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What Is A Firewall And How It WorksJuly 12, 2026PC Guides / Security / Web GuidesFirewalls are that extra layer of security which helps in restricting intruders. It can either be a software firewall or a hardware firewall. They have this unique ability of protecting entire network from the external environment. In this article you will understand what is a firewall and how exactly their implementation will protect the security and integrity of a given network.
Firewall – A Security System
Firewall is a network security system that can be implemented as a hardware device or a software program. A firewall once it is setup effectively filters out all the traffic that flows into a given network (or even a single computer) from some other network, like the Internet. This filtration is done based on the set of rules given to the Firewall.
It means that the resources present in a particular network can now be accessed only by the traffic that is allowed in the policy. And all the other traffic is denied access.
This security system has become more and more necessary with the increasing attacks of intruders, malicious codes and hackers. And if this network is the size of the internet, these unprotected computers become easy prey to hackers. So, one needs to understand the importance of a firewall and select that type of firewall which perfectly suits them. But that’s another lesson for another day.
Rule–Set (or) Firewall Policy:
The functioning of a Firewall is completely dependent on its rule-set. Based on this rule-set the firewall either accepts or denies external traffic. Actually a rule-set is that technical coding a Firewall Administrator does so as to tell the Firewall how he wants it to function. Basically, any firewall has a default setting to reject all traffic and to this policy few modifications are done so as to allow only a defined group of traffic.
The Firewall Administrator hence should have the perfect idea of what all the traffic he wants to allow into the network. If you are using Windows you can modify the firewall rule-set using the firewall setting in your control panel. But we recommend you do so only after understanding all the consequences.
Firewall Rules:
Each of the technical statements of the rule-set can address two types of traffic i.e. inbound and outbound. The rules governing these are the inbound rule and outbound rule.
Inbound Rule:
Inbound rules are those which are used by the Firewall to filter the incoming traffic. Generally, each computer when on the internet gets assigned with an IP address. So a computer on the network can be converted as a web server by defining an inbound rule and made to accept traffic. The aforementioned is one application and the other being the ability to hold video conferences.
Outbound Rule:
Outbound rule blocks or explicitly allows all the traffic that is originating from the host network. For example, you can block traffic from the network from going to a particular IP Address, or the time of day and so on using the firewall. For example, you can block the messages going out from your instant messenger using the outbound rule.
The Bottom Line:
For every computer that goes online, firewall is a must. Like mentioned Windows by default blocks all inbound traffic and allows all outbound traffic but all of that can be changed as per your requirements.
Also See: The Blooming Of Web Application Firewalls [...]
Encrypt Your Hard Drive Or Pendrive Without Using TruecryptJuly 12, 2026PC Hacks / SecurityA few months ago, Truecrypt announced that it is closing all its services leaving all users who used the software rather than extended service with a method which can encrypt hard drive or pendrive.
Little or nothing is known about what happened to the software which is used with such a fame ceases trading from one day to another and if you visit their official site all you find is a warning message stating that the use of this software is unsecured.
Since the developer himself tells us that their application is not secure, so is time to look for an alternative to our data encryption. So here is the best alternative the” VeraCrypt ” , it might be considered as the heir of the late Truecrypt.
This application is free and its source code is based on Truecrypt but has very great improvement especially in the area of security , in fact it is even more safer than the application on which it is based.
To get a clear idea about the encrypt power of this tool, we just compared the two encryption methods below :
Truecrypt : Uses an algorithm of 1,000 iterations to encrypt files and 2,000 for partitions.
VeraCrypt : Uses an algorithm of 327,661 iterations to encrypt files and more than 500,000 for partition.
Besides being really robust in terms of security, the use of the application is very simple. Just open the Veracrypt by double clicking on it and click on create volume option and follow the wizard.
Indicate that once you have encrypted a device with VeraCrypt this may only be used on computers that contain this software installed , it will not be valid for any other encryption application available and of course will not be accessible in case of not having any tools.
For his tremendous security, simplicity and offered at no cost, we recommend VeraCrypt as an alternative to Truecrypt
CodePlex | VeraCrypt [...]
How To Protect Yourself From Phishing And Internet FraudsJuly 11, 2026PC Hacks / Security / Web GuidesOne of the major concerns of any user accessing the Internet is the security of their data , both when it comes to documents stored in the cloud, and also the unauthorized access to email accounts. Particularly most of them are concerned about the security and integrity of their personal data.
We often hear or read news related to phishing , but really not everyone knows what this technique is , what consequences it can lead to and especially what to do in order to protect ourselves.
What is Phishing ?
Phishing is a method used by hackers around the world to impersonate any person or entity. In this method they try to earn your trust and thus ensure that you provide the data they need to make use of your bank cards and accounts.
It is important to understand that using this system, the scammer doesn’t directly steal your data, instead you will be the one who will deliver all data requested by the hacker, of course with absolute ignorance of the fact that you are being tricked.
