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What is a
Firewall?
All networks with access to the
Internet need a firewall. Firewalls, both hardware and or software-based,
primarily protect a network or central system from hacker intrusion from the
Internet or other public network. In addition, some firewalls also restrict LAN
user access to inappropriate websites.
Firewalls have a number of
limitations:
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Firewalls must be updated
with a list of inappropriate banned websites, as new sites appear very
quickly.
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Firewalls are not an
effective protection against software viruses. We recommend that all users
install anti--virus software.
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Often Firewalls are
positioned between an Internet router and the internal LAN, this results in a
network bottleneck. Careful consideration should be paid to where a firewall is
placed. We recommend that the firewall is installed between a switch and an
Internet router.
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Firewalls cannot protect
against 'back doors', where a single network user has installed a separate
Internet connection. To prevent this, companies should put an effective
Internet access policy in place.
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Equipped with the correct
password, hackers can gain access to your network in spite of a firewall. To
solve this, all passwords should be changed regularly.
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