• Symantec Norton Personal Firewall 2004
  Although this product does not have a trial version and its graphical user interface is not as friendly as others’ are, Symantec makes sure that it is continuously improving. Coming from a reputable company, Norton Personal Firewall administers network security very efficiently and reliably.
• TINY Personal Firewall
  This product is relatively new to the network security scene. It boasts its low RAM or memory usage. It features an interesting time-based rule, which is relevantly useful because you can schedule what packet filters will operate at a certain time of day. Just for the record, the US Air Force is using this product.

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Another software application in the market is the ZoneAlarm Pro which presents a multi-layered firewall technology that keeps intruders out while protecting the core of your PC and makes your computer system invisible to hackers. ZoneAlarm Pro is one of the most widely used firewall software application in the market.

Other notable benefits and features that are present in the ZoneAlarm Pro firewall that are worth taking note of includes:
• Network and Program Firewall
• Operating System Firewall
• Identity Theft Protection
• Anti-Spyware
• Game Mode
• Superior Compatibility and Performance
• Spy Site Blocking
• Privacy Protection
• Email Security

The Internet aside from being a repository of knowledge is also unfortunately a haven for malicious users that implement various types of attacks to penetrate computer system security with intent to cause damage. Securing the computer system has become the primary focus for both the individual and corporate users alike.

Internet security can essentially be broken down to three areas of concern, antivirus utilities, firewall protection and recommended practices (common sense). It is important that all of these three aspects be in place in your computer system to provide you adequate protection. Understanding the events that can lead to a compromised security is a necessity in computer protection.

Firewalls are often seen mainly as security utilities that help to keep malicious users out of computer networks. However, a more accurate description of firewalls is they are tools used for deterrent and enforcement of security measures meant to provide effective and efficient data, application and even network connection protection.

We are in a point in time where the smallest bit of data can be used as an advantage that can be transformed to billions of profit for a single enterprise. This is the reason that businesses have made securing communication networks a priority and an integral part of their practices. Firewalls help these enterprises to maintain the integrity of their data and keep their marketing secrets away from potential dangers.

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• Sygate® Personal Firewall PRO
  Symantec had already sacked this product out of the distribution market. Sygate PF PRO offered a solid protection for networks in home set ups. The software is also capable of logging every network activity and has automatic notifications via electronic mail.
• ZoneAlarmâ„¢ PRO
  This product is from Zone Labs. It is proprietary personal firewall software but there is also an available free downloads. The ZoneAlarmâ„¢ PRO has additional protection features like those that are similarly attached to antivirus software, ICS/NAT support and password protection. One of the best things that this product provides to your computer is that this software is running in a Stealth Mode, literally making your computer invisible.

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One of the more dependable firewall products in the market comes from Webroot, which acts as a gatekeeper for the computer and monitors Internet traffic flowing in and out of the network. It also helps to hide the computer from online scanners, which is one way of preventing potential attacks. This firewall has a feature to prevent remote access from Trojans that can hijack the computer and used for malicious intents.

Constant threats from the Internet cannot be denied and the best way to protect any computer system is to implement security measures that combine hardware and software solutions. Firewalls can be implemented as a software, hardware or combination of both.

Firewalls are basically customizable which means that you can either add or remove filters based on your existing conditions. Here are some terms that you need to be familiar with when dealing with firewalls:
• IP (Internet Protocol) addresses – unique address assigned to a network machine, usually in the format 255.255.255.255
• Domain names – there are the human readable equivalent of the IP addresses, each IP address corresponds to a certain domain name
• Protocols – this are the communication services that are used in a network or Internet connection which includes IP, TCP, HTTP, FTP, UDP, ICMP, SMTP, SNMP and Telnet
• Ports – numbered ports serve as the entry point for different services running on the network or the Internet
• Specific phrases and words – this allows the firewall application to look for specific catch words or phrases to block