A few years ago, many people thought that firewalls were just for the paranoid - who, after all, would want what's on your computer? Now, though, they're essential, as more and more people have always-on connections, and Trojans, worms and viruses become ever more cunning. If your computer is connected to the net for more than the briefest of times, then a firewall isn't just necessary to protect you - it's an essential part of being a good net citizen. Modern firewall software can help make sure that if your PC does become infected with something nasty, it's not spread from your computer further across the net.
One solution is a hardware firewall, either standalone or built into a router. But that can be expensive, and many people find a software-based program on their computer the easiest to manage - Windows XP even includes one built in. We've put nine, including Windows' own, to the test, finding out how easy they are to use, how much they interfere with things that you might want to do on your computer, and how flexible they can be. Some are aimed at reasonably technical users; others offer extra facilities, to make them a complete security package, while others concentrate firmly on ease of use. With prices starting from absolutely nothing, there's little reason not to have some sort of protection for both your PC and the people sharing the Internet with you.
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