Workshop: Put your PC behind a firewall

A firewall is a vital application to protect any PC that goes online.

Firewall programs monitor all the electronic traffic travelling between your computer and the internet and can block anything suspicious.

Both Windows XP and Vista come with built-in firewalls, but neither is particularly advanced. If you want a more flexible firewall then you should consider installing an alternative, like Zonealarm.

This free tool enables fine control over how and when programs access the internet. It can also block attempts by malicious programs to either steal sensitive information or download unpleasant software.

Here’s how to install and use Zonealarm.