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In the physical world, according to the American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, a firewall is “a fireproof wall used as a barrier to prevent the spread of fire.” The function that a firewall plays in a building or an aircraft is the same that a computer firewall program serves in the virtual world.

The Internet is an open sea of information where people can search for any piece of information they desire. Like any of the world’s seas, this one has its pirates. Hackers, vandals, joy riders, and many other types of malcontents spend time every day trying to find a way to access vulnerable computers. Your computer has sensitive, private information that you would never want another person to have access to. The contents of your hard drive can be as personal and important as the contents of your wallet. How can you gain access to the outside world but make sure that uninvited guests cannot come in? Get a firewall.

The firewall acts as a gateway between your computer and the Internet. A computer has various ports available to communicate with the outside world. The different software applications installed on the computer use the ports to talk to other computers in different locations. When the port is opened, without some sort of protection, anybody with the know-how can just walk right in. The firewall manages the ports, giving access to the programs that you choose, and denying access to outside programs that you have not specifically allowed. You are given control of what programs can talk to the outside world and how the outside world can talk to you.

The firewall gives you protection from computer viruses, Trojan horses, and other malicious programs. Many of these programs can set up shop deep in the directories of your hard drive. They can collect your personal data and send it to somebody else automatically without you knowing. The firewall notifies you of the attempt and allows you to stop the data transfer. Viruses can be picked up by simply visiting a website. The firewall will stop the malicious program from coming through the open computer port and give you time to leave the dangerous website without your computer being damaged. Without the firewall, this malware can steal your personal information, use your computer to send spam email, slow down the operation of your computer, and even delete files and render the hard drive unusable.

A firewall is a necessary safety tool for computer users everywhere. For a small fee, you can ensure that your data is not compromised, that your computer is not used as a spamming device, and that the machine is not damaged to the point where it requires repairs. As computers become more and more common throughout the world, hackers from different countries are coming on line and posing a major threat. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, and buying a firewall is a small price to pay for security in the virtual world.