You,Had,Problems,the,Past,with computer If You Had Problems in the Past with a Computer Virus, Then

----------------------------------------------------------Permission is granted for the below article to forward,reprint, distribute, use for ezine, newsletter, website,offer as free bonus or part of a product for sale as longas no changes a Gone are those times when the companies and the organisations didn't need a hi-tech system to handle them. Owing to the considerable increase in the business sector and thus, an enormous increase in the complexity of the organisational struc

“If You Had Problems in the Past with a Computer Virus,Then You'll Want to Know How Easy it is to Setup FirewallProtection”By Steven PresarYou know the basics of computer virus protection -- don'topen email attachments' from senders that you do not know. If you follow this simple rule, your computer will be saferthan most.But a few weeks ago, a computer worm called “sasser”, causedhavoc with Microsoft Windows computers throughout the world.This sasser worm spread in a completely different way, notbothering with email (the way most viruses spread) butinstead exploited a security hole in Microsoft Windows.This security hole allowed any computer connected to theinternet to be infected. The worm spread and infectedcomputers almost invisibly, thus many people were caught bysurprise when their computer problems began.A computer virus is a set of computer program instructionsthat attaches itself to programs in other computers. Virusesare often parts of documents that are transmitted asattachments to e-mail messages. A worm is similar to a virusbut is a self-contained program that transports itself fromone computer to another through networks.The most obvious symptom of sasser worm was that theinfected computer would automatically shut down – thusmaking troubleshooting this worm a challenge to thoseinfected.A Plan of Action for Small BusinessOne of the ways to prevent your computer from becominginfected by a virus or worm like sasser would be byinstalling a “firewall” on your computer system.Any computer connected to the Internet, is vulnerable toelectronic worm or virus attacks. You are protecting yourcomputer system by setting a firewall between your computeror networked computers (LAN) and the Internet.A firewall examines, filters, and reports on theappropriateness of all information that passes through yourcomputer network. A firewall may ensure that informationreceived from an outside source is as expected and does notcontain computer a virus or worm.This protective barrier between your computer and theInternet will monitor incoming and outgoing internet trafficand warned you of virus or worm before your computers becameinfected.Microsoft Windows XP includes a firewall, but it may not beenabled on your machine because Microsoft turns it off bydefault.If you have Microsoft Windows XP and would like to activateyour software firewall, follow these steps:~ Within Microsoft Windows XP~ Click on the Start button and then choose Control Panel~ Click the Network and Internet Connections category (Ifyou do not see the Network and Internet Connectionscategory, click Switch to Category View under Control Panelon the left side of the Control Panel window.)~ Choose Network Connections.~ Right-click the Dial-up, LAN or High-Speed Internetconnection(s) that you use to connect to the Internet~ Click Properties from the menu~ On the Advanced tab, under Internet Connection Firewall,select "Protect my computer and network"~ Then click OK.You have now enabled your Windows XP firewall.With your firewall now working, you will see a warning popup on screen if a virus or worm is trying to infect yourcomputer. You will be able to block them by denying themaccess.You'll find your access to the internet a little morecomplicated now. The first time you run any internet relatedprogram after activating the Microsoft firewall, it willalert you again and ask you if it is OK for your InternetBrowser to connect to the Internet.There are some computer security experts have criticized theshortcomings of the Microsoft’s Windows XP firewall. Thus,there may be other software firewall packages that you maywant to look at. Some of the other firewall softwarepackages that you may want to look at are: Norton(www.symantec.com), McAfee (us.mcafee.com), and ZoneAlarm(www.zonelabs.com) software firewall packages.What to look for in a Software FirewallWhen choosing a firewall, consider such factors as:~ ease of use,~ cost,~ technical support~ control of incoming content (such as cookies, pop-ups,JavaScript, ActiveX, etc.), and~ the ability to control the firewall for access to moretrusted individual websitesMost firewall software packages can do the basic portblocking needed to protect against typical virus or wormthat try to probe your system (like sasser). Other softwarefirewalls do not have important features like, allowing youto control which websites that you will accept activecontent (like cookies and pop-ups).A good firewall program will also alert you when a softwareapplication on your computer is trying to connect to theInternet. This may help you detect whether a virus hasinfected your system or whether spyware (software thatarrive on your computer without your knowledge) is trying toreport your personal profile details.High Speed Internet Connections FirewallIf you are using a broadband Internet connection, such ascable or DSL, you should use a hardware-based firewall inaddition to software firewall. Most of the router/hubcombinations you can buy for your computer system offer astrong first line of defense against remote probes of yourcomputer. Plus, they are inexpensive, often costing lessthan $20 after rebates.Hardware based firewalls generally will not tell you when aprogram on your own computer system seeks to access theInternet. That is why, when you use a hardware firewall,you need a software firewall installed as well.Which Firewall is Best for Your Office?Because of the number of incoming security threats to yourcomputer are so numerous and serious, the key point is thatyou do have a software firewall, and if you are using a highspeed connection, a hardware firewall as well.ZoneAlarm's firewall is a popular choice for personal usebecause it can be download and use it for free. Thatsoftware firewall package may be a good starting point forindividuals new to firewall technology.After you have your computer system secure, you might liketo check out some firewall options from, Nonags(www.nonags.com) and PricelessWare (www.pricelessware.org).It's becoming a better idea to have a firewall, at home andbusiness. It does require extra setup and is another layerof software and hardware to navigate through to connect tothe Internet, but the piece of mind to keep your computersystem secure may be worth the effort.Copyright Steven Presar