What is a firewall and why do you need one?

Firewalls are a protective barrier between your computer, phone or tablet and the other computers that are connected to you. As soon as you are connected to the internet, the whole world can see you and this can make your computer vulnerable to cyber threats. When data is exchanged between computers it goes into cyberspace. Firewalls monitor this data to decide whether it is safe, and therefore firewalls are essential!

If your computer is left unprotected, it can quickly be attacked with popup messages and viruses among other things, all in a matter of minutes. Having a firewall installed can prevent some of these attacks from taking place. In some instances, hackers can install a trojan (malware which is misleading to the user) onto your PC which will give them the power to control it.

A good firewall should monitor incoming data as well as your outgoing data in order to keep private information safe.

How can a firewall help?
-    It can protect your computer from being controlled by unauthorised remote access
-    It can block unsuitable content
-    It will alert you about any suspicious activity or content

Firewalls cannot do everything
Firewalls are extremely important, but they cannot do everything. Although they can keep your computer safe from unauthorised access, they cannot remove any malware that was already on your computer. You should therefore always use a firewall alongside other anti-virus software, to provide additional and stronger security.

In a world where the majority of our business involves computers in some form or another, it has never been more vital that online security is considered, and firewalls are one part of this.

Here at ECL, we have extensive experience in protecting businesses against the latest computer hacks, viruses, malware, spam and other threats and can advise you on the best methods of protecting your business. We can also help businesses to upgrade and run the latest and most secure versions of operating systems. For more information, please call us on 01268 575300 or email us on info@ecl.co.uk