Until recently, I would have dismissed the suggestion, but in this day and age it might be worth considering. A firewall protects your machine by screening incoming and outgoing network traffic and deciding whether the traffic is safe and allowable. Given the events of the last few weeks, and numerous press reports of home users who have had their private data compromised, it's no longer categorically safe to say that you have nothing to worry about. How Firewalls Work Firewalls use a couple of different methods to safeguard machines, often in combination. Another way that firewalls work is by monitoring access to specific applications and letting you know when a remote computer is trying to use your machine without your permission.
Firewalls are widely available.
ZoneAlarm and BlackICE are just two of the better-known products that you can get through the Web. Installing a firewall used to be a real chore, requiring knowledge of network protocols, port numbers, and packet types. Todd Campbell is a writer and Internet consultant living in Seattle. The Answer Geek appears Mondays and Thursdays. I L Send me an e-mail the next time the Geek dispenses his wisdom.