If you have your computer or network connected to the internet, especially with an always on broadband connection, you need a dedicated hardware firewall. | How Firewalls Work | A single port DSL/Cable router from DLink or LinkSys costs less than $100 and only takes a few minutes to connect, configure and download the latest firmware to. Every afternoon when the script kiddies get home from school you can watch the port scanners start up with any intrusion detection program. I'm not even talking about real hackers and crackers now. If your ports are not invisible (stealth ports) to the outside world you have an open invitation waving a  red flag calling attention to the large target painted on your computer. Hack me, hack me, your ports cry out to every passing scanner. I exaggerate not.  Once you have a firewall don't go to sleep. They are not bullet proof, not even the very best remotely managed firewall with stateful packet inspection. In fact the next step I intend to implement here on my own SOHO network asap is a software firewall in addition to the hardware firewall router between my network and the cable modem. | Zone Alarm | gets my vote, and for non commercial use it is free. Gibson Research home of the | Shields Up | firewall test site has a great | Firewall Evaluation | page. While you are there you should test your own security. As Mr.. Gibson says "You may be surprised." If you don't test your own security be sure that someone else will do it for you. Don't you want to be the first to know?

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