One of the most basic and important elements of Internet security is to have a firewall in place. A firewall is essentially a barrier that protects a computer from being accessed by other Internet users. In today’s world, one in six people has Internet access, and the technology that allows users in Beijing, New York, Paris, Sydney, and just about everywhere else is amazing. Unfortunately, there are also destructive forces online that seek to enter computers connected to a network in a search for information or to plant software that can do great harm to a computer. As Internet use becomes an even bigger part of life, the use of firewalls to protect systems from unwanted, outside access is more important now than ever before.

A firewall can be either an actual hardware device or software placed on a computer. Its job is to be a filter and only allow information through that meets the standards and requirements set by the user. Incoming data that does not meet the guidelines set forth is not allowed into the system. While this may restrict users from accessing some information, its primary function is to protect users from potentially harmful intrusion into their computer.

There are several types of Internet users that should use firewalls. Individuals with a computer connected to the Internet should have firewall protection, especially those with high speed DSL or cable lines allowing their computer to stay online at all times. Most Internet Service Providers have basic firewalls in place already to keep unfriendly visitors away. Firewalls are also used very often in business. Companies that want to control the types of information that can be accessed or transmitted from their company network can do so by adjusting firewall settings. While employees may complain about the restricted access to information, the company is acting responsibly by controlling the flow of information within their network of computers.

Firewalls work in a few different ways. The most common method is for information that is attempting to be accessed to be divided into “packets” and filtered, looking for keywords, IP addresses, or domain names that are not allowed in the system. Firewalls also look for packets of information that could contain viruses, spyware, or other potentially harmful programs, and blocks suspicious information from gaining access to the network. There are different levels of security that can be set on a firewall, from blocking literally everything to turning the firewall off and letting all information flow freely. Each user needs to determine for themselves an appropriate level of filtering and protection.

There are several types of attacks the firewalls protect against. Some of the more common problems that are avoided include remote login, denial of service attacks, viruses, and spam. The use of a firewall on its own should not be considered a reliable defense against these types of problems, but it’s a great first step. Using reliable anti-virus software and practicing safe computer habits in conjunction with a firewall will help to keep users out of trouble.

One of the most important things you can do if you connect to the Internet at all is to make sure that you have internet security in place. Internet security leads to prevention of several problems that can harm or even destroy your data. Some of the security issues for Internet users to be aware of include:

- Hackers: Hackers are users who work to find loopholes in Internet security systems and exploit those loopholes. Their intentions could be anything from a desire to copy confidential information to generally just trying to cause trouble. Regardless of a hacker’s purpose, Internet users are at risk and should ensure that they safeguard their computer and personal information.

- Viruses: Viruses are computer programs designed to infiltrate unsuspecting user computers, replicate themselves, spread to other computers, destroy data, and interfere with the operation of your computer. Viruses are most commonly spread through attachments in E-mails, instant messages, or other downloads.

- Spyware: Spyware is software that plants itself on your computer and collects personal information, usually for the purpose of targeting advertising. Adware is spyware that allows advertisements to pop up on your screen based on the information it has gathered from your hard drive. Not all spyware is harmful, but it generally ends up on your computer without your consent and users need to be aware of it, as it can disrupt your computer’s performance.

- Worms: A worm is a program that replicates itself and sends itself to other computers on your network, usually undetected. While a virus has to attach itself to an existing program, a worm does not–it can replicate and spread on its own. Worms can shut down computer function because of the bandwidth they use.

- Phishing Scams: Phishing is essentially tricking a computer user into giving away valuable personal information such as bank account numbers, social security numbers, and credit card numbers. In a phishing scam, the user may receive an E-mail that appears to be sent from their bank asking for the user to confirm personal information. The goal of a phishing scam is to use this information against the victim of the scan.

- Spam: Spamming is the act of sending messages to multiple users indiscriminately in an attempt to flood the Internet with advertising or other information. While spam itself will not likely harm your computer, it can be a nuisance and distraction from the web content you’re really looking for. It’s also easy to hide viruses in links provided through spam messages.

There are ways to protect yourself from the above internet security issues. First, make sure that your computer is equipped with anti-virus software to detect and eliminate security issues. Second, make passwords difficult to guess and change your passwords often. Third, install updates as they become available. Finally, be smart about your online activities. Refuse to click on links that are from unfamiliar or suspicious sources. These issues can be hard to detect, but the available security measures should take care of most issues.