The mechanical engineer, who lives outside Toronto, recently documented 30 attempts to gain access to his PC through his high-speed DSL connection during a single week. They can cause your system to reboot or not talk properly on the Internet. The easiest way to protect yourself is to get a personal firewall.
Free firewalls are also available.
While dial-up users are also at risk of unwanted digital visitors, broadband users are more vulnerable. Intruders can maneuver more smoothly in the rapid flow of data and are more likely able to escape notice. Because computers with broadband connections are assigned an Internet address that is either fixed, or within a narrow range of known addresses, they are also easier for troublemakers to locate. Personal firewalls work in two ways. They monitor electronic traffic that is entering and exiting a machine, and they sound an alarm when they detect unfriendly behavior.