How many of you have got firewall software installed on PC?

[M.IMRAN]

curretnly i am not using any extra firewall .... i am just using Default windows xp firewall on my computer.
its fully upto date and working pretty fine for me.

[XeN]

I do. Its essential.

[cokyday]

i use zona alarm firewall


A firewall's basic task is to control traffic between computer networks with different zones of trust. Typical examples are the Internet which is a zone with no trust and an internal network which is (and should be) a zone with high trust. The ultimate goal is to provide controlled interfaces between zones of differing trust levels through the enforcement of a security policy and connectivity model. A zone with an intermediate trust level, situated between the Internet and a trusted internal network, is often referred to as a "perimeter network" or Demilitarized zone (DMZ).

A firewall's function is analogous to firewalls in building construction.

Proper configuration of firewalls demands skill from the firewall administrator. It requires considerable understanding of network protocols and of computer security. Small mistakes can render a firewall worthless as a security tool.