Several unique terms and phrases describe the features of software we review on this site, some easier to grasp than others. This list briefly defines terms relevant to Personal Firewall Software.

Ratings

Feature Set

The functions of your firewall; what your firewall does. A firewall's main task is to protect your computer from break-ins and keep your computer stealth (hidden) while online.

Extra firewall features include blocking advertisements, managing cookies (bits of data stored on your computer by websites you visit) and blocking inappropriate content. Some firewall packages include several extra features; others offer these for added cost.

Ease of Use

Simplicity is important. The firewall control panel should be intuitive and convenient. A computer novice should be able to use the basic firewall without help.

Ease of Installation

Installing personal firewall software should be simple and fast. Your personal firewall should not require you to uninstall other programs before it will function. The exception to this rule would be if you already have a firewall utility or security suite installed on your computer. Many times firewalls do not play well together and will require you to uninstall or disable your old one before installing a new one.

Reliability

The least a firewall should do is keep intruders out, keep private information in, and keep your system well hidden while online. The firewall should keep your IP address and browser type hidden while you browse the Internet in stealth mode. This means that others should not be able to see your computer and information associated with it unless you allow them to. Your personal firewall should do its job consistently without clashing with your other software.

Help/Support

Firewall software should include well-written instructions so a beginner can set it up without help.The firewall manufacturer should also provide secondary support in the form of telephone support, toll-free telephone support, online chat, email, FAQs, forums, and other written support.

Features

Email protection

Some firewalls either include Anti-Virus software to help protect from email delivered viruses or offer the ability to integrate with your current Anti-Virus software.

File Protection

Many firewalls will include a built in utility that will watch for any unauthorized changes to your files and notify you if it detects anything. This can help prevent viruses and spyware from infecting your computer.

Personal Information Protection

Protect sensitive data. Some firewalls offer extra protection for the most vulnerable information stored on your computer (such as financial data and passwords).

Registry Protection

Protects your registry (the “Brain” of Windows) from hostile programs that attempt to alter it in a negative or incorrect way.

Port Monitoring

Ports are doorways that allow data to travel in and out of your computer. Firewalls prevent port scanning and alert you of port scan attempts. Unmonitored ports are a quiet doorway for intruders to sneak into your computer.

Network Traffic Monitor

Shows current data traffic on your computer system, including which programs are open and a list of the ports (doorways) each is using.

Data Filtering

Analyzes all incoming and outgoing pieces of data, called packets. Firewalls filter packets to control all data's access to your computer. Filtering lets you block specific data from entering your computer (often by using a blacklist, or banned list).

Intruder/Hacker Detection Tools

Intruder Alert

The firewall alerts you to suspicious intruder activity immediately so you can investigate.

Intruder ID Lookup

Track a hacker back to its origin. Some firewalls map the route the hacker took to your computer if it is available. Firewalls help you report the hacker's identifying information to the origin ISP (Internet Service Provider) or to your local police.

Intruder Tracking Log

View a record of hacker attempts; identifying where others see weaknesses in your system can help you improve your firewall defense.

Internet Tools

Stealth Mode

Surf the Internet without letting others online see you. When online, your computer constantly receives and responds to information requests from other computers. In stealth mode your computer will not respond to the flow of queries unless you opt to override.

Popup Blocking

Block popup windows commonly used for advertisements and survey invitations. You can waive this block for specific websites.

Cookie Blocking

Firewalls can prevent cookies. Cookies are bits of data stored on your computer by websites you visit. Cookies are commonly used by websites to greet you by name. Some cookies (spyware) watch and report your online habits to marketers.

Not all cookies are bad. For example, a clothing website may have a cookie stored on your computer that remembers your size. Blocking this cookie means you'll have to enter that data manually each time you want to buy.

Spyware Blocking

Even though personal firewalls aren't geared toward blocking spyware. Some personal firewalls block spyware like trojans, cookies, etc.

Browser History Blocking

Prevent websites you visit from seeing where else you've been online. When you travel from website to website, footprints of where you've been travel with you, letting each new website see which website you just came from.

Parental Controls

Control content viewed on your computer. Block inappropriate websites, photos, even specific words.

Trusted Websites List

List of Internet websites the firewall always allows access to; you create this trusted list over time.

Blocked Websites List

List of Internet websites the firewall always blocks access to; some firewalls come with blocked lists, others require you to build your own.

Website History Log

See history files for websites visited. This is ideal for parents who have not blocked websites but want to monitor where others have used the computer online.

Setup and Management

Password Protection

Prevent others from changing your firewall settings by locking them in with a password.

Individual User Settings

The firewall can be customized for each individual who uses the computer.

For example, you can have the firewall allow you unlimited chat time, but restrict chat time for your children (if you've set up your computer with unique logins for each person).

Network Time Restrictions

Set times for your firewall to turn Internet access on and off.

For example, you could block all data transmission to and from the Internet between 11:00 PM and 7:00 AM daily.

Preset Firewall Defaults

Firewall comes with rules already set for common software and common computer systems. This is good for beginners who don't want to take time to learn how to customize the firewall.

Automatic Software Rules

Firewall software automatically creates rules for your computer's software during its installation. This is another perk for beginners unfamiliar with customizing a firewall for their computer.

Instantly Disable Firewall

If the firewall is getting in your way, turn it off temporarily.

Instantly Block All Traffic

Use if you want to halt all data in and out temporarily.

Help/Support

Phone Support

Some manufacturers charge a fee for telephone support; others offer this toll-free.

Live Chat

Live, typed help online. The firewall manufacturer representative reads your typed question and types a response within seconds.

Email or Online Forms

Submit a question to the manufacturer by email or by filling out a question form online.

Easy Upgrades

Downloading updated versions of your firewall from the manufacturer. The simplest methods include automatic updates and one-click updates.

Tests

Stealth Test

Online, other computers constantly try to begin conversations with your computer. Firewalls allow your computer to be invisible wallflower online when in "stealth" mode.

The Stealth Test checks to see if the computer firewall responds to questions in an "invisible" way. If another computer asks your computer a question, your computer firewall should reply, "I'm not home" or at least, "I'm not interesting, go away."

Referrer Test

When you visit a website, your browser relays information about the previous webpage you visited. Your visit can also reveal what region you are in, what operating system you use and information about your browser.

Some companies use this free information about you for targeted advertising. We test firewalls to see if they block this browsing information.

Browser Test

We use this test to see if a firewall successfully blocks your personal information from view, and to see if the firewall blocks cookies. (Cookies are small bits of data stored on your computer by websites you visit.)

Trojan Test

We check to see if the firewall can prevent known Trojans (computer viruses) from entering your computer. This test scans the data doorways that Trojans use. If one of these vulnerable doorways has been left open, the firewall fails the test.

Port Scan Test

This test checks your computer for open ports (data doorways). Ports are necessary to transfer data, but you don't want them left open. We tested the firewall's ability to protect common ports, "half-open" ports, ranges of ports and random ports.

Exploit Test

We use the exploit test to check the firewall's vulnerability to unknown data. If firewall responds incorrectly and let a "stranger" in the door, your computer could shut off or reboot, causing loss of unsaved data.

Websites (rather than home computers) are a more likely target for other exploit attacks, like large bandwidth attacks and slowdown attacks. But we tested these attacks on firewalls also.

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