Personal Firewall Software

A personal firewall on your computer

• can block unauthorized access to your computer;
• scans for hacker-like behavior and block suspicious requests, often without any user intervention; and
• is especially important for users connecting to the Internet via cable modems or DSL, since these "always-on" connections make systems available and vulnerable to more attacks.

NOTE: Windows XP and Mac OS X (v10.2 or later) have built-in firewall protection. If you have a previous version of either of these operating systems (Windows 2000, Mac OS 9.x, etc.) and would like to run firewall protection, purchase/download third party software.

More information about built-in firewall protection is available at:

• Windows XP Built-in Firewall

• Mac OS X (v10.2 or later) Built-in Firewall

Third Party Firewall Software

While NUIT does not promote one brand of firewall software, there are several packages to consider if your operating system does not have one. Some are free for home use, while others companies may charge for the software:

	Firewall Software Name
Feature	BlackIce Defender	Norton Personal Firewall	ZoneAlarm
Vendor Web Site	BlackIce Defender	Norton Personal Firewall	ZoneAlarm
Offers Trial or Freeware Version	No	Yes	Yes
Supports Mac OS 9x	No	Yes	Yes
Supports Mac OS X	No	Yes	No
Supports Windows 2000/XP Professional	Yes	Yes	Yes
Supports Windows ME	Yes	Yes	Yes
Supports Windows 98 SE	Yes	Yes	Yes
Supports Windows NT 4.0 Workstation	Yes	Yes	Yes