Secure Internet Gateway Essentials. A firewall is a piece of software that protects your computer from viruses, malware, and other malicious threats. Antivirus software scans files and programs before they are downloaded onto your device.
In addition to an antivirus, you should use firewalls. To set rules for your computer that block or allow certain applications.
1. Change Your Default Firewall Settings
When you first install Windows, it comes with a sample firewall. Further, that allows you to test the software and make adjustments so that it meets your needs. Once you know what firewall settings work for you, you should change the default settings to more secure ones.
If you have a newer version of Windows, there is a firewall included that is built into the operating system. Windows XP comes with an interface for the Windows Firewall, but it is not as advanced as other options.
2. Know How To Use A Firewall
The way a firewall works is by creating rules based on the type of traffic it sees. Some firewalls can allow traffic based on identity while others can only block traffic based on identity. You must understand how each one works and how they are different so that you can choose one that works best for your network needs.
Sometimes you may need to put multiple firewalls on your network to protect different systems from different threats. This is a “defense in depth” approach. In this case, each firewall will be different to protect your system against different threats. The idea is that if one firewall fails, another will be there to protect your computer from attacks.
3. Do Not Uninstall Your Default Firewall
Some people have found that after they install a new firewall, they do not need their default one anymore and decide to uninstall it in order to save space on their device. This is a big mistake because if your computer gets infected without a firewall installed, then you will not have any protection from harmful threats until you install another one.
Always leave your default firewall installed after installing another one so that no matter what happens, you will always have some protection against malicious activity on your computer until you realize something needs to be protected against and then make changes accordingly.
4. Check Your Firewall Settings Often
Once you set up your firewall, make sure you check it often for any changes or new settings that may have come about because of software updates or new threats. Some firewalls can alert you when there is a new update available so that you can choose whether or not to install it, but others do not warn you about updates and you must check them manually.
If your firewall doesn’t give you any updates, then you should set it to receive automatic updates so that it always has the latest software. You should also check your firewall settings regularly to make sure they are still doing what they are supposed to do.
5. Use A Virtual Firewall Instead Of A Hardware One
There are two different types of firewalls: hardware firewalls and virtual ones. A hardware firewall is an actual piece of hardware that protects your computer from malicious activity over your network connection.
A virtual firewall is similar to a hardware one in that it protects you from outside threats over your network connection, but instead of being an actual piece of hardware on your network, it is software installed on your computer.
6. Use Multiple Firewalls To Protect Your Computer
If you decide to use a physical firewall with your computer instead of a virtual one, then you should consider using multiple firewalls to protect your computer from malicious threats. If you use a virtual firewall on your computer, then you can use a physical one on your router or another piece of hardware on your network to protect multiple devices from different threats.
You do not want to put all of your eggs in one basket, so the idea is that if one firewall fails, then another one will be there for protection.