Is the firewall dead?

One of the last things we do at Webreality prior to putting an ecommerce store 'live' is to configure and activate the firewall. This is a complex procedure that needs the attention of a developer as it requires considerable understanding of network protocols and of computer security. In essence a firewall makes a website secure so that it is safe from viruses and worms. A firewall protects networked computers from intentional hostile intrusion that could compromise confidentiality or result in data corruption or denial of service.

Recently however, the Google security specialist Niels Provos made the bold statement that 'the firewall is dead'. He said this because the firewall does not inspect data that is downloaded through internet browsers - a loophole that attackers are starting to exploit. What this means is that attackers can infect PCs with 'bot' software which turns computers into zombies that can be remotely controlled. Until recently these 'bot' programs arrived at computers via spam email as downloads. Now they can come through seemingly ordinary websites and you may not even be aware of the malicious software as it installs itself.

This 'bot' technology is evolving at an alarming rate but thankfully internet security specialists are keeping up and constantly looking into new ways to track the 'botmasters'. So is the firewall dead? I hope not because it is an essential tool for keeping our internet safe and secure. However, it seems that it might not be enough to prevent malicious software from doing the rounds on the world wide web. So it is important to always take steps to keep your PC safe:

1. Keep your web browser up to date. If you haven't already done so it's time to install IE7 or the latest version of firefox.
2. Don't click on links within spam emails....Ever
3. Don't be sucked in by free software offers
4. Pay attention to warnings provided by search engines (they're displayed next to the hyperlinks.)
5. Make sure your anti-virus software is up-to-date.