sygate firewall....?

Question

can anyone tell me as to what message i would get if anyone attempts to hack into hotmail or yahoo accounts or controls my internet from their computers(remotely).I want t o understand the sygate firewall messages on my computer better.I dont know sometimes when to allow or not allow

Answer 1

I recommend using zonealram or kerio or outpost. Zonealarm free version is my best choice so far.
whatever software you use, it is important that you control the access of programs properly.
For example, MS word, excel, etc has no need to access internet and you can set simply block those. Similarly, for know internet programs such as browser, email client, messenger client etc, you can just allow to connect.

For all others, you should set to "ask" each time. It might be annoying for you but will save you. Specially, if any program you don't know, you should block that.
If you know some program is installed in your computer and that program is trying to connect to internet, then you candecide dependingon your need. But if you see something is trying to access your computer from outside, always block it.

Such configuration is very easy in zonealarm and thats why i like it. For example, you can allow a certain program to access internet but you can still block it to act as "server". This is important. Say hackers or someone is trying to use your computer as relay or stream some movie/download etc. Then it will require to ask permission to act as server. You will deny that.
For example, "windows media player is trying to act as server" message popup, then you know that it is trying to relay or play any streaming media. Now if you did not initiate the action, you know something wrong. So, you block it.

Thisway, you have to configure the firewall. Once setup, it will work fine. Initially its a little bit extra work to train it.

Answer 2

Well for hotmail or yahoo you won't get a message since that is web based, but for your computer, Windows should ask you first if you want to accept a remote connection. And you can always close a remote connection if you like, just make sure your pc is not set to automatically accept remote connection. For sygate, what is the message you get? you should always check the program that wants to go online and why, also notice if you clicked on the program or not, use Win patrol which will help you know what program is what. Hope I helped some how.