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With more and more small and
home based businesses getting
high speed, full time Internet
connections, like Cable modem
and DSL, there is an increased
need for firewall software
and/or hardware.
A
firewall can be many things, but
the main thing you need to know
is that without one you are at
risk of someone breaking into
your computer. With people
staying connected to the
Internet full time with Cable
modems or a DSL line, you are at
a MUCH greater risk of someone
accessing your computer from a
remote location.
Basically a firewall limits the
access to your computer from the
Internet. This has nothing to do
with your website. That's your
webhost's responsibility to
protect your site (which is
another reason to make sure you
have a reputable firm hosting
your website). We're talking
about someone accessing the
computer that's sitting on your
desktop right now.
I
was amazed at the number of
alerts I got when I first
installed my firewall. Each
alert meant that someone or some
automated robot was trying to
access my computer. Admittedly,
if you are a small business just
beginning e-commerce operations,
you are not a prestigious target
for a hacker to attack. But you
might be a fun target for some
8th grader who wants to see if
they can get into your computer.
Begin by immediately downloading
and installing some free
firewall software: You could
visit http://www.firewall.com/
for many choices and more
technical articles about
firewalls.
I
got my free firewall at http://www.zonelabs.com
. It provides a good beginners
level of protection. http://store.mcafee.com/
has a popular firewall for about
$40.00. So does http://www.networkice.com/
that has one called Black Ice
Defender.
As
your business grows, you
probably will want to graduate
to more sophisticated software
and hardware solutions. Just
know that you MUST do something
and you must do it NOW!
About the author:
Tom Antion is a success story in
Internet marketing. He can show
you how he makes a fortune
promoting products and services
online. For more information and
a list of great resources, go to
http://www.greatinternetmarketingtraining.com
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