What Is a Firewall, and How Does It Work?

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One in three Americans have their personal data breached each year. That comes to 111.7 million people. With 317 million new computer viruses and malware created yearly, the potential for increased attacks is likely.

Although using good digital sense with passwords and pins can help diminish some attacks, a strong firewall will go a long way to deter malicious behavior on your computer. But there are different types of firewalls. What are they, and how do they work?

Firewall First Line of Defense

The name firewall came from the concept of physical walls as a barrier to slow the spread of fire. Consider a firewall as a gated border that manages the travel of permitted and prohibited web activity through your private network or host device, such as a PC, laptop, or tablet.

The firewall decides which traffic is dangerous and which is allowed to pass through. In other words, it filters out the bad.

Are Firewalls Needed?

Firewalls analyze traffic to your computer or a network. A set of rules allows a firewall to determine what can pass and what is prohibited.

The firewall only allows trusted sources or IP addresses to enter your computer or network. This prevents a virus or malware from infecting your computer.

They are designed with modern security techniques in many applications.

Uses for Firewalls

Firewalls are used in consumer or corporate settings. They can identify patterns and improve rules or parameters by updating them to defend against the immediate threat.

Firewalls prevent unauthorized users from accessing your computer that is connected to the internet. They provide faster response time. It can handle more traffic loads.

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Firewalls can also help safeguard your computer from phishing attacks. Phishing attacks are fraudulent emails or websites designed to trick users into downloading malware or sharing sensitive information.

Hardware Firewall Defined

Hardware firewalls are generally called network firewalls. They are physical devices that position the computer between the computer and the internet.

Some vendors and internet service providers (ISPs) offer integrated home or small office routers. These can also include firewalls.

Hardware-based firewalls are useful for protecting multiple computers. They provide an additional line of defense against attacks. But, because they are separate devices, they need trained professionals to maintain them and support their configuration.

Software Firewall Defined

Since most operating systems (OSs) have built-in firewalls, these should be enabled for your protection. This is the best practice even if you have a hardware firewall.

Software can also be purchased from a local computer store software vendor or ISP. Ensure you are dealing with a reputable company if you choose to download software from the internet. You also must ensure it’s offered from a secure website.

For example, the software seller should have “https” in front of their URL (web address). They also should have a “lock” icon before the URL.

The main advantage of software firewalls is that they have the ability to control specific network behavior. But there is a big disadvantage.

Because the software firewall is usually located on the same computer it’s protecting, it can hinder its ability to detect and stop malicious activity.

You’ll also need a separate software firewall for each computer.

Do Personal Computers Come With Firewalls?

Most personal computers or laptops have a firewall in their operating system.

For example, Microsoft devices using Windows 8 or above have Windows Defender pre-installed. This helps you protect your device immediately. They don’t have to download new antivirus software when they open the box and set it up.

Windows Defender operates unobtrusively in the background, protecting your computer from security threats.

Defender comes with:

• virus and threat protection
• firewall and network protection
• app and browser control
• family options
• device performance and health statistics

For most light computer and internet users who practice good spam and cybercrime awareness, these are enough to protect their computers.

But there are some cons to Defender. It doesn’t have an integrated dashboard for all your devices using it. There’s also no accountability if something does go wrong. It can also slow installation of frequently used applications by as much as 35 percent.

If you have a Windows computer, it’s wise to use Defender. But it shouldn’t be the only protection or practice you implement.

An Apple Mac also comes with a built-in firewall. It protects the Mac from network access and denial of service attacks.

Update Firewalls

Make sure you keep your firewall updated. Microsoft Defender relies on Windows Updates for the latest virus definitions.

But if you have purchased a firewall, a missed update from the vendor has the potential to damage your computer’s security.

Firewalls Work to Protect

Although properly configured firewalls protect your computer from attacks, don’t drop your guard. There’s no guarantee you won’t have a breach.

Firewalls protect against malicious traffic, not malicious programs. It won’t protect your computer if you download malware.

Use best practices, and don’t click on strange attachments or links. Ensure you have strong passwords. When an up-to-date firewall and cybersecurity best practices are used, your computer and vital information are much more likely to be secure.

The Epoch Times copyright © 2023. The views and opinions expressed are those of the authors. They are meant for general informational purposes only and should not be construed or interpreted as a recommendation or solicitation. The Epoch Times does not provide investment, tax, legal, financial planning, estate planning, or any other personal finance advice. The Epoch Times holds no liability for the accuracy or timeliness of the information provided.