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Topic: Fire Wall vs IE Security |
Robert Harper
From:
Alabama, USA
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Posted 27 Aug 2009 8:19 am |
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Please discuss the differnece, between what is a firewall and what is a search engine.
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"Oh what a tangled web we weave when we first begin to deceive" Someone Famous |
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Wiz Feinberg
From:
Mid-Michigan, USA
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Posted 27 Aug 2009 10:37 am Re: Fire Wall vs IE Security
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| Robert Harper wrote: |
| Please discuss the differnece, between what is a firewall and what is a search engine. |
Robert;
A firewall can be a hardware device in a box, often called a router, but other times a "NAT" Firewall, or, it may be a software program that is installed onto a computer.
A firewall, in compu-speak, is a program that can be used to control what communications are allowed into and out of a computer. Typically, hardware firewalls, in external routers, will block incoming communications for which there was no previous outbound request. This protects you against attacks "over the wires" from hostile web servers and infected computers seeking to replicate their infections (Worms).
Software firewalls are also configured to block unsolicited inbound traffic, on a user configurable basis, usually via a friendly interface. Additionally, software firewalls block suspicious or unapproved outbound traffic, unless you explicitly allow it and instruct the firewall to remember your decision. This prevents certain malware from "phoning home."
It is considered essential security to have at least an inbound firewall, which means instead of connecting a broadband modem directly to your computer, you should place a router, or hardware firewall between the modem and your computer. Or, make sure that you always have a working software firewall installed on the PC.
Windows XP from Service Pack 2 onward, along with Vista and Windows 7 have built-in software firewalls. The firewall in XP only blocks unsolicited incoming transmissions. The firewalls in Vista and 7 block both ways, allowing users to setup exceptions, or add custom rules.
A search engine is a website that uses robot programs to scour as many web pages as possible, compile the words into databases of their design, then present the best possible matches when people use that search site to find information about various topics or words, or phrases. The top search engines in use today are: Google, Yahoo, Bing (formerly MSN) and Ask.
Google is the world's most popular search engine. It owns server farms the size of small towns, where enormous amounts of data are stores, related to every website it has searched. If you go to Google.com and enter a word, phrase, or website into the input field, then press Enter, it will perform a fast search of its databases and return as many results as possible, in the shortest amount of time your connection allows. The best matches for your search term (Keywords) will be at the beginning of the web results, under sponsored results from advertisers. While there may be thousands of pages of matching results, only the first one or two pages are usually read and used by most searchers.
Warning! Spammers and malware authors know all about gaming search engine results to come up first in various searches. They use this to their advantage to present links to hostile destinations that could infect your computer, through unpatched vulnerabilities in a browser, or its add-ons or plug-ins. If you were to visit a site that has placed links to hostile web pages and your browser, OS and third party add-ons are not fully patched, you could end up having your computer Botnetted.
_________________
"Wiz" Feinberg, Moderator SGF Computers Forum
Security Consultant
Twitter: @Wizcrafts
Main web pages: Wiztunes Steel Guitar website | Wiz's Security Blog | My Webmaster Services | Wiz's Security Blog |
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Robert Harper
From:
Alabama, USA
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Posted 27 Aug 2009 11:54 am Thanks
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Can the security features, in a search engine be a software firewall. This is where my confusion lies. Is a software firewall a separate entity from search engine security features?
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"Oh what a tangled web we weave when we first begin to deceive" Someone Famous |
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Cal Sharp
From:
the farm in Kornfield Kounty, TN
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Posted 27 Aug 2009 12:19 pm
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There are no security features in search engines, although you can filter your searches somewhat, like in Google. As Wiz said, search engines are part of the Internet, along with pictures of cute little puppies, naked women with whips and malicious Latvians trying to infect your computer with any number of evil things. Your firewall, be it hardware or software, exists between the Internet - where the search engines are - and your computer. As to Linux, you might not be ready to try that yet. If security is a high priority, a Mac might be the way to go.
And when you get on the Internet, use Firefox, or Safari, or Chrome, or Camino, anything but Sue! I mean... anything but Internet Explorer! Sorry, been listening to too much Johnny Cash. 
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Me: Steel Guitar Madness
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Wiz Feinberg
From:
Mid-Michigan, USA
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Posted 27 Aug 2009 8:41 pm
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I guess I didn't make it perfectly clear that a firewall and a search engine are in no way related to each other. A firewall is akin to a doorman, who admits people he knows and trusts, or who have invitations, while turning away party crashers and thieves. In essence, they filter incoming and sometimes outgoing Internet traffic.
Firewalls pertain to either a single computer, or a network of computers inside a building, all sharing common information, or sharing the Internet connection coming into the building.
Search engines are part of the World Wide Web (WWW). They are completely separate from your computer, altho you may download Google Search, Windows Live Search, etc, to your computer, for personal use searching for info on your computer, or on the 'net.
If you were talking about a desktop search engine application you have installed, and you have a software firewall, you may have to tell the firewall to allow the search engine to access the Internet with outgoing inquiries from your computer.
