Posted on January - 20 - 2010
Avoid Identity Theft — Know Your Firewalls
If you want to protect yourself from identity theft, not just any old firewall will do. Chances are you could become the victim of identity theft if you don’t understand firewalls and how they work. To prevent this from happening, be sure to know where you are vulnerable and which firewall you need to protect yourself and your personal information.
Identity theft and firewalls
Concerned about identity theft but confused about firewalls? Computer jargon can become confusing causing the average computer user to just give up and cross their fingers for protection. Avoiding identity theft doesn’t have to be confusing.
If you have a computer that stays connected to the Internet 24/7, you are in danger. Why? When you are online, you access the world. Guess what? The world has access to you too. Thieves cannot only see into your computer at that very moment, they can plant programs on your computer so they can access it at any time in the future. This gives them open access to steal your information at any time.
To avoid identity theft, you need to have the proper firewall installed on your computer. A firewall is a device that controls access between two networks — in this case, your computer and the Internet. Installing a firewall is like hiring a guard — it guards what comes into your computer and what goes out. When it comes to firewalls, there are two types: software-driven and hardware-driven.
Software-driven firewalls
An example of a software-driven firewall is the one that is installed with Windows XP and is sufficient if you only have one computer connected to the Internet. Other makers of software-driven firewalls are Symantec, Norton, and McAfee. These software’s aren’t expensive, but they do require some of your computer’s resources to operate which may slow your computer down a bit.
Hardware-driven firewalls
If you link two or more computers together on your home computer network, your best choice is a hardware-driven firewall. This type of firewall will completely shield your computer from the direct connection to the Internet. You will still be able to access the Internet, but no one can access your computer. In other words, you become invisible to hackers.
Do some research and determine which firewall is your best bet when it comes to avoiding identity theft. Your best identity theft protection is the one that best fits your needs and budget. Most importantly, stay abreast of the latest identity theft news and be on the lookout to keep yourself and your family protected.
