Whats a good and free firewall?

Answer 1

According to people smarten than me : Kerio, Outpost.
Sygate was quite fine (despise few minor drawbacks) unfortunately has been bought by Symantec and ceased to exists.
http://scan.sygate.com/home_homeoffice/sygate/index.jsp
Windows firewall does not control outbound requests at all (see link below) – still better than nothing.
Norton, McAfee and Zone Alarm are believed by many to be not the best, prone to conflicts and arbitrary behind back actions.

http://www.spywareinfo.com/newsletter/archives/2005/oct27.php#winfirewall

No firewall will ever have 100% ability to absolutely protect from all hackers by the way. In my opinion vendor claims in this regard are just ridiculous. User behind firewall is in my opinion strongest defense against attacks, another words knowing and understanding how to surf safely.

Listen to some of those audition (page with downloadable audio files). Author of site is creator of AdAware who became famous after blowing whistle on AOL, Netscape Navigator and Real One Player – which end up being sued in result. Quite few audition reffers directly to firewalls.

http://www.grc.com/SecurityNow.htm

Answer 2

I have tested many firewalls, both free and purchase. My personal opinion the very best free firewall available is, http://www.zonealarm.com

I run Windows XP Prof., and if you are running the same platform you will want to shut down the Windows firewall that comes with this platform as it only protects you from rogue traffice coming in and does not protect anything leaving your pc.

Firewall are only good if they have incoming an outgoing protection.

You will get 100% protection both from rogue incoming traffice an also protect your private data from leaving your own pc without your permission.

Plus you get automatic notifications of every new version right at your desktop asking you if you want to download the new version. An if you say yes, it will perform an automatic removal of the old version an install the new version. Plus zonealarm advises you to do a clean install. (Another words, instead of having zonealarm remember your "allow", or "deny", zonealarms recommends that you do the clean install). This way you are 100% sure that all new "deny", or "allow", will always be the way you desire your security.

Plus once you "allow", a port say to update a program and you check off the box on zonealarm to "remember", the only time it will ask you again if there is a change to the program either by you or an update.

I have confidential patient data in my computers an I have found zonealarm to give me total protection over nine years without ever allowing a rogue port to transmit to my IP address or data leaving my pc without prior permission by me.

Support if ever needed has always been excellent with their free version.

Sygate firewall was my second choice. They are nolonger in business. You still can download the software.

Clinical Psychiatrist, France

Answer 3

Well, I use Windows Firewall which works well enough. It comes in SP2. In fact sometimes it works too well, and i often have to disable it. The one from computer Associates isn't bad. iN fact many companies offer free trials for firewall service, all you have to do is search it.

Answer 4

I have the Symantec Antivirus/Firewall package. It can be free, as long as you have a friend in the Army that doesn't mind getting it for you. All they have to do is sign into their Army account and they will be able to choose from pretty much any antivirus software there is, all free.

Answer 5

Best one is Norton Internet Security. Install it's lateset edition and it will work best. It doesn't allow any spam , hacker attack or adware to grow in your computer or infect it. But Remeber ! always update your fire wall every week or month. New Viruses come daily... so your firewall should know about new ones....

Answer 6

I use zone alarm myself. when you first install it there can be some annoyances with it but after you have had it for a little while its great. it updates easily and fairly often. The worst thing about it is in the beginning when it asks you if you want a program to have access to the internet or not.

Answer 7

sygate free firewall

http://www.fdepot.com/freefirewall.asp?page=3

Answer 8

ZoneAlarm.

Answer 9

I recommend filseclab. You will NEVER get hacked.