_________________
"Wiz" Feinberg, Moderator SGF Computers Forum
Security Consultant
Twitter: @Wizcrafts
Main web pages: Wiztunes Steel Guitar website | Wiz's Security Blog | My Webmaster Services | Wiz's Security Blog |
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Robert Harper
From:
Alabama, USA
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Posted 28 Aug 2009 6:16 am Thanks Whiz
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You have been very informative. I do appreciate the information. The concept of a fire wall I guess is a little vague, because it isn't something, I can , reach out and touch. Nor, I guess I can not access this portion to see the contents of the code that would would show what the contents are. I guess I am kinda stuck with the cloud theory n this section. I have looked at the search engine and see the trusted and other type sites and this has given me insight into this level of protection. Although the Levels 1,2,3,4 are still an unknown. I will research these further. Still there must exist a register, if you will that contains a list of malware or the computer would be unable to defend itself against the known. Thanks agin
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"Oh what a tangled web we weave when we first begin to deceive" Someone Famous |
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Wiz Feinberg
From:
Mid-Michigan, USA
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Posted 28 Aug 2009 12:42 pm
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Robert;
The "register" you mentioned would be the various malware databases maintained by each security vendor. They do not generally share information, to protect their own business models. The end user has to choose which security vendors he/she will go with and hope beyond all hope that they do nothing to inadvertently to damage their users' computers.
Unfortunately, Symantec did just that last week. Other security companies have also released bad updates, some of which have deleted perfectly good system files. Of course, they always apologize after releasing a fix and posting recovery instructions on support forums.
_________________
"Wiz" Feinberg, Moderator SGF Computers Forum
Security Consultant
Twitter: @Wizcrafts
Main web pages: Wiztunes Steel Guitar website | Wiz's Security Blog | My Webmaster Services | Wiz's Security Blog
Last edited by Wiz Feinberg on 28 Aug 2009 3:04 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Robert Harper
From:
Alabama, USA
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Posted 28 Aug 2009 1:10 pm Thats Capitilism
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I guess this is just a byproduct of capitalism and part of the price of progress. Just as all those yellow barrels stored on the Interstate System is part of the price we pay for mobility
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"Oh what a tangled web we weave when we first begin to deceive" Someone Famous |
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Wiz Feinberg
From:
Mid-Michigan, USA
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Robert Harper
From:
Alabama, USA
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Posted 28 Aug 2009 3:40 pm Yes
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Yes, I understand the difference. I do however take issue with those who claim the search engine is part of the internet. I believe a search engine is a piece of software loaded onto a computer and configured for that particular use, wheter or not it is a personal use device or used in a corporate environment with several layers, kevels of trusted sites that are loaded to prevent a user fron accessing sites that have potential for loading malware to the computer, I am mot totaly confident of the previous statement. In my environment, I use a coporate computer, if I am smart, and follow the rules, on a Virtual Private Network, that seals the fate of social network and you tube. I apparently don't have access to the firewall, even though I have the ability on the computer to unwisely turn off the firewall, except when necessary to troubleshoot certain devices using the IP netwoork
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"Oh what a tangled web we weave when we first begin to deceive" Someone Famous |
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Cal Sharp
From:
the farm in Kornfield Kounty, TN
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Wiz Feinberg
From:
Mid-Michigan, USA
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Posted 28 Aug 2009 9:36 pm
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Robert;
You are referring to a feature that is optional in Google search results, or is an add-on toolbar for your browser. That feature or add-on/plug-in software consults a database of websites suspected of hosting, or known to host malware, or redirection codes to malware servers. You are given a warning if your browser uses this feature that the site you are attempting to visit is hostile.
That is not what a firewall does. A firewall allows or blocks incoming and outgoing TCP/IP, UDP and ICMP traffic "over the wires," as it flows to or from a modem, or router, or computer. It is like a doorman or traffic cop.
Malware warnings presented in search results are like somebody pointing out that the house you are about to visit has crackheads or criminals inside and you could be in danger if you enter.
_________________
"Wiz" Feinberg, Moderator SGF Computers Forum
Security Consultant
Twitter: @Wizcrafts
Main web pages: Wiztunes Steel Guitar website | Wiz's Security Blog | My Webmaster Services | Wiz's Security Blog |
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John Cipriano
From:
San Francisco
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Posted 31 Aug 2009 12:30 am
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When you have to connect two networks together, it is your job to come up with a list of rules about what can come in and go out. This is what most firewalls are. A list of ALLOW or DENY statements, each having a pattern after it. Traffic that matches the pattern is either allowed or denied. A better term for this is "packet filter."
However, there is another meaning for firewall, which is basically anything that does network filtering of any kind.
The kind you have in Windows is the first kind, a packet filter. It doesn't really look at the traffic, just who it's coming from and where it's going.
The one your tech guys at work have, that's the other kind. Yes a packet filter but *also* a means of filtering individual websites. They refer to this collection of things as "the firewall" for short. Maybe you can shut off your Windows firewall but obviously you can't shut off the office firewall.
Search engines don't block sites. Google warns you if a site might be infected. Your browser might pass on the warning. But you can always still go there. |
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