General rule of thumb is: Do you connect to the internet directly? If so you should probably have one. If not your network should have one set up. I guess if this is for home use the liklihood would be that you should have one. Zonealram is a decent(ish) free option.

I logged in and had a look around. I found your bank details and some interesting details about your family. I know which web sites oyu visit, because I've trawled through your history. Yes, you need a firewall.

Get one mate .

If you don't use dial-up, yes, get one! Although if you have windows xp SP2, you should already have one (or perhaps it's SP1, can't remember).

Just turn on the Windows firewall and get yourself a virus and anti-spam program.

It has become an issue, I don't think I could ever surf the Internet without a very good antivirus, antispam, anti malware, firewall and a few others. These provide me with a sense of security though I know we are never 100% secure. It is also a very good practice to never download free stuff, be careful with videos and music and keep away from certain web sites. I used MS for very many years but I never liked it, I am now having Ubuntu-Linux installed it is much safer and I don't really know why it is never attacked by whatever so common with MS. Another good practice is to have a secure ISP and change your IP regularly.

I have the firewall that comes with windows. I also have anti spyware and an antivirus as well. I would consider it. If nothing else PLEASE have an antivirus.

I would definatly reccomend it. You can download some Firewall's, like Spybot, for free, so it can't hurt.

A firewall is a good method of protecting your system. But people get carried away with what they use. If you have a cable/dsl or wireless router at home, you already have some firewall protection, but it mostly faces toward the internet. If you have Windows XP SP2 or newer, you also have a satisfactory software firewall running on your PC as well. If you require something a little more..... thorough, the free Comodo Personal Firewall or Zone Alarm's free firewall do a good job. In my mind they're overkill, but if you want that much more peace of mind, it's the way to go. Word of warning - once you start using a firewall, you will need to begin learning the nuances of what your PC is doing on the network, because you will need to configure the firewall properly in order for all of your software that needs internet connectivity to work.

That depends on the flamability of your computer and your local building code.

Yes! The firewall in the router is not enough! Download Comodo firewall, it's the best one out there, and it's absolutely free. I used to have expensive firewalls like Norton and Zone Alarm Pro, but they're both unreliable. Also, don't forget to have a good antivirus program. I recommend Avast; one of the best and also free. Jack

100%!!!!!!!! Try to get McAfee, if you like them. I have used them for about a year or so, and i have not had one virus, spy-ware program, anything since i have used them.

Yes. If that computer has internet access. Not having a firewall on your computer is like leaving your front door open and trusting that no one will enter. Maybe not but why take that chance. People can enter your computer through your internet connection and take private information off of your computer and use it in any way they please. I recommend Mcafee security center. Which has a firewall and anti-virus protection.

yep.u will need it.sum hackers will steal ur data.it is terrible if u u dont use a broadband.u use the pc tools firewall plus or ashampoo or comodo or the zone alarm.i hope it helped u.thanks.

YES, you definately need a firewall. Your firewall is the First line of defense to protect your computer from outside intrusions. Click this link for a free firewall. You will have to look around a little, but they do have a free firewall. I have been using it for years.. Good Luck→ http://zonealarm.com/ Here is the link for the FREE firewall→ http://www.zonealarm.com/store/content/catalog/products/znalm/comparison.jsp

Dear Friend, Today going online on your PC is not so secure and safe because a lot of people are becoming hacker and cracker so I give you advice to put a latest version of firewall and also recommend you that use paid instead of free because it comes with more features than free.

