Unless you have a firewall, most computers will have several open ports. Gibson Research Corporation offers an online analysis of how protected your computer is from hackers. Once there, click the Shields Up link to test your computer systems security, you may be surprised. Putting some protection between you and the Internet is the second most important thing you can do after installing antivirus software. A firewall is your protection against hackers.
Firewalls can be software based or hardware based.
Hardware based firewalls are generally considered better, but they are also more expensive. A business should have the best protection available, so a hardware solution is the way to go. In central Wisconsin Mom's Computers can assist you with your firewall needs. Personal users may find a software solution to be adequate. We make no recommendation for a software solution, but you will find some recommendations at Gibson Research mentioned above.