What is a Firewall?

Firewalls can limit and stop access to computers by unauthorised people or systems.

A personal firewall is installed on a local computer and is used to protect personal computers from intruders on the Internet.

A network firewall can be a combination of computer software and hardware installed on a computer network to manage usage for the network. 

Firewalls can be used to stop the spread of viruses and spam and can be a valuable tool in protecting children online.

How does a firewall work?

When access to your computer is requested (e.g. downloading software or receiving emails), the firewall stops the transmission of information and asks for authorisation and/or verification from the user.

The firewall uses password verification for all users before they access enter or leave the computer.