everybody should have layers of defense for their PC 1. virus 2. spyware 3. firewall 4. do housekeeping along with it, like a register repair and clean like ccleaner or IE Privacy Keeper 5. Defrag do all this and you PC has a better chance of staying safe and clean, not saying you will never get a problem but you will greatly reduce you chances. If you like you can look over this list and choose any that you feel might help you. SIMPLE STEPS TO DOWNLOADING VIRUS & SPYWARE PROTECTION (& steps for protecting PC) For XP NEWEST AVG 8.0 BOTH ANTI-VIRUS & ANTI-SPYWARE (for those running Vista you must have all updates done plus SP1 to use) http://free.grisoft.com/ww.download?prd=afe AVG anti FOR SPYWARE, MALWARE, ROOTKITS download.avgfree.com/filedir/inst/avgas-setup-7.5.1.43-3339.exe AVG Vcleaner-cleans 704 viruses and variants http://www.scanwith.com/download/AVG_Vcleaner.htm AVG 8.0 Anti-Virus & Anti-Spyware 1. http://free.grisoft.com/ww.download?prd=afe 2. Click where you see red arrow and download AVG free 8.0 3. This will take you to Cnet download web page, click the area that says download now, a box open that ask you to: Run or save or cancel file size is 45.5MB 4. Choose save either to desktop or my documents your choice 5. Once files is downloaded, right click and open file and run, the only thing you need to do is keep clicking next (except take note there is one box that ask you is you want a AVG toolbar uncheck this box) and computer will reboot and end. 6. If you already have AVG 7.5 it will uninstall by itself and AVG 8.0 takes over, also if you have AVG anti-spy ware you can un install this program as 8.0 is both now. 7. The new AVG allows you to schedule times for scans where old did not. On main page of AVG on the left hand side click computer scanner and a page comes up where you may set date & time, edit as often as you like. 8. Under tools at the top, look under history, you will find the virus vault basis same as old program. You can delete one by one or just empty vault, or rescan from here etc. Also under tools you can start a scan on your own, scan a file if you wish, or folder, do an update if you just wish to check and see if they are all done. 9. One of the biggest difference’s is when you are surfing the net you will see little green star by web site as AVG checks them for you to see if safe before entering, if there’s a question mark program is unsure. 10. And offers a help section at top also for those who need little more knowledge. 11. At one point you will be asked to registry your copy of AVG, just follow the instructions and it takes you to their web page, you must give your e-mail address and put a check in at least one box, click ok then its done. Now for your next layer of protection download the following also but remember you can only run one program at a time, but each of these will fine things the other didn’t. Spybot search & destroy found at www.safer-networking.org DOWNLOAD SPYBOT SEARCH & DESTROY ONCE YOU HAVE TYPED www.safer-networking.org THE YOUR SEARCH BAR IN YAHOO 1. IT WILL LOOK LIKE: SpyBot Search and Destroy (S &D) CLICK 2. CHOOSE YOUR LANGUAGE - EXAMPLE ENGLISH 3. AT THE TOP OF THE PAGE WHERE IT SAYS DOWNLOAD - CLICK 4. LOOK DOWN THE PAGE TO WHERE DOWNLOADS START, YOU NEED THE FIRST ONE IF YOU HAVE VISTA AND WORKS FOR XP AS WELL SpyBot-Search and Destroy 1.5.2 CLICK DOWNLOAD ***NOTE (For those who are looking for version 1.4 it’s the 5th one down, it does not work on Vista, but does on XP) click download 5. NEXT PAGE OPENS CHOOSE A MIRROR SITE I TEND TO USE SAFER-NETWORKING LTD CLICK DOWNLOAD HERE 6. BOX OPENS CHOOSE SAVE AND DO SO TO YOUR DESKTOP OR TO YOUR DOCUMENT FILE AND OPEN AND RUN FROM THERE FILE IS 9.27MB Superantispyware found at http://superantispyware.com SUPERANTISPYWARE DOWNLOAD ONCE YOU HAVE TYPED http://superantispyware.com YOUR SEARCH BAR IN YAHOO YOU WILL SEE: SuperAntiSpyware.com- AntiAdware, AntiSpyware, AntiMalware CLICK 1.LOOK FOR BIG BLUE BOX ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE PAGE SAYS DOWNLOAD FREE VERSION HOME USERS - CLICK 2. NEXT PAGE SCROLL DOWN, AGAIN LOOK FOR THE BIG BLUE BOX SAYS DOWNLOAD FREE VERSION HOME USERS - CLICK 3. NEXT PAGE DOWNLOAD SHOULD START AUTOMATICALLY 5.64MB VERSION 3.9.1008 ****NOTE (if it doesn’t start at once look at the top of the page for a light yellow bar, its basically a security bar, click and