What is firewall ?
- A firewall is a piece of hardware or software that helps prevent malware and malicious attacks from entering a computer or a network of computers through the Internet.
- Firewalls have been a first line of defense in network security for over 25 years. They establish a barrier between secured and controlled internal networks that can be trusted and untrusted outside networks, such as the Internet.
- A firewall can be hardware,software or both.
Hardware firewalls
- Hardware firewalls are systems that are independent of the computers they protect that filter the Internet as information passes into a computer.
- Most broadband Internet routers have their own firewall built in.
- In general, hardware firewalls work by examining the data that flows in from the Internet and verifying whether that information is safe.
- The ZyXEL ZyWALL, which is a Unified Security Gateway with a firewall and other security features.
- Cost: $100 to ~$500
- NAT, DCHP, Email Notification.
- Easier for computers to locally share folders/Printers.
- Additional function available & can protect other devices.
Software firewalls
- Software firewalls are designed to protect a computer by blocking certain programs from sending and receiving information from a local network or the Internet.
- The Windows Firewall, an example of a firewall software program included with Microsoft Windows.
- Cost: Free to $30 per computer.
- Each machine need to be configured.
- Firewall may be interfere with local network sharing.
