PCSecurity - Do I need a firewall?

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Do I need a firewall:

First, lets cover what a firewall is:
Firewall: security scheme that prevents unauthorized users from gaining access to a computer network or that monitors the transfer of information to and from the network.

A firewall can be either software or hardware based. We will be discussing the software firewall because it is easier to use, usually less expensive, and can be readily installed on most systems. A firewall is responsible for monitoring incoming and outgoing network traffic. One example of unwanted communication with the network would be a Trojan Horse or Worm from within the network (i.e. present on your computer), that is attempting to send data outbound, either by itself, or by sending the data through another program on your system (i.e. through your e-mail client). Another example of unwanted network traffic would be an incoming request to connect to your computer either through a vulnerability in software on your computer (i.e. browser) or through your network connection.

Do you need a firewall? The answer is yes to varying degrees. If you have a broadband connection to the internet, then you need a firewall. Two firewalls that we suggest to use would be ZoneAlarm Pro or BlackICE Defender. If you have a dial-up connection to the internet, then the need drops significantly. With a broadband (cable or DSL) connection, your IP Address is always the same (think of it like your physical home address), whereas a dial-up connection changes each time you dial in. Thus with broadband, your computer is always "available" to attack from hackers. With a dial-up connection, your "address" becomes someone else's address when you disconnect, and you receive a different address the next time you connect. There is much debate about whether you should use a firewall if you have a dial-up connection. It is our opinion, that you should consider running a firewall, even if you are using a dial-up connection to the internet, to monitor outbound traffic. The odds are that you will not have a problem if you don't use a firewall with a dial-up connection. But when you have great programs available for free such as ZoneAlarm Firewall that provide control of outbound data transmission, why not run a firewall. Whether it's a malicious program, or a newly installed application that tries to send unknown data back to a server without your permission, a firewall will give you complete control. Most virus scanners won't inform you about this type of activity.

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