Choosing the Best Windows XP Firewall
(Page 1 of 4 )
A firewall is one of the most important elements in computer networking security. It blocks unauthorized access to your computer, and prevents unauthorized items from going out of it. By default, Windows has its own firewall installed and activated when the Windows XP operating system is fully functioning.
Some may find Windows Firewall to be inadequate for stricter control of security, while others may find it adequate for their needs. There are also third party firewall programs for Windows XP that are FREE and offer more control than the default Windows Firewall.
Before switching from one firewall to another, this article helps you choose the best firewall for your Windows installation by telling you what will happen when you switch or use different firewalls. In this way, you will not waste time and avoiding damaging your Windows XP installation when switching from one firewall to another.
How Windows Firewall Works
A lot of Windows XP users still do not completely understand how Windows Firewall works. Understanding how it works will enable us to develop a better, simple and tough security plan for networking security.
Windows does not provide an in-depth and pictorial explanation. I will show you one below:
It assumes that an attack to your computer comes from outside the network. This is true in most cases, but there is a rare exception (such as when your computer is already infected with a virus or malware), which will be discussed later. Windows Firewall blocks unsolicited incoming requests trying to connect to your computer. When one appears, it shows a warning on your screen so you can decide if you are going to allow that particular software to connect to your computer.
Note that this warning may be deactivated, so if you want the Windows firewall to show warnings, go to Control Panel -> Windows Firewall -> Exceptions, and check “Display a notification when Windows Firewall blocks a program.”
A basic discussion of how to use Windows Firewall is beyond the scope of this article and you may refer to standard Microsoft documentation here.
If Windows XP recognizes a valid request, it will allow the connection to your computer. Based on the above diagram illustrating Windows Firewall's behavior, it will only block incoming connections to your computer. It will not block outgoing connections. So if some malicious program installed on your computer (like a Trojan worm) tries to send stolen passwords and precious information stored there to a remote server, Windows Firewall cannot block this connection.
Next: Deciding Factors and Alternative Firewalls >>
More Windows Security Articles
More By Codex-M
