Firewalls play a major role in the security of a computer. It not only protects the computer from malware. Rather it also protects against hacking. But the question is how? How do firewalls protect computers? And what is its contribution to computer security? What are its types, advantages and disadvantages? Why is firewall necessary? Let’s know the details.
Firewall
A computer user saves a lot of information on his computer. And it takes many measures to protect it. For example, it uses everything from screen lock to folder lock and encryption to antivirus. But nevertheless the computer gets hacked. And the data gets stolen. In this situation, the question arises how hackers hack the computer? And how to stay safe for it. Read till the end to know this.
There are many ways of hacking. Malware is one such way. Malware can target a large number of computers in a short period of time. Also the system can be captured through Ransomware Attack. And the device can be controlled remotely.
What is Firewall?
A firewall is actually a security system. which protects the computer network. That is, it monitors every traffic. and prevents unwanted traffic from entering and exiting the system. That is, it prevents personal information from leaving the computer and viruses, etc. from entering. This is how a firewall protects a computer and the data it contains.
A firewall is a network security system. which acts as a wall between trusted and untrusted networks. That is, it monitors incoming and outgoing traffic. and prevents unauthorized customer traffic.
Firewall literally means wall of fire. It is a wall that provides protection. You must have heard that in ancient times people lived in forests. And to be safe from wild animals they slept with fire around them. A firewall is a similar security wall that protects computer networks from viruses.
How does firewall work?
It actually acts like a wall between public and private networks. That is, it prevents unauthorized data exchange between secure and non-secure networks. and secures all computers connected to the network.
Usually when you go to bank or office. Then saw many computers. And all these computers are interconnected through a network. That is called Intranet. It is actually a private network, restricted to the employees of that bank or office.
But when a computer connected to this network is connected to a public network (such as the Internet)! and exchange information. All data then passes through the firewall. The firewall checks every piece of data. and prevents insecure data. In this case, no malware, trojan or spyware can enter the computer. And can’t get out. That means the computers connected to the network are completely protected.
Especially, when a hacker tries to break into the network! And trying to steal data from the computer! Then the firewall caught him. and shuts it down before entering the network. This way no hacker can access the network. Nor can it steal data. As a result, the firewall provides protection against hacking.
Types of Firewalls:
If we talk about the types of firewalls, then basically there are two types. One is Software Firewall and the other is Hardware Firewall. What is the difference between these two? Let’s find out.
- Software Firewall:
A software firewall is a software program that is installed on a computer. But need to configure after installation. And some rules need to be defined for traffic filtering. That means you can set administrator rules as per your requirement. And you can add different filters for traffic.
However, firewalls come pre-installed on computers. But it is not that advanced. Using a good and advanced firewall is very important for good security. For this you can rely on companies like Avast, Quick Heal, Kaspersky, MacAfee and Bull Guard. These are very well known companies. You can easily purchase their firewall software in CD format. You can also download from their official website.
2. Hardware Firewall:
A hardware firewall that exists between public and private networks. But this software works like a firewall. But instead of computers, it secures the entire network. That is, viruses from the public network and unauthorized users are prevented from entering the private network. and does not allow any information to leak out of the private network.
Why is a firewall needed?
When you download a file from the Internet! Even if it has a virus with it, it will come to your computer and infect all the files. Also when you visit a spammy website or fall into the trap of hackers! This feature provides security by monitoring firewalls.
A firewall works like a wall. which does not allow any insecure data to enter or exit the computer. In such a situation, no virus can enter or come out of the computer. Means hackers can’t steal data from your computer either. This is why firewalls are so important.