Why Should I Use A Firewall With Puppy? Do You?

[Amgine]

Some of these connectivity applications can be hijacked or compromized allowing a remote computer to wreak havoc on your machine. Things are not necessarily safe and I don't think using a firewall even helps in these scenerios.

With this, is it just a matter of I am as safe as my security (WPA not WEP) and password?

[Bruce B]

Some of these connectivity applications can be hijacked or compromized allowing a remote computer to wreak havoc on your machine. Things are not necessarily safe and I don't think using a firewall even helps in these scenerios.

With this, is it just a matter of I am as safe as my security (WPA not WEP) and password?

I don't think any of the above provides protection.

More specifics.

Hiawatha, my HTTP server might be used as a service on the Internet. This might mean I have it set up so anyone can access and use its services. A vulnerability in Hiawatha could be exploited by anyone because my computer is serving everyone.

Firefox on the other hand is not server and not providing any services. If I simply have it open the same as I might have Hiawatha open, I am not at risk.

The risk factors with Firefox come into play when I start using it by communicating with other servers on the Internet. There is still not a danger unless I'm communiting with servers which have software designed to exploit Firefox vulnerabilities. (a bit simplistic on my part, but you get the general idea.

While using this forum, I'm making two types of HTTP requests. POST and GET. If all I did with Firefox was use it to send and receive data from this forum, I don't believe I would need any kind of security implemented. The reason why is I don't believe this server is exploiting any weaknesses on any Browsers, including Firefox.

Of course if my 'belief' about the benign nature of this forum is wrong, well, that is another story.

If you want to be safe from exploits on the Internet, choose and use your connectivity applications wisely.

The little editor Leafpad should be 100% safe to use. The reason why is not because it has a lot of security built into. The reason is because it has no connectivity built into it.



Sometimes things happen. The kind of problems I've had with computers and dangers listed below.

1) I broke a fingernail.

2) I bumped my elbow on the keyboard drawer and it hurt for a long time

3) I broke an open CD Drive tray with my knee.

4) I installed malware from a source I trusted and took revenge after I figured it out.

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