One added feature is that, at the time of writing, Zonealarm was freeware for personal home use. BlackICE Defender functions in a manner similar to virus scanners by matching incoming Internet traffic patterns against known profiles of intrusion attempts. The reporting system identifies the time of the attack, its nature and the location from where it occurred. BlackICE can be combined with other applications to design a security system for more complex networks. The application has all of the features of the previous two firewalls.
Installation is a little more complex, but it provides a greater degree of control.
In addition, the firewall behaves differently in different situations. When the computer is connected directly to the Internet, say from a home, it uses one set of protocols, but when it is connected directly to a corporate LAN behind other security measures, it uses a second set of protocols. You can use VPNs for secure communication with customers, suppliers or consultants. There are some advantages to a hardware solution that outweigh the extra cost involved. It also allows one implementation to shield a number of computers on the network.