|
For home users or telecommuters it always comes down to a choice between a Hardware and Software Firewalls.Our recommendation is to always use hardware firewalls, but software programs such as ZoneAlarm are better than nothing.
Below is a more detailed discussion to help you make your decision.
Remember that firewalls can't prevent your computer from a virus or worm attack--that's typically the job of antivirus software. Internet security involves several layers. Consider a firewall system to be the first layer of your clients' security needs.
Because public Internet addresses are readily accessible from anywhere in the world, even a simple dial-up Internet connection with a public IP address exposes your computer to the rest of the world while you're connected. This means anyone on the Internet can identify your computer and perhaps scan it to see whether it's running vulnerable software or services. That's why you need a firewall to protect it.
Hardware vs. software firewalls
Deciding which type of firewall to use depends on what you're trying to protect. If you're just worried about a single computer system with Internet access, ZoneAlarm works well enough for most people.
ZoneAlarm not only alerts you when someone tries to access your computer, but it notifies you when a program on your computer attempts unauthorized access to the Internet. If the access is valid, you can instruct ZoneAlarm to remember the program and allow access in the future without alerts. Although it's not an antivirus program, ZoneAlarm can also detect Trojan horse and spyware programs.
I suggest using a hardware firewall in these situations:
-
When you need Internet access on more than one computer.
-
If you need a secure connection to a main office.
-
If you are in a branch office.
-
If you host e-mail and Web servers in your business
Even though it's possible to share an Internet connection and firewall software using one computer as the router, I think it's a bad idea to use a workstation in this manner. Everyone on the network becomes dependent on the reliability of someone else's computer.
If it locks up or needs a reboot, the Internet becomes unavailable. Then people call the ISP to complain, even when it's not the source of the problem.
Hardware firewalls don't have to be expensive. For instance, NETGEAR and Linksys models have sufficient features and cost less than $100. Although for a business environment we recommend something like Sonicwall.
Do you need advanced firewall features?
If clients telecommute or need to set up a branch office of a larger corporation, they probably need to use virtual private networking (VPN) features. Clients may also need Network Address Translation (NAT) when there are multiple internal computers and only one public IP address.
If customers need a subnet to support public Internet servers, I recommend using port forwarding and "hiding" the real service behind the firewall. No matter which advanced feature your clients need, they should choose a hardware firewall that supports these advanced features.
Another thing to keep in mind when dealing with telecommuters or branch offices is to always check with the company's IT department before buying anything. I can't tell you how many times I've needed to replace equipment and fix VPN settings because branch offices and telecommuters didn't check with their IT department before buying equipment.
Regardless of your clients' specific needs, using a firewall does improve security. Anything they can do to "hide" their computer systems and services from the public Internet reduces risk.
About Savant Solutions
Dimitri Maioulis is a Partner in Savant Solutions, a technology service provider. He may be reached at DM@Savant1.com or by calling 201-796-0404.
|
Technology 