[Klug-general] Linux to offer a paradigm-shift in computer security

[Peter Childs]

What many people on windows tell you is a firewall is not in fact a firewall
in the true sense.

A firewall in the true sense is a separate box that checks all the packets
coming in and going out. Most people's ADSL hubs are closer to being a true
firewall than anything that can be supplied in software.

Linux has everything to do what a firewall does very simply.

ie well know port numbers you need to be root to use ie below 1024, and if
you really want to block things you can setup iptables.

Most firewalls under windows offer people a false sense of security because
they are badly  set up and practically everything runs as a superuser*....

*This may not be as true in XP, NT and Vista as it used to be

Generally so long as your spyware protection and virus scanning software is
up to date you don't need the firewall software its just added bloat. The
"firewall" will not be doing anything under windows because the user just
selects yes to every question because they don't understand the question.
Firewalls are about setting up policy and most peoples policies are just to
let everything in and out that they don't understand.

Peter.
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