McAfee 5 How is my PC at risk on the Internet?, What other protection do I need?, Product Guide

McAfee Firewall

McAfee Firewall protects your computer at the network level. It acts as a gatekeeper, checking every data packet going in or out of your PC. It allows only what you tell it to allow.

McAfee Firewall has been designed to be easy to use, while providing superior protection. Once you install and run it, it is configured to block known attacks and to ask you before allowing applications to communicate.

How is my PC at risk on the Internet?

When you connect to the Internet, you share a network with millions of people from around the world. While the Internet is a wonderful and amazing accomplishment, it brings with it all the problems of being accessible to complete strangers.

While communicating via the Internet, you should take safety precautions to protect your computing environment. If you use IRC (Internet Relay Chat) programs, be suspicious of files total strangers send you. Programs that give others remote access to your computer, such as Back Orifice (BO), are frequently disseminated in this manner. It is a good practice to scan files received using anti-virus programs such as McAfee VirusScan before you open or view files and their attachments.

When on the Internet, others can try to access your file shares. Therefore, you should check that they are only accessible to those you trust. Otherwise, untrusted parties can read and delete what is in your computer.

What other protection do I need?

McAfee Firewall provides network level protection. Other important types of protection are:

nAnti-virus programs for application-level protection.

nLogon screens and screen saver passwords to prevent unauthorized access.

nFile encryption or encrypting file systems to keep information secret.

nBoot-time passwords to stop someone else from starting your PC.

nPhysical access to the computer, e.g. stealing the hard drive.

A separate but also important issue is controlling access to information, misinformation and “filth” that is widely available on the Internet. You can use a number of content-filtering services or programs such as McAfee’s Internet Security that can filter the contents of data packets or restrict access to certain sites.

Are there any data packets that McAfee Firewall cannot stop?

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