choose allow, it usually has to do with Active X) If still does not open look on the page under the words Download progress: If the download does not begin shortly please (click here is in blue) Click it 4. DO SO AND A BOX OPENS, SAVE TO DESKTOP OR MY DOCUMENTS, OPEN AND RUN FROM THERE And finally go to this web site for this program to clean up your internet history, cookies, browser history, recycle bin, IE Explorer, etc all the boxes can be preset and basically in 4 steps you can clean computer. It does so well that disc clean usually only will find 32-100MB after its done http://www.snapfiles.com go to the freeware section, look for Internet Cleanup, then look for the software called IE Privacy Keeper IE PRIVACY KEEPER DOWNLOAD WHEN YOU TYPE WWW.SNAPFILES.COM IN YOUR YAHOO SEARCH BOX THIS IS WHAT YOU WILL SEE WHEN IT OPENS Snapfiles - software reviews, download freeware and trial programs - CLICK 1. WHEN THE PAGE OPENS LOOK FOR A TAB AT THE TOP OF THE PAGE THAT SAYS FREEWARE - CLICK 2. WHEN PAGE OPENS SCROLL DOWN AND FIND INTERNET CLEANUP TOOLS - CLICK 3. WHEN PAGE OPENS SCROLL DOWN TILL YOU SEE THE PROGRAM SHOULD BE LIKE ABOUT THE 14TH ONE DOWN - CLICK THE BLUE DOWNLOAD BUTTON FILE SIZE IS 1128kb 4. NEXT PAGE OPENS IF DOWNLOAD DOESN’T START LOOK FOR A LIGHT YELLOW BAR AT THE TOP OF THE PAGE, CLICK THE OPTION TO ALLOW TO OPEN, USUALLY HAS TO DO WITH ACTIVE X ***NOTE If for some reason still doesn’t start click the blue words click here they are in the middle of the page in tan box. 5. WHEN THE BOX OPENS SAVE TO DESKTOP OR MY DOCUMENTS, OPEN AND RUN FROM THERE. Last but not least do Defrag at least 2-4 times in a row even if program says not needed, as XP Defrag program isn’t the best and needs to be run more often. And also go to http://www.glaryulitilies.com for free registry repair programs (and spy ware) really great software works fast, runs in 2 steps. GLARYULITILIES DOWNLOAD GO TO www.pcworld.com 1. WHEN PAGE OPENS TYPE IN THE SEARCH BOX - REGISTRY REPAIR PROGRAMS - CLICK GO 2. LIST WILL OPEN, SELECT THE SECOND ONE - GLARY REGISTRY REPAIR (ITS FREE) CLICK IT 3. NEXT PAGE, YOU WILL SEE A RED ARROW AND DOWNLOAD NOW IN BLUE WORDS - CLICK 1.30MB 4. NEXT PAGE BLUE BOX DOWNLOAD FREE REGISTRY REPAIR NOW- YOU CAN CLICK HERE BUT REAL SLOW (works on 98, XP, ME, 2000, 2003, Vista) just not 64 bit supported 5. For a faster download click where it says - mirror here 6. NEXT PAGE IF IT DOES NOT START IN 5 SEC LOOK FOR A SECURITY BAR, WHICH IS LIGHT YELLOW AT TOP OF PAGE, CLICK THE OPTION TO ALLOW IF FOR SOME REASON IT STILL DOESN’T USE THIS OPTION: LOOK FOR THE LINE THAT READS CLICK HERE IF IT DOES NOT 7. BOX OPENS SAVE TO DESKTOP OR TO MY DOCUMENTS AND OPEN AND RUN FROM THERE or to http://www.snapfiles.com and to their freeware section to find them also. (can only run one virus program at a time on a PC but you may have as many spyware programs as you wish as long as you run only one at a time, and only one firewall) A GREAT FREE ONE IS ZONE ALARM FOUND AT www.snapfiles.com under the freeware section, personal firewalls. Another little great tool for you is go to Google or Yahoo : One of the best pieces of FREE software there is today that will show you what is on your computer is known as: Belarc once it is downloaded you simply run and time you wish to see what is installed on your PC, from OS to Model, hardware, software, hot fix’s and the Keys to software on PC. This makes it a valuable program in that you can run it every so often and print off and save for you keys if for no other reason. *** Note: It is wise to only run one virus program at a one time but run as many spyware as you like, only run them one at a time, other wise they will conflict with each other, it is good to have more than one as each will find some thing the other did not. Unistall any other program as they may conflict such as Norton,MacAfee etc. The only one this list that runs in safemode F8 is AVG anti-spyware, which does work great in safemode. Also wise thing to do is to run the virus & spyware program once without internet connection and then again with internet, as some times the virus will try to block program other wise when internet is running. This list has been drawn up by me and designed by me and is not copyed from anywhere as it has been suggested, please feel free to use as much as you like, and I hope it helps in some way. G_tech

