Understanding
Internet risks
Norton Personal Firewall protects you from major risks that are associated with the Internet. These risks include the threat of network attack, malicious code in active content, exposure to inappropriate content, exposure of private information, and getting viruses from infected files.
Risks from hackers
Originally hackers were people who could solve computer problems and write complex computer programs quickly. However, the meaning of the term has changed to mean those who use their computer knowledge for illicit purposes. Since hacker started out as a complimentary term, some people use the word cracker for the derogatory form. In this text, hacker is used in its noncomplimentary form.
You might also hear other terms for hackers, including
The process of a hacker attack
Most hacker attacks use the following process:
1Information gathering
The hacker gathers as much information about your computer as possible. The hacker attempts to find vulnerabilities without letting you know that your computer is under attack.
