Firewall is not a new word for PC users because it plays very important role in PC security. Nevertheless, users across the globe sometimes fail to understand its importance and become the victim of online threats. By not employing a firewall, you expose your PC to millions of online threats ready, round the clock to get into your system and steal or destroy data by infecting the vital components of the computer.

Now, when the internet has become the virtual treasure of knowledge and entertainment, we often require it for searching of services and information. Users irrespective of ages and professions enjoy their sessions of browsing, reading and downloading content of their interest. We access the web to meet varieties of requirements that might be related to business, education, fashion, entertainment and more.

But internet has its downsides as well because it poses severe security hazards for your PC. It is always risky to connect your PC or a private network via the Internet. Once your PC gets connected via the Internet, it has to accept information sourced from outside and send information back to such sources. However, there are defined protocols and norms in which exchange of information takes place but they can be misused, violated or compromised.

Here comes the role of Firewall to keep your PC secure from online threats.

What is a Firewall?

In simple language, a firewall is a utility to safeguard the internal network or PC from unauthorized access with malicious intent. Such access is generated via the internet or a local area network (LAN) with a motive to infect the system by exploiting the vulnerabilities existing within the internal network.

How does the firewall help?

It can be said that firewalls can hide the identity of your PC and prevent chances of intrusion and scanning of your PC that is conducted by hackers. In a nutshell, a firewall doesn’t let your PC send back the kind of information these hackers look for and in this way foil any attempt of PC invasion or intrusion.

Benefits of firewall

Firewall is required for everyone who connects via the Internet whether it is a single computer or the entire network. It comes within the frontline mechanism for preventing attacks conducted by online threats. It is beneficial for both individual PCs as well as business networks because it provides security from variety of threats such as worms which are known for exploiting networking protocol in a bid to access a remote PC.

Firewall is beneficial for all such users because it can log on or monitor all the attempts made with an intention to harm your PC or network apart from raising an alarm in case of any malicious activity. There are a few firewalls that can monitor and log all the traffic and data coming towards your PC from outside in order to prevent unauthorized or illegitimate access to resources on any external network.

Below mentioned are the five principal benefits of firewall:

Monitors and prevents all online threats and attacks on PCs or private network by other networks
Filters out all outbound mails and web traffic coming via unauthorized and illegitimate users
Acts as a watchman to monitor and protect the security of your network and computer in case of any unauthorized access by raising an alarm
Monitors and prepare logs of services which use WWW (World Wide Web), FTP (File Transfer Protocol) and other protocols
Regulates and secures Internet usage by blocking or un-blocking web traffic on the basis of their type.

Author's Bio: 

Brooke M. Perry is an ardent technician associated with Qresolve best pc tuneup, with wide experience of fixing issues with PCs, laptops, tablets and smartphones. With a strong track record of devising effective ways of online laptop support and system security, she has so far helped thousands of users across the globe. Her writings on tech issues are the reflection of her in-depth interest and command she carries as a computer support technician. Her blogs and articles have been rated high for their lucid style and easy to understand language.