Originally Posted by
jholland1964
Don't forget to use a firewall of course. If you don't want to try the Zone Alarm Free again you might look at the other two noted in PhilliePhan's list.
Remember too that XP DOES have it's own built-in firewall if you choose to use it. To be honest, this is what I use.....
Windows Firewall blocks only incoming stuff whereas third-party firewalls (such as Zonealarm, Kerio, Outpost, etal. ) block both incoming and outgoing stuff. This means that were you to inadvertently allow a trojan to be installed, WF would not prevent it from calling home with whatever information it had managed to harvest from your computer (passwords, monitored keystrokes, etc, etc). So, in theory, a third-party utility will offer a greater level of security than WF. However ...
... simply adopting safe surfing practices (not downloading applications from warez sites or via file-sharing utilities, not installing no-cost applications from little-known developers, etc, etc, etc) and running a good antivirus utility should usually be sufficient to prevent any trojans or other unwanted items from finding their way onto your computer and so a bi-directional firewall is, IMO, of less importance than many people seem to think.
Furthermore, look back over old threads and you'll find few (if any) instances of a person being "stung" as a result of using WF - but you'll find significantly more threads relating to problems caused by the use of a third-party firewall (botched updates, etc).
There is, however, no "one size fits all" answer here. Should you use your computer for online banking/shopping and should it be shared with file-sharing children, then it might not be a bad idea to install a third-party firewall. OTOH, if you trust the other users to surf sensibly, then WF may very well be sufficient for your needs. The choice is yours just be sure to make one.
Judy
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