HOW TO CHOOSE THE BEST FIREWALL?
One of the main reasons for installing personal firewall
software is to help protect against remote intrusion as well as outgoing
attempts. Learn what type of software you need before implementation
and what kind of traffic verification you should perform.
EDITOR RATING: 
excellent
$39.95
Protect yourself with the best multi-layered firewall
technology around. Simple to install (step-by-step installation wizard
gets you up and running in minutes). Easy to use (comes with default
security settings for "out-of-the-box" protection).
Cons
Can be a little bit confusing for the beginner if the right options are not chosen during installation.
The Verdict
In spite of a few annoying features, the program is by far
the most reliable protection you can get. This useful software also
blocks and detects the latest attacks. Includes site status and
anti-phishing option.
Features
Compatible with anti-virus software
Frequent updates
Stops online threats
The latest release improves the operating system firewall and applies more robust spyware detection and removal functions.
- Prevents intrusions with professional-grade firewall
- Quarantines suspicious attachments
- Maps your wireless home network
- Wireless PC protection
- License can be used on up to three PCs
- Alert Advisor helps you by automatically setting program access rights for you
- Includes an antivirus scanner and new anti spyware tools
- Robust firewall with lots of new features
Best of all, fully compatible with major antivirus software
and Windows operating systems. Besides, ZoneAlarm Pro's documentation
is well organized, making it easy to find answers fast.
Overall,
ZoneAlarm Firewall 2013 Pro is a great product that will keep your
computer safe from intrusions and online Internet threats.
Specs Data
Details
The following requirements are recommended for the
best performance levels: 250MB of available hard-disk space. Microsoft
IE 7 above. All Windows versions.
Hard Drive Requirements
Most Laptop and Desktop computer PCs are supported. The current edition needs 100 MB of free hard disk space.
EDITOR RATING: 
very good
$48.99
Pros
Designed for home and small office settings, this suite
(identity protection, anti-spam filter, etc) provides a reliable
solution to intrusion prevention and a personal firewall for individual
PCs.
Cons
In testing, Panda detected only up to 92% of threats;
however, it scored best against rogue programs (adware, trojan, etc)
with 100 percent detection.
The Verdict
The latest edition offers a new and intuitive interface.
Capable of working on a 64-bit Windows system including daily updates.
It is well worth the investment.
Features
Behavior analysis
Includes 2GB online storage
Technical support 24x7x365
In addition, this application constantly adapts its
behaviour based on network traffic analyses in order to build the best
defence for your computer and keep your system running smoothly.
Finally, the firewall component is identical to the optional firewall in
Panda's antivirus.
Shared Extras
The backup option is unchanged since last year's edition.
Moreover, Panda Global Protection 2013's parental control system
approaches the better standalone products.
The program comes with file encryption and a shredding
module. Available for monitoring sensitive data. It also protects you
immediately upon installation.
Final Verdict
It may not have all the features of other security suites out
there, but it works well without slowing down your PC. Simple to use and
deploy, this current version also has been tested by independent
certification bodies.
Specs Data
Details
Windows 7, XP and Vista (32-bits and 64-bits). Firefox 2 or above; Internet Explorer 6.0 or above and Chrome.
Technical Requirements
USB port. Pentium 300 MHZ or faster. 275 MB free space (hard disk).
EDITOR RATING: very good
$47.99
Pros
The advanced firewall provides a complete and easy-to-use
protection against Internet threats. Ensures good protection against all
new external attacks. Clean user interface. Phone support available.
Enhanced anti-spam tool. Helps you stay free from spam email.
Cons
Parental control and phishing protection are weak. There is
room for improvement here. Supports Firefox and Internet Explorer, only.
The Verdict
Like most of its competitors, the program provides the
maintenance free, easy-to-use solutions for computer security and virus
protection that you need in order to ensure safe and easy online
surfing. Receives high scores from independent experts.
Features
Detects and removes rootkits
Browsing protection
E-mail filtering
Today, many computers around the world are still
unprotected against threats spreading through the Internet. You can keep
your private data to yourself with the personal firewall that stops
hackers from breaking into your computer.
Effectiveness
Its system modification allows you to block a program. Besides,
F-Secure offers a good defence rate against malicious programs from the
Internet.
On top of the protection found in the standalone
edition, F-Secure DeepGuard, a new technology, constantly monitors the
heart of your computer, ensuring that no malicious programs can take
over your computer. It filters unwanted spam and phishing attempts from
your email. The installer gives an option to choose from F-Secure
Internet Security 2013 or F-Secure Anti-Virus installation.
