Traditionally, a firewall with the technology 10 years ago is pretty simple and straight forward where it prevents attacker from entering your computer. Back then, Malware like Trojan, Virus, and Worms were not widely spread. That is a one-way firewall.
In addition to that, they were also not so complicated in their functionality. If you still use the security technology 10 years back now, I am sure you will fall behind.
One good example to the one-way firewall is the Windows XP firewall. Windows XP firewall is a classical one where due to it’s out-dated technology, it gives the room for firewall like Comodo and ZoneAlarm to rise.
Malwares today does not only go on a mission, accomplished it and self destruct with the target. Instead, Malwares today hit the target and stay there for as long as it can so that it can be used further in the future.
Staying inside the target enable the Malware to contact with the creator and that is why apart from protecting your computer with an antivirus, a two-way firewall comes into the security as well to counter one of this attack – stopping the communication from the inside.
How a Two-Way Firewall Functioned?
Recalling back the one-way firewall, it’s main duty is protect outsider from accessing the host. A two-way firewall has all the features of a one-way firewall and on top of that, it also protect the host while accessing anything outside.
For instance, if you have an application that require to connect to a remote server for an update, the two-way firewall will ensure the safety by asking your permission whether you will allow your application to connect to that specific server.
Probably you might be wondering why is it essential to protect your outgoing data. If the outgoing data is going to the any attacker site, your privacy will be exposed.
That is why it is necessary to protect your outgoing data. This can be done with most of the latest two-way firewall where it will ask you whether you will allow your application to connect to a specific server.
A two-way firewall also comes along with port cloaking, some sort of stealth mode where your computer is not easily detected from the outside. As a final say, firewall today is not only to protect yourself from the outside.
It is also important for you to protect the information that is going out of your computer. So, get a strong firewall up, scan your computer often and stay secure.
This post is part of my series on computer security tips.