Access Keys:
Skip to content (Access Key - 0)

Firewalls Landing Page

On this page:

Overview

A personal or host-based firewall is software installed on a computer that controls communication to and from that computer when connected to a network or the internet. It provides a line of defense against someone who might try to access your computer remotely without your permission.

A personal firewall can help prevent unauthorized access to your computer by blocking unsolicited communications. Using a defined set of rules, the firewall determines whether to allow or block connections to your computer.

IS&T recommends using a software-based firewall when using Windows, Macintosh and Linux operating systems. As with any computer safety measure, always check with your local IT support provider prior to enabling a personal firewall.

How to Obtain

Windows

Windows has built-in firewall that are turned on by default. These web pages provide further information about Windows Firewall:

Macintosh

Mac OS X systems have built-in firewalls that are not turned on by default.

  • The firewall configurations can be found in System Preferences > Security & Privacy.

Linux

Linux has a number of options for firewalls. iptables is the most common across various distributions. Most Linux distributions also include one or more front end tools to help manage your firewall rules (for instance, ufw - "uncomplicated firewall"). Consult your distro-specific documentation for configuration details.

See Also

Have Questions or Still Need Help?

For any questions about enabling or configuring personal firewalls, contact the IS&T Service Desk or your local IT support provider.

IS&T Contributions

Documentation and information provided by IS&T staff members


Last Modified:

November 01, 2021

Get Help

Request help
from the Help Desk
Report a security incident
to the Security Team
Labels:
infoprotect infoprotect Delete
c-firewalls c-firewalls Delete
firewalls firewalls Delete
Enter labels to add to this page:
Please wait 
Looking for a label? Just start typing.
Feedback
This product/service is:
Easy to use
Average
Difficult to use

This article is:
Helpful
Inaccurate
Obsolete
Adaptavist Theme Builder (4.2.3) Powered by Atlassian Confluence 3.5.13, the Enterprise Wiki