YaxxTech

FIREWALL or ANTIVIRUS?

Anti-virus software and firewalls play two distinct roles on your computer. They are both associated with protecting your computer from intruders, but they do so in two different ways.

What is a firewall?

A firewall is a piece of your computer’s network security. It monitors incoming and outgoing packets of information from the Internet and denies access to suspicious packets. This protects your computer from hackers.

What is Anti-virus software?

Anti-virus software scans your computer for signs of a virus infection. A computer virus is self-replicating, harmful piece of code that leaves a signature in your computer’s memory. Anti-virus software finds such viruses and removes them.

Whilst the Anti-virus scans your computer memory set up for harmful files, firewalls deny harmful intruders access to your computer at the front end.

Most anti-virus software will alert you when it detects a virus and give you the option to remove it. Firewalls don’t alert you to potentially dangerous packets of information, they will simply deny hackers access.

You need a firewall in your front line (offensive security)in network security but it doesn’t monitor for viruses. You also need anti-virus software to scan your computer for malicious code that could reproduce in your computer’s memory (defensive security).

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