Re: choosing personal firewall ?

From: Eirik Seim (eirik@mi.uib.no)
Date: 04/18/02 

From: eirik@mi.uib.no (Eirik Seim)
Date: 18 Apr 2002 13:29:31 GMT

On Thu, 18 Apr 2002 12:46:56 GMT, Khayman wrote:
>
> "Emanuele Blanco" <manubNOSPAM@libero.it> skrev i meddelandet
> news:1Dyv8.55279$m41.1443553@twister2.libero.it...
> > I need to install a Personal Firewall ... what do you suggest me ? I've
> > got
> > 2 PC using Windows XP and I share Internet Connection with ICS. I tried
> > ZoneAlarm Pro, but it stops applications such Audiogalaxy and Microsoft
> > Netmeeting, even if I allow them to act as a server. Thanks for your
> > answers
> > !
>
> I'd like to recommend "Kerio Personal Firewall", seems to work nicer and
> better than ZA.
> (It even manage to remember all it's settings, something ZA was never able
> to do..)
>
> More advanced rules, easy overview of all connections.. etc, etc. Give it a
> try!
>
> (and do try to ignore "Wolfgang" - he really must have some mental problem)

Yeah, the same mental problems as everyone else who's been in this business
for a while. Dealing with people who sees some firewall advertisement, or
perhaps have seen the movie 'Swordfish', and think every internet-connected
computer needs a firewall. I'll let you in on a little secret: They don't.

I won't argue with the fact that a lot of our regular home users could use
a firewall to secure their network, but there should be some degree of
understanding of what is actually going on. This has been discussed over
and over again, so please excuse my need to shout:

NOBODY CAN CONNECT TO YOUR COMPUTER IF YOUR COMPUTER IS NOT RUNNING ANY
SERVICES!

Only reason I see for installing a personal firewall on a computer, is
if one let all kinds of virus, worms, trojans and malware run on your
computer. Maybe so called 0-day worms and viruses could be stopped,
but if one looks at how these spread today, is this realistic? Wouldnt a
regular home user have permitted Outlook to send mail? I'd say having a
Windows computer on the internet without its virus definitions beeing
updated every week (every day, if permanently connected), is irresponsible.
This is far more important than personal firewalls.

Oh, and that personal firewall is probably of no use on Windows 95, 98,
Me and similar.

Ok, I'm breathing easier now.

To give a real answer, one cannot recommend anything until one knows something
about what purpose the firewall is supposed to serve. What is it supposed to
block? What do you want to protect from?

- Eirik 

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