Bruce’s Shorts | 4.10 - Firewalls

You’ve got a firewall and you think that’s enough? When is the last time it was updated? In this series of Bruce’s Shorts, Bruce Devlin looks at computer security.

The word "firewall' doesn't really describe what an IT firewall does. It's more like a hazmat suit (hazardous materials suit) that forms a barrier between your computer or computer network and the outside world.

A simple firewall can monitor incoming traffic for threats. More sophisticated firewalls can learn how a network behaves and report strange behavior. This knowledge can be shared by large groups of users to mutual benefit and to update their firewalls. When did you last update your firewall?

Once a virus is inside the firewall, it isn't going to remove the virus, you need other software for that. 

VPNs may puncture the firewall. It is worthwhile learning how to configure your firewall. It won't solve all your problems, but it will help.

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