Bottom Line
On the plus side, F-Secure Internet Security is a good personal
firewall protection software. It includes an antivirus and an improved
anti-spyware. However, some of the components, such as its antispam
performance, is actually not as good.
Specs Data
Details
Disk Space: 600 MB during installation. Capable of running Windows 7 or Windows Vista. RAM: 1GB recommended.
Available languages
English, Dansk, Deutsch, Nederlands, Norsk, Polski... Covers installation on up to 3 PCs
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4. ESET Smart Security 6
EDITOR RATING: 
very good
$59.99
Pros
Protects you from viruses, worms, spyware, and all Internet
threats; also blocks spam and includes a personal firewall. The best way
to constantly monitor and defend your PC from internet attacks.
Cons
Anti-spam protection could be better, as compared to suites from other security product vendors.
The Verdict
Light on system resources, it combines multiple layers of
detection protecting you from Internet threats. Offers three security
modes to choose from, depending on your security preferences.
Features
Intelligent firewall
Cloud-based detection
ThreatSense technology
It analyzes each application behaviour and detects any
suspicious activity before allowing Internet access. The program may
consume up to 20MB of RAM when running a deep scan.
Performance
ESS builds upon the latest version of the company's NOD32
ThreatSensescanning engine by augmenting it with firewall and spam
filtering. This being said, it also shows IPv6 addresses and allows
users to create rules for them.
It is now possible to scan incoming emails and block access to infected files. The updates all went smoothly after re-starting.
Conclusion
A little more expensive than other programs, but well worth the
extra money. When compared to other popular downloads, the latest
version of ESET really does the job. Overall, reliable protection
without slowing down your PC with minimal resource usage. Great product.
Specs Data
Notes
Before performing a real‐time protection check, it is
mandatory to disable the firewall. As a result, unspecified connections
will be blocked by the program.
System Requirements
Windows 7, Vista: 1 GHz 32-bit-64-bit. Minimum 512 MB RAM of system memory. Minimum 130 MB available space.
EDITOR RATING: 
good
$65.46
Pros
The program starts operating as soon as it is installed. It
defends your computer or laptop against most intrusion techniques used
by intruders.
Cons
Does not report Web-based exploits. Unable to detect all leak
tests. Parental control module is not so good. The program may not be
best for beginners.
The Verdict
Lists each application and process that has active connections. It also protects your system against spyware and other threats.
Features
Web Traffic Scanning
Simple configuration
Trial version available in multiple languages
An online help provides information on interface,
settings, and functionality. Norman Firewall is available for both the
32-bit and 64-bit versions of operating systems. Note: You must
uninstall any other firewall software on your computer and reboot before
using the Norman Personal Firewall.
Full support for TCP/IP connections
Free tools available: special program to clean SinowalMBR rootkit from infected computers can be downloaded from their site.
Please note that after completing the firewall set up,
the program may crash. The error message is: ModVer: 7.0.2600.2180
Offset. From control panel, run the command "bypass:beginner"
Contents blocking based on specific rules
At last, you can specify whether you want well-know applications
to be created automatically when they are required for the first time.
Specs Data
Details
Available as a standalone firewall. Toll free number: customer support : $20 per incident
Note
Spotify (digital music service) does not work when Norman Personal Firewall is on. Patch available from their Website.
EDITOR RATING: good
$49.99
Pros
An effective solution for protecting your system or local
network from external and internal threats and malicious acts without
limiting network capabilities. Only the data permitted by the security
policy in use are passed along.
Cons
As the previous versions, online documentation is weak. Links broken.
The Verdict
As noted, Net Firewall controls inbound and outbound network
traffic ensuring that the final destination of each connection is valid;
however, the program has some flaws: unable to block exploits.
Features
Custom filter rules
Scanning scheduler
Complete stateful firewall
All packets are blocked in emergency level, regardless
of security rules in use. Ability to monitor activity at the transport
driver interface.
Not very effective
In terms of features, the latest version of Net Firewall is a
decent program, although there are certainly better ones. However, you
can hide or show the management console on program starts. And it runs
at a level below the TCP-IP protocol stack as IP packet filters.
Easy to use Interface
NeT Firewall implements a complete network traffic monitoring
cycle on your system as well as viewing and sorting traffic. The current
version allows enabling and disabling access to your personal computer
resources, such as files and printers, mail services and web server.
Specs Data
Details
Processor: 450+ MHz Pentium-based platform. 100 MB of available disk space
System Requirements
450MHz CPU. 256 MB of RAM and 100 MB of available hard disk space .
EDITOR RATING: good
$19.95
Pros
Designed to protect your computer from online attacks, Rising
firewall alerts you to all events without the hassle of being prompted
to monitor your PC's traffic. It starts running in the background and
provides an additional layer of security.
