IntroductionThe high rate at wich the internet continualy evolves forced the Internet Engineering Task Force(IETF) to find IP solutions to handle the grouth. Designed to handle the fast paced growth of the Internet, the IPv6 (Internet Protocol version 6) is the new version that will replace the widely used IPv4(Internet Protocol version 4) which is already obsolete. Virus Prevention 101 Blaster, Welchia, Sobig, W32, Backdoor, Trojan, Melissa, Klez, Worm, Loveletter, Nimda? Do these names sound Familiar?Have you been as bothered by viruses this past year as I have? Does it seem like there are more viruses, worms and Trojans out now then ever before? It is only getting worse.For the general public, "virus" has become a catchall term for any unwanted program that spreads from computer-to-computer; yet, in reality, there are differences between viruses, worms and Trojan horses. Is Adware - Spyware Putting Your Privacy at Risk Do you sometimes notice your computer running slower. Is your computer acting strange almost like its possessed? Well, it just may be plagued with Spyware. Phishing, Fraudulent, and Malicious Websites Whether we like it or not, we are all living in the Information Age. We have nothing left but adapt to rapidly developing information technology, no matter who we are and what we do for living. Online Shoppers, Beware of a New Scam Beware of a New Scam Aimed at Bargain-HuntersTrying to buy something cheap is absolutely natural--and online crooks set traps for unwitting bargain-hunters. On April 6 Panda Software warned Internet users of a new particularly brazen scam aimed at stealing confidential information. Check Out That Privacy Policy Before you enter your name, address or any other data in that form, STOP! Wait. Don't enter anything yet. How To Avoid Hackers From Destroying Your Site? Recently, my site and other internet accounts ( http://www.nabaza. How Can Someone Get Private Information From My Computer? From the "Ask Booster" column in the June 17, 2005 issue of Booster's Auction News, a free ezine for online auction sellers and enthusiasts.Dear Booster,How can someone get private information from my computer?Thank you,Evan S. 5 Tips For An Unbreakable Password Despite the current wave of identity theft and corporate security breaches it's amazing how very few people treat their passwords with any level of seriousness. Most computers users, both at home and in the office, see passwords as a nuisance and therefore make them as easy to remember as possible.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2006 |