there so many free ones out there.. . . . just get one as its safer

Nooo.... hehe *hackhackhack*

If you have a laptop and access the internet else where. If you are behind a router at home. You don't need it.

A firewall is like a security guard that monitors and controls the traffic coming into and out of your computer. Firewalls can help protect your computer against many threats, including malware and intruders. You cna read more on this in: http://www.mysecurecyberspace.com/encyclopedia/index/firewall.html#msc.encyclopedia.firewalls

Definetly!!

Hahahaha, if you don't know if you need one then I would suggest using one!!

Depends on how much you love your computer...how much you would like infecting other computers...how much on-line banking, credit card use, investment action and all that kinda stuff and how much you want to find yourself totally robbed someday. So, the answer to your question: Absolutely!

If your using Microsoft Window, defiantly. Go to download.com and get yourself AVG. Its the best software around.

Try this free online virus scanner first, if your machine is already infected installing a firewall will not help much. The firewall will have a hard time trying to figure out of the data flow is legit. http://housecall.antivirus.com In general it is better to install a virus scanner or firewall on a machine you know is clean. Many trojans today can mask themselves extremely well, even going to sleep while you are on the computer, waiting for the perfect time to go active.

Yes. Firewalls stop hackers and other security threats. Doesn't your computer have Windows Firewall or something. You can download a free one like the following: (click download the latest version at the top right hand side) http://filehippo.com/download_comodo http://filehippo.com/download_sunbelt_personal_firewall http://filehippo.com/download_sygate_personal_firewall http://filehippo.com/download_zonealarm_free http://filehippo.com/download_outpost_firewall I prefer ZoneAlarm but it's up too you. Email me if you need anymore help. selwood.ryan1992@yahoo.com

A solid firewall will help you stop intruders from accessing your system. You keep your Internet link to the outside world but the outside world can't view you unless you want them to. With a firewall in place you will still have typical email access, but chat and other interactive programs will require you to take an extra step to grant access before you can use them. A firewall is powerful, but unobtrusive-just like a deadbolt lock inside a door. Hopefully it helps you.

