Net Barrier By intego Visit their web site For the Macintosh

Norton Personal Firewall by Symantec Visit their web site  Windows 95/98 *Pentium class or higher processor

Fire Wall software works like a filter to block out in a controlled environment unwanted data to enter or exit your computer. The information is than analyzed to determine if it is user friendly
or a hostile hacker attempt. If a hostile attempt is detected it is blocked and stored in a folder for automatically blocking if a second attempt is made.

• As I had mentioned earlier often many do their banking online. So you maybe storing account information of value.
• To promote on board mischief such as introducing a virus to your computer to effect software, and hard ware.
• To change on board information
• To take over your network even at a later date.

The advantages of having your own firewall is that you know that your protected at computer. Even though your provider will have a fire wall set up on a network or cable network the hacker could be your neighbor on the same router system. This would make the firewall from the cable company useless to you. The software will allow you to customize what it will protect. If you have account numbers stored or passwords to email accounts stored somewhere in your computer they should be protected. So if an outside hacker attempt to steel these from your computer it will not leave your computer. Make you feel that your computer really is safe.You can set up the software so that it excepts software from only your server or will not let anything go out from your computer. You can even bypass the whole system, but than why have the software in the first place. The software is automatic and runs in the background. You never know its there unless it suspects something and than does it alert you.

If you are a serious web surfer or are using a cable or DSL connection to the internet; if you are connected to a network this protection is a must just as anti Virus software. When your computer is off there is little threat of a hacker invasion. It is more likely you will encounter a virus before being hacked upon. Virus can enter from inserting a floppy disc where hackers need to be able to access your hard drive and power needs to be going to that hardware.

My final word is to be safe rather than sorry. The software is not too costly and the idea of knowing that your computer is safe will weigh less on your mind..
Good luck and happy surfing.