Cons
Configuring the options may take a while. Can be slightly
difficult for those who do not know what to do. Administrative
privileges required.
The Verdict
The program uses fewer resources than most known firewalls.
Features
ARP spoofing defence
Integrated Trojan shield
IE Function Call Interception
There are many ways in which a user can find
protection. Designed to protect your computer from online attacks.
Tailored to provide effective protection against Internet threats and
unwanted programs, Rising Firewall also supports multiple users.
Firewall Status
You can bind a gateway to your MAC Address. This will add the
specific address to the fixed ARP rules and avoid spoofing attacks. Best
of all, you can change the setup later.
In addition, you can create a program that enables you to install the latest edition at any time.
Final Verdict
In conclusion, you can choose a pre-defined security policy
through the rule set. This means that each entry can be associated with
specific rule. By default, the software is set to update automatically.
All network connection are controlled and monitored. Ability to track
the suspicious intruder in LAN.
Specs Data
Details
CPU:P3 500 MHz or higher. RAM: 256 MB or above.
Limitations
30-day trial.
EDITOR RATING: 
fair
$29.95
Pros
Designed specifically to monitor incoming and outgoing
packets, Outpost 7.0 offers an automatic update function and stops
malicious software. The version is available in both paid and freeware
versions.
Cons
Web-based protection not as powerful as that of the full Norton suite. May erroneously identify very obscure utilities as risky.
The Verdict
The latest version 7.0 offers a line of defence against malicious software by controlling each application.
Features
Packet filtering
Activity tracker in real time
Self-protection technology
Thanks to the two-way firewall, Outpost 7.0 is able to
monitor each inbound and outbound connection and prevents unauthorized
remote network access. It can also detect most spam messages with
minimal false positives. Supports all popular versions of Windows.
Setup
The proactive protection module proactively defends your computer
against the majority of intrusion techniques. Includes an automated
definition of security configuration and other utilities. Compatible
with mobile broadband devices.
It monitors all the network traffic and prevents any
attempted intruder attacks from outside. You can also list all local
events currently in the system from the control panel.
Summary
Lastly, Outpost Firewall Pro from Agnitum enables you to control
its behaviour when your computer starts up. It runs invisibly in the
background. Designed for more experienced users, beginners may want to
choose a less complex firewall to begin with.
Specs Data
Supported Platforms
32-64-bit All Windows. 450 MHz or faster CPU. Multi-language available: Russian, Spanish, English, Deutsch and Française.
The 64-bit edition requires a separate installation package.
Note
You must uninstall all other firewall applications before installing Outpost Firewall.
Release date: July 14, 2011
EDITOR RATING: fair
$40.00
Pros
You can select a policy that will be applied when the program
starts without your interaction. You can also start the application
manually at any time.
Cons
The basic features should be more than adequate for personal computers. Keylogger protection is ineffective.
The Verdict
Designed to be easy to use. Includes HIP (Host-based
Intrusion Prevention) functions. Protects from and keylogging and
phishing techniques.
Features
Solid rules
Light on system resources
Online help file
Developed by Emsisoft, each module is easy to configure
while system resources remain within normal limits. However, you have
to restart your computer to fully enable Online Armor.
Key Features
The latest version utilizes the Online Armor Software Information
Service (OASIS) to provide complete protection making the program
easier to use and enhancing protection.
Before running a software, Online Armor checks whether it recognizes the program as trusted or not trusted.
Summary
On April 4, 2012, the program still had several flaws. Not recommended!
Specs Data
Recommended Requirements
Windows 7 and XP versions. 512 MB RAM. 20 MB hard disk space
Note
Does not support the following versions: Windows XP, Vista 64 and 98/ME
EDITOR RATING: fair
$64.99
Pros
BitDefender Internet Security 2013 allows you to keep your
Facebook social life safe from online threats. Each action is recorded.
Works silently in the background.
Cons
Installation may take about 40 minutes. Upper toolbar issues.
The Verdict
The product operates in game mode and offers an antispam
module to automatically bounce junk mail. However, during our online
tests BitDefender failed to block injection attacks.
Features
Multiple scan levels
Rescue mode
Network map
The Auto Pilot mode allows you to block anything
suspicious on your system. This new feature also manages automatic
updates including firewall protection. In addition, you can see a
history of actions achieved by Bitdefender by opening the events window
from your main console.
New Interface
Important: the program regularly sends reports containing
information about how you use it to the company's servers. As always,
you can deactivate this option anytime.
From the setting window, you will be able to manage and
configure firewall rules and monitor network activity. It automatically
scans incoming and outgoing e-mails and web traffic.
Download.
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