Digital subscriber line and other always-on connections, combined with virtual private networking software, are relatively easy and cheap to set up. At the same time, they expose the remote systems to attacks that internal networks are better equipped to resist. It isn t practical for administrators to try to construct a firewall for every temporary office and telecommuter. Fortunately, a new generation of desktop security software makes it possible to protect such systems on an individual basis.
Personal firewalls are cost-effective.
Even for a fair-sized office, their license fees probably would run less than a dedicated firewall appliance. All three can control or block any network traffic coming into or leaving a PC, but they re most secure when used in conjunction with antivirus software and a generous dose of common sense. Although each of the tested products could thwart the various port scans and Trojan attacks I threw at them, Sygate Personal Firewall turned out to be the best overall choice for administrators looking to deploy a flexible yet centrally controllable security product. It received the Reviewer s Choice designation. Symantec Desktop Firewall would make a good standalone choice, and BlackIce Defender also was a solid product but with some interface flaws.