There are NO threats on the Internet that 99% of you can't protect yourself against with the following simple tools:
1) A router/gateway with SPI firewall
2) Spywareblaster (for immunization only -- freeware)
3) Spybot Search & Destroy (for immunization and scanning -- freeware)
4) Decent anti-virus package.
Software firewalls simply slow down your PC, destabilize it, and give you nothing but false alarms.
Let me guess: 99% of you are not running webservers/e-mail servers. Right? If you are then, yes, you've got security needs that are not covered by the above.
But if you're just running a PC on DSL/Cable, with a semi-static or static IP, you DON'T NEED TO WORRY ABOUT SECURITY if you just use a few simple tools, mostly freeware.
Let's face it. Most of you are just PC users who surf the Net, use e-mail and, occassionaly, go the Usenet to download some p*rn and spank you Johnson. You've got nothing to worry about!
In over 10 years of surfing, downloading, and reading e-mail I've had no bigger problem than an occassional bit of spyware...easily taken care of.
Get a grip! And IF you are one of the users here who runs servers, then you shouldn't be asking for advice on this half-ass board! For what, to get some tin-pot reply from Herr Gotchalk?
Come on! Get out there and surf! Enjoy yourself!
Y.