SP2 and hardware firewalls

[Bob Davis]

I have a Linksys router/firewall connected to a 3-comp. network, and
ShieldsUp (www.grc.com) and other such tests report no security holes. Is
there any reason I need to enable the XP SP2 firewall? I'm running it now
with no problems, but if it is redundant then I'll disable it.

 

[That Mike Guy]

in my opinion the windows firewall serves the same purpose as a router
firewall such as yours, but it's still a good idea to use a third-party
software firewall such as zonealarm
(http://www.zonelabs.com/store/content/company/products/znalm/freeDownload.jsp)
or sygate (http://smb.sygate.com/products/spf_standard.htm) to regulate
outbound traffic. i've used both. they work well.

 

[Edward W. Thompson]

You don't need both the XP firewall and the 'hardware' firewall in the
router as both protect against unauthorised incoming transmissins, however
you do need a third party firewall to prevent unauthorised exports from your
machine.

 

[Bruce Chambers]

I have a Linksys router/firewall connected to a 3-comp.
network, and ShieldsUp (www.grc.com) and other such tests
report no security holes. Is there any reason I need to
enable the XP SP2 firewall? I'm running it now with no
problems, but if it is redundant then I'll disable it.

If you use a router with NAT, it's still a very good idea to use a
3rd party software firewall. Like WinXP's built-in firewall,
NAT-capable routers do nothing to protect the user from him/herself
(or any "curious," over-confident teenagers in the home). Again --
and I cannot emphasize this enough -- almost all spyware and many
Trojans and worms are downloaded and installed deliberately (albeit
unknowingly) by the user. So a software firewall, such as Sygate or
ZoneAlarm, that can detect and warn the user of unauthorized out-going
traffic is an important element of protecting one's privacy and
security. Most antivirus applications do not even scan for or protect
you from adware/spyware, because, after all, you've installed them
yourself, so you must want them there, right?

I use both a router with NAT and Sygate Personal Firewall, even
though I generally know better than to install scumware. When it
comes to computer security and protecting my privacy, I prefer the old
"belt and suspenders" approach. In the professional IT community,
this is also known as a "layered defense." Basically, it comes down
to never, ever "putting all of your eggs in one basket."

--

Bruce Chambers

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