Firewall Protection
February 1, 2001
SOHOware has just introduced a new advanced router for
Broadband Internet service in the home and small office: BroadGuardTM
Secure Cable/DSL Router, NBG800.
Not only does BroadGuard offer high performance networking
capabilities that support even the most data-intensive
applications, but it also offers advanced firewall technology
that secures your network from the risk of sophisticated
hacker attacks.
An "always on" broadband connection means you
have constant access to the Internet, thus increasing the
likelihood that someone can break into your computer. You'll
be happy to know, however, that with a BroadGuard Router
installed on your network, you can fully enjoy a high-speed
Internet connection and protect your personal computer's files
at the same time. No one can say, for sure, whether someone
will attempt to intrude on your computer through your
broadband connection. But BroadGuard dramatically reduces the
ability for hackers to attack your network or access important
data you keep on your computers.
No other broadband router offers you so many levels of
protection.
Firewalls
The first line of any Internet defense is the Firewall,
which describes the act of hiding or blocking your computer's
ports from outside access. The most common and effective basic
Firewall uses Network Address Translation (NAT) to spoof the
Internet as what lies beyond, namely your computer or computer
network. The NAT provides a single IP address out to the
Internet, while allowing one or multiple addresses to exist as
a LAN network behind it. From the Internet side, none of the
LAN addresses are visible and thus unreachable by standard
port scanning techniques.
Until recently, Firewalls were available to consumers,
primarily as software, which if installed on a network would
require multiple installations and configurations, one for
each computer. With a Firewall built into the SOHOware
BroadGuard router, however, every PC on a network is covered,
now and into the future as you expand your network, making
BroadGuard a more flexible and cost effective solution.
BroadGuard offers your network the most advanced
protection.
While NAT Firewalls are a good first line of defense, a
protective gate that can thwart hackers' attempts before they
reach your computers, they are no longer enough to keep your
network safe. As with a lock on your door, intruders who are
determined and know what they're doing can recognize a NAT and
use methods to circumvent it.
That's why BroadGuard offers you advanced firewall
protection, including the following:
DMZ (Demilitarized Zone) - An important feature of
any networked home or small business is the ability to allow
one computer to disable the Firewall so that desirable
Internet applications can be run. Video conferencing,
downloading MP-3 music files and playing on-line games all
require that the NAT Firewall be disabled. By creating a DMZ
on your network that disables the Firewall for one specific
computer, it allows that particular computer to perform online
applications, while the other computers on the network remain
protected.
SPI (Stateful Packet Inspection) - A critical
feature that analyzes data packets inbound and outbound based
on a set of criteria for abnormal content. As a result, SPI
can detect an advance made by a hacker, and can summarily
reject the attack if the packet fits a suspicious profile. SPI
is a very powerful addition to a NAT Firewall. It makes your
total defensive system proactive in analyzing various
intrusion methods and then takes action to prevent a break-in.
Best of all, SPI works behind the scenes - automatically - all
the time. So you don't have to give it a second thought.
DoS (Denial of Service) Hacker Alert Messaging
Industry professionals term any deliberate action that
disrupts your computer's ability to access the Internet as a
Denial of Service (DoS) attack. The key to defending yourself
in the digital age is in how to effectively prevent DoS
attacks. That's precisely what BroadGuard does. BroadGuard
blocks the attack, then exposes the Denial of Service (DoS)
attempt with an alert e-message that warns you of an attack
attempt, and even provides an event log with specific hacker
information (including the Internet address of the hacker's
origin). It is with this address that your service provider
can begin an investigation in pursuit of the attacker. Many
service provider's web sites have specific email addresses to
use for presenting complaints, often titled "abuse"@yourserviceprovider.com,
where an event log can be sent and processed. Check with your
service provider as to the correct location for sending
privacy/security issues.
Access Control
BroadGuard even provides a feature that allows you to
restrict users from accessing specific Internet applications
or inappropriate web contents that match predefined filter
words or URL addresses. This is an ideal feature for parents
who want to regulate children's access to inappropriate Web
material and business owners who want to monitor employee Web
access.
BroadGuard is your safest bet in a router.
Sure, there are other broadband routers available. But they
are typically simple "NAT boxes" that offer limited
Firewall protection. Only BroadGuard offers professional level
security, as described in this article, designed for self
installation. That's why broadband service providers all over
the country endorse SOHOware. The BroadGuard Secure Cable/DSL
Router is available at leading computer retailers including
Best Buy, Fry's, MicroCenter and The Wiz and can also be
purchased from this Web site.
For more in depth information about issues raised in this
article, click on the following links:
Firewall Testing - check how secure your computer is,
on-line
www.sygate.com
www.grc.com
Access
control issues for Broadband
BroadGuard
product information
