as for personal, software-based firewalls, ZoneAlarm is highly rated by Steve Gibson, information security specialist (http://www.grc.com for details). a freeware program at v2,6, it outperforms other commercial programs.

i wholeheartedly agree with PatriotLad regarding the need for personal security and RESPONSIBILITY with respect to high-speed connections to Internet. without your knowledge, your PC can be subverted by a worm or trojan and used to launch all manner of attacks against sundry targets, domestic and abroad. firewalls deter this threat. protecting your own data is an entirely separate consideration, equally worthy of a firewall.

the computer-savvy are encouraged to create an easily constructed hardware-based firewall by way of FreeSCO (http://www.freesco.org/) a linux derivative, or LRP, the linux router project (http://lrp.c0wz.com/). both products are based on the Linux OS, and provide security to your cable-modem or DSL connection at minimal cost. time and a 486-based PC or better with ~12mb RAM are the largest investments.

good luck

: The second coming of the Code Red Worm, computer virus or
: malicious program, has been noted by Reuters News --

:
: http://www.reuters.com/news_article.jhtml;jsessionid=YZOOPIFV0GRYCCRBAEZSFEY?type=topnews&StoryID=149413

: For two days, now, the @Home cable-modem network has been
: trying to deal with some kind of extraordinary activity. In

: less than thirty-six hours, the Pentium II 450 computer
: which I use to access Rumor Mill News and the AOL network
: has been queried over six hundred times, nearly all them
: being "http attempts" from other machines on the
: @Home network, especially coming from the States of New
: Jersey and Tennessee.

: But get yourself a firewall. Every citizen should own a
: firewall and a firearm (or ten). Be connected but be
: prepared.