Firewalls - are they really needed?

RobertoMoir

aliEnRIK wrote: »

What IM trying to say is because the hackers KNOW the vast majorty of people will use the inbuilt one (be it Xp or Vista), then its THE most likely to be 'attacked'

Unless you're saying that software firewalls as a class of app are as useless as a chocolate fireguard then the 'brand' of firewall is irrelevant. Not listening to unsolicited inbound traffic means not listening to unsolicited inbound traffic, doesn't it? Most of the stuff that claims differently is coming from people who have a vested interest in getting you to buy 3rd party firewalls.

[Deleted User]

I do wonder if 3rd party firewalls are somewhat in the game to push their free firewalls as the bee's knee's look how much we're blocking - you sure do need the fully featured one mind! Here's where to pay us...

Unstoppable_2

I find it quite funny how he thinks that they can open inbound connections to his machine when he's running behind NAT and the router has absolutely no clue where to redirect the request.

My router can log hundreds of scans a day if I turn on logging but that doesn't mean they get to my computer....

aliEnRIK

Unstoppable wrote: »

I find it quite funny how he thinks that they can open inbound connections to his machine when he's running behind NAT and the router has absolutely no clue where to redirect the request.

My router can log hundreds of scans a day if I turn on logging but that doesn't mean they get to my computer....

But if a program on MY computer DOES pick them up, then clearly the router didnt 'stop' them...........

PROLIANT

The function of a firewall is not to control the programs on a PC, it's purpose is the regulate inbound and outbound network traffic, I have extensive experience with a variety of firewalls from the built in software with Windows XP, IPCop (Linux UTM Security appliance), Netgear "Blue-Box" security appliance to CISCO PIX and ASA. I am sure without telling you guy's how to suck eggs that you are aware of NAT, NAT Traversal and Routing, how it functions and what its purpose in the IT world is, so why would you not have a firewall? Let me see, Hackers, Net Trojans, Worms etc etc etc.

A true firewall is one that can be configured granularly and not respond to ICMP traffic on the WAN, control ARP broadcast on the LAN and have some form of IDS (Intrusion Detection System), by default the best firewalls, typically the CISCO and IPCop Linux type firewalls block everything by default out of the box, then you setup security and WAN > LAN and LAN > WAN rules, opening up the firewall brick by brick then you have full control over your network, there are some "cheap" adaptive firewalls you can install on your PC too, kind of point less behind a NAT Firewall unless you install lots of freeware and shareware app's on you machine which opens up the risk of BOT'S and Trojans calling home which you then could benefit from to see what is trying to send information over the internet without you knowing.

So yes a firewall is needed and any IT Engineer, "Tweaker" or savvy end-user worth their salt should know this.