Personal firewall protection software is essential for security and protection of your home computing environment. My Top Picks for Firewall software are both affordable - ranging in price between FREE and $50 on average - and easy to configure and use.
1. ZoneAlarm Pro 5
ZoneAlarm Pro is a software firewall product from Zone Labs. It is a more advanced and feature-rich version of their freely available ZoneAlarm product. ZoneAlarm is compatible with Windows 98, ME, NT, 2000 and XP. ZoneAlarm is fairly easy to install and configure. It provides a feature to automatically block ALL Internet traffic while the screensaver is active. Overall this is a great program. The linked review is for a prior version but will still provide some more insight.2. PC-Cillin 2004 Internet Security
This product safeguards your computer against viruses, worms and other malicious code. It proactively notifies you of virus outbreaks you should be aware of so you can be on the look-out. It contains personal firewall defense against hackers. It has the added benefit of integrated PDA protection. This product helps secure wireless Internet access as well.
3. Norton Personal Firewall 2005
This firewall program stops spyware and Trojan horse programs in their tracks. It will block incoming suspicious connections and prevent confidential data from being sent out via email. Also contains intrusion detectoin controls, application control and built-in privacy protection.4. McAfee Personal Firewall 6.0 2005
Features: Featuring enhanced hacker tracing, home networking wizard, color-coded and audible alerts and the ability to create custom firewall rules, this product ranks amongst the most user-friendly products on the mraket. To top it off, it has a new easy-to-use interface making this product affordable, functional and user-friendly. McAfee users often complain about customer service, so buyer beware!