Security: Hardware/Software Mix - Questions

[ObscureTerror]

I have a few questions, so I'll try to keep them as concise as possible:

1) I'm running ESET's Security Suite (NOD32) for a/v (it's firewall also turned on, though it's one of the worst firewalls) and using a D-Link gaming router (large NAT) as a firewall.

Is this a good set-up in terms of security and privacy for my home systems?

Windows firewall is off for certain reasons.

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2) Please, no "fanboys" or "flame wars" regarding this question: what is all the "hate" towards/about ZoneAlarm?

I used it for many years, and it's ability to block inbound and outbound traffic seemed to offer a great deal of privacy.

I found it blocked countless attempts/IPs knocking at my back door, that I otherwise would have not known about.

I also never had ZA crash or otherwise cause any problems with any of my systems or other progs/games, as long as I allowed known safe software to install/run properly.

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With these things in mind...

If my router/firewall is not enough along with ESS, would it not be a good idea to also have ZoneAlarm running as well, blocking any further possible intrusions? ZA would still detect "knocking" (among other things) and block it, even when using a hardware firewall.

I was running a different router (hardware firewall) back then, and I'm curious if there are things getting through my present router/hardware firewall that ZA would detect, just as with my old router. Only firewall prog I've used that has detected as much as it did.

So, I'm just curious about what some people who are knowledgeable with such things think about my situation and the ideas I'm putting forth, because I'm no security expert, though I know some things.

Oh, and I've tested my system through the ShieldsUp! site and it claims my system is "completely invisible" to the outside world, no "holes" anywhere, for whatever that's worth... no idea.

Thanks.

 

[hutchingsp]

A hardware router/firewall will do exactly what it should do and stop any and all traffic from the outside world from making it to your internal machines, with the exception of traffic that is in reply to an outbound connection from your internal network.

What a (consumer level) hardware firewall won't do of course it to inspect the content of traffic passing through it, which is where the antivirus/anti spyware software that you run on your PC comes into the equation.

In short nothing inbound will be getting past your router unless it's configured incorrectly, that isn't in reply to something going out, which is what you need to focus on.

 

[dandragonrage]

Use NOD32 only from Eset and use Comodo Firewall if you want a software one. It's free. Don't bother using it's Defense+ part. (Note: Even if you tell the installer you don't want it, it still activates it, so deactivate it via the tray icon)

Good hardware firewalls aren't cheap. You could try something like SonicWall if you want.

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

I'm good with just a NAT router...all I care about is my PC(s) NOT having a public IP address. Remaining hidden from the internet and all its noise (worms/hackers/exploits spreading around)..that's all I care about.

Zone Alarm..many of us in the IT support world have seen it screw up/corrupt systems TCP/winsocks...that's one of the reason we hate it. I

BTW..when using a 3rd party software firewall..you usually don't have a choice but not to use the WIndows firewall..it's one..or the other.

WIndows XP firewall is totally useless if you're behind a NAT router anyways...as the NAT router is already blocking unknown incoming traffic. It's not like something sneaks past the routers NAT.