firewall

Windows Firewall: It's a lose-lose proposition

Sometimes you just can't win. That's the way it is with the Windows Firewall. The one in XP can't monitor connections from your PC to the outside world--which is how botnets, Trojans, and other malware operate. The firewall in Vista can block outbound connections, but this feature is off by default, and it's practically impossible to create filters to block selective outbound links.

On the one hand, Microsoft claims that you don't need outbound filtering if you use the Windows Defender anti-spyware app to keep the snoops off your PC in the first place. On … Read more

The 404 134: Where the interns broke the studio

CNET interns Jeff and Jeremy give the Webcam a premature Fourth of July fireworks show and fuzzify the viewers, but we'll forgive them this time. In other news, we also take apart the Great Firewall of China, beg for Rush Limbaugh's scraps, voraciously consume watermelon with a vengeance, hack a few ATMs across the country, and question Wilson's stubborn refusal to see GOOD MOVIES.

EPISODE 134 Download today's podcast

Sometimes the Internet just breaks

Last night and this morning I couldn't get to my personal website. Other websites and email worked just fine. The website itself wasn't broken ("down" is the official nerd term), the Internet was.

A great service for pinpointing a problem like this is available at siteuptime.com. Their free Quick Check (shown below) can be used to test the availability of a website from New York, Chicago, San Francisco and/or London. The HTTP (website protocol) tests of my site showed that it was fine when accessed from all four cities.

As a politician referred to … Read more

First Look video: ZoneAlarm

Every computer user needs security software to keep him or her safe on the Web. Along with antispyware and antivirus programs, a good software firewall is a must-have to keep hackers away from your data. Firewalls also are useful for determining which programs are making contact with outside sources. If you're looking for a solid software firewall, look no further than ZoneAlarm .

For a quick rundown of how the ZoneAlarm firewall protects your computer, check out this First Look with CNET Download.com's Jason Parker.

Featured Freeware: Comodo Firewall Pro

Don't let the name fool you, Comodo Firewall Pro is one of the best freeware programs around that can also hold its own against other pay firewalls. Previous user complaints about resource hogging and a confusing interface have been addressed and this application has never been easier to use.

It still 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. When you first install it, the Comodo pop-ups come often as the program "learns" your online behavior, but those soon stop. … Read more

Where the clap has not subsided

EPISODE 57

While Jeff is still out, we manage to press forward in the most depressing way possible (you'd think Dan Ackerman was on the show). Randall cheers for a recession like its 1999, Xbox 360 kids are kinda crazy (surprise!), and China bans YouTube. All that and more on this episode of the 404!

Listen now: Download today's podcast

Killer Download: The Big Three free security applications

As users of the Internet we face security threats every day. Nefarious hackers (not all hackers), viruses, and spyware are rampant when online, and not taking precautions can mean lost data or even worse, identity theft. Frankly, if your computer is unprotected, you are rolling the dice every time you go online. Certainly many users already know this and are already using trusted software, or have other security measures in place to ensure safe surfing. This Killer Download is for those who don't or anyone who has questions regarding their safety online.

Whenever I get a new system or … Read more

Give your overzealous security software the boot

About five years ago I installed the family version of Symantec's Norton Internet Security software on one of my PCs, rendering the machine unusable. Not only couldn't I get any access to the Internet, it was impossible to uninstall the program. I ended up having to reinstall the operating system and all my applications--except Norton Internet Security. At the time I said I would never again install a Symantec security program on any PC, but about a year ago I bought a PC that came with 90 days of Norton 360, and the program won me over. When … Read more

Yoggie launches firewall on a USB stick

Joining Yoggie's cool Gatekeeper Pico, a security suite on a USB stick, is the new Firestick Pico, a firewall-only version of the same thing.

As covered previously on Crave, Yoggie's products are essentially security coprocessors. Computers unto themselves, they intercept all Internet traffic going in and out of your computer and scan it for threats. The Gatekeeper products scan for viruses, spam, and other threats, as well as running a bidirectional firewall. The new Firestick is a firewall only.

The benefit to these products is that they free up your computer's processor from running the security processes … Read more

Security Starter Kit

With a new year comes new computers, and that means new security problems. Viruses, spyware, rootkits, hackers--a fresh machine can be susceptible to the most insidious of plots. Lucky for you, here in the CNET Download.com defense bunker, we've devised a list of essential and free top-rated security programs to protect the honor of your computer and ensure that your sanity will last longer than your resolutions.