Merely as a preventive measure, I would like to replace the Windows XP SP2
firewall with a firewall to affords both out and inbound protection. The new
firewall should be free, because the windows firewall is free.
I am looking at ZoneAlarm (free) and Comodo (also free). Which one of the
two is preferable? Are there any other good, free choices?
Thanks for any input.
Actually, Windows firewall does nothing to protect you from yourself,
but, neither does a third-party firewall solution if you don't properly
maintain it and if you don't properly use it.
As an example, I have a friend, distant, that I use to repair their
computer several times a year, running Windows XP + SP2 with the Windows
Firewall Enabled. After a giving up on them I installed ZA and gave it
back to them. Sure enough, a couple months later they brought it back to
me, compromised. This time I created multiple accounts that were Limited
User accounts, a single admin account with a password, and the set it
all up. I also told them not to permit anything without calling me -
well, in the first month I got many calls about allow/deny, but the
machine remained free of malware, now, in the last year, nothing has
gone wrong and the machine is still free of malware.
If you are not going to pay strict attention to security, well, nothing
will protect you.
I run some machines with ZAP, some with Windows Fireall, and I never
have problems, but, I also know how to protect my systems without a
firewall.
