Is a firewall really necessary?

Well, I haven't been using a firewall for a few months now and I see no problems. But, I'm still curious, does anybody have a good reason for a reasonably safe surfer to use a firewall?

 

Ridiculous! Simply ridiculous! Actually, at first I didn't think a firewall was necessary, but that was completely untrue. In fact, keeping your computer from the wonders of firewalls is just like leaving your system out there for hackers to toast. In other words, yes a firewall is necessary. If you want more reason, here is a story:

Once upon a time my high school kept no firewall. As a means of ending their unfathomable technological stupidity, I made sure that they realized that "Firewalls" keep kids out of the grades database! Let's just say there were a couple sad juniors on that day.

Firewalls are important. Hackers love comps without it, and as you can tell, so do I . Download ZA or SP2, which is the newest service pack that incorporates a firewall into their system.

good luck

 

Windows XP does not need SP2 to use its firewall. It has always been there.

 

Yes, you do. You wouldn't have a door on your house without a lock, would you? Here are some firewalls here at MG: http://www.majorgeeks.com/download.php?id=34&sort=7 The Windows firewall is better than nothing, but only barely. ZA, Sygate, Outpost are good free firewalls that will keep out hackers better than Windows firewall.

 

Thought I would mention using a router for hardware firewall. That's all I'm using now. It provides an effective firewall against incoming traffic. So, it effectively keeps hackers out. However, I know a software firewall is generally recommended along with the firewall protection provided by a router. The reason is that a software firewall can tell you whether your computer is trying to call out or send out signals that you would otherwise be unaware of. For example, if your system was infected with a virus that was sending messages from your computer to persons in your address book, a software firewall could make that visible to you.

 

Go over and visit the spyware forum and i think you will find more reasons than you can count for a firewall, proper virus protection, spyware tools, all combined with "safe" browsing practices.

 

Hardware Firewalls are preferred but MUCH more expensive, especially since Microsoft provides one for free. For what you use the computer for, a software firewall is fine.

There have been changes to the Firewall in SP2 that make it more desirable, so you should install SP2 and keep the Firewall enabled.

Be careful though if you have your own private network and you share a printer, the new SP2 firewall disables printer sharing by default, but it is an easy checkbox to fix.

Good luck.

 

4-port routers can be purchased for $50 or less, perhaps as low as $20 or $30 if you happen to get a rebate deal.

Also, for anyone with more than one computer and wanting to share an Internet connection, it's easier to do this with a router. This allows Internet access from any computer connected to the router without having to have any other computer turned on. In addition, a router provides advantages for file and printer sharing.

 

Well, "hackers" don't attach normal house-hold computers. On the other hand, retarded script kiddies do. However, script kiddies only can give you trojans or hope your computer is out of date.

Up 'til now, I haven't had any spyware or virus on my computer. I don't keep any antivirus running, I just do monthly scans and I never keep a firewall on. My computer hasn't experienced any problems.

Also, about school networks, it's obvious kids are curious and try to get in. In my highschool I managed to access run (took lots of running around) and then I got to cmd and released all the connections. The whole network was without internet for awhile.

Like I said, I know how to use a computer. I'm just curious, does anybody know any specific reasons?

By the way, I had a router, however it was really stupid, it didn't let me forward the ports so I was stuck with random ports closed and others opened. I think it stopped me from uploading on irc, I can't remember anymore.

 

Do you use your computer for email? I can see possibly not having anti-virus software continuously running when I don't have my email client open (I use Outlook Express), but I would not want to retrieve email without anti-virus protection. However, this can also depend on your ISP. Some of them do a good job of stopping viruses before they get to you; some don't.

I wonder if some ISPs also stop some of the spyware. If you've never detected any spyware [you did not say what spyware removal program(s) you use], I can only say you've been lucky. And, by the way, you haven't said you normally do with your computer, as far as Internet exposure (email, web surfing, downloading music, etc.).

As far as the statement that "'hackers' don't attach normal house-hold computers", that gives me no comfort whatsoever. I'd rather be safe than sorry.

 

How someone can say that hackers don't attack normal computers is ridiculous.

This is what hackers want, they need the spyware installed and running and the keyloggers there to gain a "normal-household's" personal financial information or whatever other personal or private data may be available. Who knows, perhaps you have provocative pictures of your wife, the list could go on. Do you want this data in the hands of someone malicious?

Why go after a big company or small business with a firewall when I can go after someone like "Babalabawhosemawhutsie" and apparently gain instant access without much of a fight? Hmmmm.

Yes, use a firewall, and an AV client.

Don't mean to offend, just making a point.

 

I don't get infected with spyware, ever. Until recently, I ran IE exclusively.

One instance however was an application I downloaded from a certain site.

The application has been removed since then

 

There is a big difference between lucky, and being responsible and smart.

Luck has nothing to do with it, if you are careful with what, where and how you browse.

 

No, its not.

Totally accurate.

Script kiddies go after normal household computers, not hackers

 

A firewall is neccecary! When I turnet it off, I got haked over 90 times over 2 days.

 

Define hacking, please

 

- someone getting into ur comp and having the time of their life?


i just upgraded to the blackice firewall, for £30 it seemed ok - works a treat on my network, and there's always free trials around...

 

My request was not directed towards you.

I want to know what constitutes as being hacked for it to be 90 times in 2 days and how it was measured.

 

so sorry

 

Sure, it only makes good sense to be careful how you browse, but when you consider that some good firewall software is available for free, why not use it? To suggest that all computer users should be able to avoid absolutely all spyware sources all the time is just not realistic; that's a ridiculous notion.

 

I use ad-aware (updated) SE, spybot, and something called bazooka for ad-aware. For AV I use NOD32 about once a month. I think my last spyware I've gotten was from an old version of MSN+ (I wanted to check something) and I used hijack this to remove everything.

And honestly, I don't have anything on my computer that would worry me if someone else had. However, I do want to be used as a zombie, but I'd be able to tell really quick.

And by the way, when ZA or any other firewall says possible "hacking" attempt it usually means pings or portscans, and most ISPs do that just to check you aren't running a server or something.

Oh yeah, I use my computer for everything. Chatting, email, gaming, downloading music/anime/etc, schoolwork... I do everything possible except work.

Adrynalyne, I'm curious, where do you stand? Do you think a firewall is necessary if you're responsible?

 

If you can:


1. keep your machine free of viruses, trojans, and malware.
2. Not keep sensitve data on a machine connected to the net (thats just stupid, come on!)
3. Accept the responsibility of formating and reinstalling your OS/apps if you are compromised.
4. Are well versed in keeping your OS up to date and tweaked, stay familiar with the security issues, and don't use applications that are full of security holes(aside from the OS ).


Then I don't think you need a firewall. As mentioned, its all about how responsible you are. I've never been hacked and never used a firewall on dial up. On broadband, my IP is far more static, and as such, I now use a router, I still don't use a firewall. NAT offers some protection, but I've done without and still not had problems.

However, the problem is, the average user is not responsible, or is not knowledgable. These same people blame M$ for their computer problems, their wife leaving, and their dog cheating on them. They never accept that maybe they had something to do with it.

For that reason, a firewall for most people is a MUST.

Unfortunately, the are the same people that lock down their system to a nonfunctional paperweight with the firewall.

For powerusers and those who are careful, you can slide by without one.

Just my 2 cents.

I feel the exact opposite with Antivirus. I think everyone should have it.

 

I only dowload stuff from trusted sites and I never open attachments other than when I expect them. Heh, I actually used to get like 10 or so viruses in my email a day.