Every computer needs a Firewall whether it to be Window Firewall or not. A Firewall helps protect you from Hackers and other threats, therefore giving you more protection so you can be more safer whether you are offline or online. I recommend Windows Firewall to average users, users with more experience should consider another Firewall as Windows Firewall only monitors Incoming connections, not Outgoing connections, but Windows Firewall is suitable for most users. Ones like ZoneAlarm and Comodo Firewall seem to be the best Firewalls around, there are both FREE and PAID for versions for these software's, but if you have a a good Anti-Virus like Avast (not Avg), the FREE version would be best as there would be less interference. Firewalls not only stop hackers but can be a back-up for your Anti-Virus, in-case your Anti-Virus has crashed or a Virus has blocked it, giving you enough time to sort out the problem or getting another Anti-Virus application. Here is some information that might help you. FREE programs that may be useful: SuperAntiSpyware: 1) SuperAntiSpyware (FREE) will detect spyware and remove over 1,000,000 pests such as Vundo, ZLob, SmitFraud, WinFixer, VirusRay, and VirusHeat. Repair broken Internet connections, desktops, registry editing, and task manager. The program provides complete and custom scanning of hard drives, removable drives, memory, registry, individual folders include trusting items and excluding folders for complete customization of scanning. Detect and remove spyware, adware, malware, Trojans, dialers, worms, keyloggers, and hijackers. Prevent potentially harmful software from installing or re-installing. First Chance Prevention examines over 50 critical points of your system each time your system starts up and shuts down to eliminate threats before they have a chance to infect and infiltrate your system. Our Direct Disk Access (DDA) technology sees Rookits others miss. http://download.cnet.com/SuperAntiSpyware-Free-Edition/3000-8022_4-10523889.html?tag=mncol 2) I use this software, and it is very easy to use. Malwarebytes Anti-Malware (FREE) is a surprisingly effective freeware Anti-Malware tool. It's a relatively speedy malware remover, with the quick scan taking about 8 minutes even with other high-resource programs running. The heuristics engine proved on multiple computers during empirical testing that it was capable of determining the difference between false positives and dangerous apps. The app has some nice features rolled in, too. It supports multiple drive scanning including networked drives, context menu options including a scan-on-demand for individual files, and the FileAssassin option under the More Tools section for removing locked files. The interface is simple, but pleasant-looking and well-organized. Tabs live just below the oversized logo, with few options per tab to keep down the clutter. The installation process was fast enough, but interestingly offered up the well-kept changelog and an instant definition file update. Do note that the real-time protection is restricted to the paid version, as is the scheduler for updates and scans. Overall, though, Malwarebytes Anti-Malware is a responsive malware remover that does what it should with a minimum of fuss. http://download.cnet.com/Malwarebytes-Anti-Malware/3000-8022_4-10804572.html?tag=mncol 3) Spybot Search And Destroy has been in the Anti-Spyware game for a long time offering features we've come to expect in the best apps in the category, but bugs and false positives make it difficult to recommend. The program checks your system against a comprehensive database of adware and other system invaders. It also features several interface improvements, including multiple skins for dressing up its appearance. Scan results now appear arranged by groups in a tree, and a sliding panel lets you instantly view information about a selected item to help you decide whether to kill it or not. The Immunize feature blocks a plethora of uninvited Web-borne flotsam before it reaches your computer. Other useful tools, including Secure Shredder, complement the program's basic functionality for completely destroying files. Hosts File blocks adware servers from your computer, and System Start-up lets you review which apps load when you start your computer. Unfortunately, the program has the tendency to lock up at times and even during the install process for this review, we encountered several errors. The ambitious feature list and functionality make Spybot a good choice for those in search of a second Anti-Spyware program, and recent updates have made it run faster. It still makes errors in flagging spyware that isn't, and overall there are others in the category that do a better job. http://download.cnet.com/Spybot-Search-amp-Destroy/3000-8022_4-10122137.html?tag=mncol 4) Spyware Terminator. This spyware scanner and removal tool does the job, but enabling some functions may cause slight slowdowns. Spyware Terminator's crisp, clean interface uses simple buttons and tabs to operate and set options. The latest spyware signatures are automatically downloaded, and the real-time protection keeps baby-sitting to a minimum. Real-time protection monitors key spyware types and Windows objects, though slight system slowdowns depend on your machine. Those features and the simple scheduler will make this app appealing to novices. Advanced users will appreciate Spyware Terminator's flexibility. Setting the sensitivity of various scans is as easy as moving a slider. Experienced users will want to enable the built-in Anti-Virus tool, which extends the power of real-time analysis by comparing program code against a database of known viruses, Trojans, and worms. From set-it-and-forget-it users to those delving into virus code, all will find Spyware Terminator flexible, simple, and effective, key measures of a good Anti-Spyware tool. http://download.cnet.com/Spyware-Terminator/3000-8022_4-10468541.html?tag=mncol PAID programs that may help you: The above programs, well most of them do have PAID for editions which obviously protect you more, and have more options, but the FREE versions are just as good as long as you have a good Anti-Virus, i would recommend Avast to everyone who does not want to pay for a program. Here are a few, there arnt many as the FREE ones arnt obviously as good as the PAID for ones. 1) The best FREE Anti-Virus on the market is Avira, but unless you pay you only have Virus and Rookit protection (which is pretty crap), this is where Avast comes in. Avast has no restrictions, and has the best features a FREE Anti-Virus can have. Here are Avasts features: Anti-Virus kernel based on certified Anti-Virus engine. Resident protection comprising individual modules or "shields", each of which can be individually configured or disabled: Standard Shield — Real-time