Why Personal Firewall Software?

One of the reasons for installing personal firewall software is to prevent identity theft and the lengthy process of restoring your credit. Your financial data and password lists may all be stored inside your computer. Even a novice hacker with the right tools could easily get into your system to copy these without detection.

A firewall is to a computer what a security system is to a home. A firewall, like a security system, only allows specified traffic through specified doors or ports. A personal firewall product will alert you or take one of many pre determined actions when someone tries to tamper with your computer without permission.

Today's personal firewall software solutions can make it easy for novices and experts to keep personal information safe. On this site you'll find articles and comprehensive reviews to help you make an informed decision for your personal firewall software purchase.

At TopTenREVIEWS, we do the research so you don't have to.™

What to Look for in a Personal Firewall Program

A personal firewall is software designed for use on a single PC. Personal firewalls lock out intruders to keep your individual PC safe, at home or at the office. Below are the criteria TopTenREVIEWS used to evaluate personal firewall software.

• Feature Set –A personal firewall should offer features that go beyond standard protection. The bare necessities include keeping your system hidden and keeping uninvited people and programs out. The best firewalls include tools to manage spyware, cookies (software outsiders put onto your computer) and viruses. Some firewalls offer Internet filtering to restrict content viewed in your home.
• Ease of Use –A computer novice should be able to understand and use the firewall product without help. The control panel should be intuitive and convenient. We’ve reviewed a few advanced firewall products that are powerful tools, but inappropriate for novices. When we include one of these products we note this in the “Ease of Use” section of the review.
• Setup Ease –Installing personal firewall software should be simple and fast, even for a computer novice. Your personal firewall should not be so finicky that it requires you to uninstall other programs before it will function. And your firewall should be compatible with any typical operating system.
• Reliability – The least a firewall should do is to keep intruders out and keep your system stealth (well hidden) online. The firewall should keep your IP address and browser hidden while you browse the Internet in stealth mode. This means that others should not be able to see your computer or personal identity unless you allow them to see these. Your personal firewall should do its job consistently, without clashing with your other software.
• Support – The firewall software should give enough instruction for a computer novice to set up the product without help. The manufacturer should also have help online to answer common questions. Look for a firewall manufacturer willing to help you. Customer service telephone support is excellent; toll-free telephone support is a bonus. Some manufacturers use email or online question forms. Our favorite method of support is online, live chat.

Help Documentation – The software should offer a well-written help section with easy-to-understand information. The manufacturer should also provide technical support in the form of FAQs, email and phone support. To choose the personal firewall that best fits your needs, check out our detailed reviews. To read about the top-rated software, ZoneAlarm Pro, click here.