Computer Firewall Setup

A firewall can be either a hardware device or piece of software that protects your system (computer) or network from being attacked over the internet. These attacks are typically initiated by hackers or can be the result of viruses, worms, or other malicious programs. This can occur both in a small, home network, and on a larger scale in a corporate environment. Regardless of your current environment, it is very important that you make sure your network is protected and the firewall is configured properly. The professionals at MV Computers can assist in every aspect of network protection including firewall deployment and configuration. Rather than guessing on whether the firewall may (or may not) be working – allow our team of highly qualified network professionals come to your location to setup, and properly program your firewall.

The most common way to think of a firewall is it is simply a component that protects your computer from unauthorized remote access. One of the most traumatic things for your computer’s security and your personal privacy is the ability for someone to take control of computer. Common signs of this are files being moved or deleted, websites changing while you are working in them or even worse – someone moving the mouse cursor around while you are on the machine. All these symptoms can be mitigated with a properly configured firewall (and up to date operating system). Furthermore, confirming that the firewall is enabled, operating system is up to date, antivirus is consistently running, and remote control is disabled your machine is one step closer to being fully secure. While these are all common steps in the process of securing a person’s computer, it does not necessarily mean there are not other pitfalls you could be exposed to.

A very common “remote” scam that is popping up everywhere is the “fake Microsoft” technician who needs to remote into your machine immediately to fix a problem. Typically, they will call your home land-line (and even now your mobile number), explaining that you have been compromised, or that your machine is sending out errors to them and they need to remote in otherwise [insert some significant consequence] will occur. A large portion of I.T. Security is training the client and end-user on how to stay protected and to avoid the social engineering scams that exist in today’s environment. Even with a fully equipped firewall, if you give these individuals “permission” to log into your computer – typically with a remote access program, the firewall will “think” the connection is legitimate and allow this person to log in – so the professionals at MV Computers urge you to exercise caution should you receive a call like this.

So, what does this all mean? To break it down, a firewall acts as a shield or barrier with the responsibility of protecting your computer, mobile device, or tablet from data/code based malicious software roaming the internet. As data is transferred from your computer to servers across cyberspace, firewalls not only block/protect against malicious traffic – they also monitor these connections via packet identification. Firewalls then analyze these “packets” (or transmission) to establish whether they are safe/secure or if they should be rejected based off predetermined identifiers. Although most operating systems have a built-in firewall application, the most ideal results will be typically be gained from using a dedicated firewall application. In addition to a software-based firewall, a hardware (or additional layer) firewall can also be useful but more difficult to setup, configure and maintain.

In general, most firewall applications are an “added” bonus in security suites provided by most anti-virus/anti-malware applications. These firewalls feature a diverse and robust suite of automation and utilities that whitelist and block packet transmission pending a rule definition. Also, we explain and train all of our clients to be aware of signs that the firewall is blocking an application, or a program may be problematic. Regardless of internet usage, you should always ensure that the internal firewall on your machine and the hardware level firewall (typically found in the router) are working and scanning regularly.

Call the professionals today at MV Computers to check your firewall and security settings across all of your devices – 949-966-2180 Call Now!

At Mission Viejo Computer Repair Service, we are a completely mobile and onsite computer repair company. This simply means that we do not have a physical brick and mortar store location. This model allows us to keep our costs low, and pass these extra savings directly on to you, our customer! We will meet you at either your place of business or home and do the entire repair right in front of you. In the off chance we are unable to fix the issue on site, we will take your system with us and return it to you when it is complete and in a timely fashion! Thank you for supporting a locally owned and operated small business as we continue to provide Mission Viejo with the best Computer Repair Service near you!