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A firewall is hardware, software, or a combination of both that is used to prevent unauthorized programs or Internet users from accessing a private network and is the first and most powerful line of defense from intrusion from the outside. A firewall can be as simple as the firewall that is included with Windows XP that only prevents inbound connections to your computer or as sophisticated as the personal firewalls that are sold commercially by companies such as Symantic or Mcafee.
One personal firewall we've tested and like a lot also happens to be free. Zone Alarm is distributed by Zone Labs and comes in a paid version, Zone Alarm Pro, and a free downloadable version called just Zone Alarm. For most residential and SOHO users, the free version will provide adequate security when installed using the default settings.