protection against viruses and other malware threats. IM shield — Instant Messaging protection. (Scanning of files transferred through instant messaging applications) P2P shield — P2P protection. Internet Mail — E-mail scanning. Outlook/Exchange — Microsoft Outlook/Exchange scanning. Web Shield — HTTP protection (local transparent proxy). Version 4.8 also allows the blocking of URLs. Script blocker — Professional version only; scans webpages for malicious scripts. Network Shield — Basic protection against well-known network worms. Acts as an Intrusion Detection System. Anti-spyware capabilities Anti-rookit capabilities Virus Recovery Database (VRDB) — Allows repair of malware infected files. Self-Protection — Prevents malware from terminating avast! processes and damaging avast! files. Automatic incremental updates — Updates of both the program and the virus database which is used to identify potential threats — avast! updates its virus definitions on a regular basis (sometimes multiple updates daily) and this process is automated by default. Audible alarms — Vocal warnings and notices such as "Caution, a virus has been detected!" and "Virus database has been updated." Boot-time scan — Users can schedule a boot-time scan to remove infections that load during Windows startup. Virus Chest — Quarantine; folder where infected files can be stored. The virus chest also stores vital system files to protect them from damage by malware. Users can also add their own files to the virus chest. Once in the chest, a file cannot be executed; double-clicking the file will instead display information about the file. Skinnable user interface As you can see that is quite a bit, and it has much better detection rates than Avg. The only slight downfall with Avast is that you have to register your email address to receive your code which is FREE. Your code will last 1yr, after that, you must register that your code has expired and you need another one which is also free. However this is worth it for what Avast does. Out of all the FREE Anti-Virus programs, Avast is the only one with Real-Time-Protection. The two things i am impressed with, is the P2P-Shield which protects you from programs like Utorrent, Limewire etc. The other is the Boot-Time-Scanning, and i thing Avast is the only FREE one which does that. You can download Avast from its website: http://avast.com Firewalls: ZoneAlarm (free) An effective and easy-to-use firewall program, ZoneAlarm does a great job of keeping your PC safe from a variety of threats. ZoneAlarm uses a simple wizard to make configuring a firewall, which seems like a daunting task to many computer users, incredibly easy. Maintaining and updating settings also is a snap when you're using the stylish interface and its simple slider controls. The program's Zones feature allows you to assign different security levels for a local network and for the Internet. A great recent addition is small but quite helpful. A new "Game Mode" lets you automatically allow or deny alerts when you're in the middle of playing a video game. We found ZoneAlarm very good at recognizing and automatically including settings for our local network. In all our tests, the firewall guarded against all external and internal threats it encountered. ZoneAlarm is an excellent firewall choice for just about any average user. http://download.cnet.com/ZoneAlarm/3000-10435_4-10039884.html?tag=mncol Comodo Firewall: Comodo has merged its antivirus program with Firewall Pro, creating a free security program that aims to be more to more people. Although this may frustrate some users who want only one program or the other, the installer does let you opt out of either of the components. Users are also asked to install the Comodo SafeSearch and Ask.com toolbars, so be careful if you tend to install on autopilot. CIS requires a reboot. Resource management is better than before, with hogging all but eliminated. It provides a smorgasbord of information and options for advanced users, but it's simple enough for beginners, and runs smoothly and silently in the background. The version 3 interface utilizes a plain white color scheme and replaces old terminology with more intuitive terms such as Summary, Firewall, Defense, and Miscellaneous. In each, there are links to relevant security issues so users can drill down to learn more about how the firewall is performing. The firewall rears its head most often when Security Alerts ask about new Internet connections as the program "learns" your computer's behavior. Shield-shaped buttons at the top facilitate switching between the antivirus and firewall modules, as well as a summary tab that provides a general overview. Users can toggle automatic scans of archives or downloads, scans on start-up, manage the quarantine, and schedule scans and definition file updates through a clean and comprehensible list of links. The definition file update crashed during its first use, but was stable thereafter. Scans completed at a reasonable speed, but were not blazingly fast. A third pane, Defense+, provides more-advanced security options including locking down specific files from modification, perusing an active processes list, and protecting specific Registry keys. Comodo Internet Security's wide range of free services are generally good, but the firewall is clearly the strongest of the bunch. http://download.cnet.com/Comodo-Internet-Security/3000-10435_4-10460704.html?tag=mncol By now you should realize the PAID for versions will have better updates, Options, Protection and Scanning, but the FREE ones are just as good, but the PAID for ones will protect you more, and give you more protections. I hope this helps, but if you need anymore info or help, you can email me. selwood.ryan@live.co.uk

Whilst you don't 'need' one if you don't have any externally accessible services running or if your computer isn't connected to the internet, you may as well run one anyway. Especially insecure systems such as Microsoft Windows do need firewalls - and a whole load of other security tools to help plug all the leaks.

Of corse you do. If you do not have a Firewall then your computer is open to threats like Hackers and Viruses as well as other type of threats. FREE Firewalls will do if you do not want to buy a Firewall. However when you buy a Firewall or an Anti-Virus program then your computer will always be best protected as you are paying for a service, where as a FREE program like a Firewall or Anti-Virus will only protect you a certain ammount unless you buy there full package. Good Free Firewalls: 1) ZoneAlarm 2) Comodo Firewall 3) Outpost Firewall Try Not To Use This One) The Windows Firewall will do for Normal/Average users however there are better FREE ones availbale to use. A Firewall is necessary to stop threats from taking control of your computer.