How you may be victim of Phishing ?
One of the most common technique is to request your details via email; they pretend to be officers from some bank and thereby extract the required information from you. For instance, you may get an email which looks like it has been sent from an official source stating that your account will be canceled if you fail to submit the required information. This email will generally be full of colors and corporate logos everywhere in order to make you believe in their trickery. The arguments used may be different.
Another main methods in obtaining your data is by supplanting the official website of your bank and thereby insisting you to fill in your details and tries to earn your trust.
How can you protect yourselves from these scams?
The best method of protecting your bank details from falling into the wrong hands is to use common sense and especially distrust. No bank will ask your bank account details ( like account number and pin number ) in any case, there are no exceptions, they never ask in any form, whether by email, web browser or whatever. In case you have doubts about how to respond to a received email, then directly call to your bank’s help line center and get yours doubts cleared there and then, that too before providing any such details.
Our recommendations to prevent Internet fraud are :
=>If in doubt, ask your bank.
=>Remember that fraudulent emails you receive can be properly written without any spelling mistakes, with all the official logos but keep a note that no bank will request you for data by an email.
=>You may not only receive a fraudulent email from a bank, it is possible that we may receive them from other platforms such as Ebay or even Facebook .
=>Check your bank accounts regularly and if in doubt about any concept contact your bank.
=>Enter your details only on pages that are marked as safe . You can identify a secure web page if it starts with https instead of http.
=>Protect your computer with a good antivirus that offers anti-spam and anti-phishing filters.
=>Never access any website through the links that are provided by an email , it is always recommended to type the web address directly into the browser as you may be taken to a page that has been supplanted.
Finally, we recommend that if you have already been a victim of such a scam, do not hesitate to notify the police. If you hold the tips explained to you, you can browse and carry out online shopping without any problems , through public and secure pages.
[...]
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Encrypt Your Hard Drive Or Pendrive Without Using TruecryptJuly 12, 2026PC Hacks / SecurityA few months ago, Truecrypt announced that it is closing all its services leaving all users who used the software rather than extended service with a method which can encrypt hard drive or pendrive.
Little or nothing is known about what happened to the software which is used with such a fame ceases trading from one day to another and if you visit their official site all you find is a warning message stating that the use of this software is unsecured.
Since the developer himself tells us that their application is not secure, so is time to look for an alternative to our data encryption. So here is the best alternative the” VeraCrypt ” , it might be considered as the heir of the late Truecrypt.
This application is free and its source code is based on Truecrypt but has very great improvement especially in the area of security , in fact it is even more safer than the application on which it is based.
To get a clear idea about the encrypt power of this tool, we just compared the two encryption methods below :
Truecrypt : Uses an algorithm of 1,000 iterations to encrypt files and 2,000 for partitions.
VeraCrypt : Uses an algorithm of 327,661 iterations to encrypt files and more than 500,000 for partition.
Besides being really robust in terms of security, the use of the application is very simple. Just open the Veracrypt by double clicking on it and click on create volume option and follow the wizard.
Indicate that once you have encrypted a device with VeraCrypt this may only be used on computers that contain this software installed , it will not be valid for any other encryption application available and of course will not be accessible in case of not having any tools.
For his tremendous security, simplicity and offered at no cost, we recommend VeraCrypt as an alternative to Truecrypt
CodePlex | VeraCrypt [...]
How To Protect Yourself From Phishing And Internet FraudsJuly 11, 2026PC Hacks / Security / Web GuidesOne of the major concerns of any user accessing the Internet is the security of their data , both when it comes to documents stored in the cloud, and also the unauthorized access to email accounts. Particularly most of them are concerned about the security and integrity of their personal data.
We often hear or read news related to phishing , but really not everyone knows what this technique is , what consequences it can lead to and especially what to do in order to protect ourselves.
What is Phishing ?
Phishing is a method used by hackers around the world to impersonate any person or entity. In this method they try to earn your trust and thus ensure that you provide the data they need to make use of your bank cards and accounts.
It is important to understand that using this system, the scammer doesn’t directly steal your data, instead you will be the one who will deliver all data requested by the hacker, of course with absolute ignorance of the fact that you are being tricked.
How you may be victim of Phishing ?
One of the most common technique is to request your details via email; they pretend to be officers from some bank and thereby extract the required information from you. For instance, you may get an email which looks like it has been sent from an official source stating that your account will be canceled if you fail to submit the required information. This email will generally be full of colors and corporate logos everywhere in order to make you believe in their trickery. The arguments used may be different.
Another main methods in obtaining your data is by supplanting the official website of your bank and thereby insisting you to fill in your details and tries to earn your trust.
How can you protect yourselves from these scams?
The best method of protecting your bank details from falling into the wrong hands is to use common sense and especially distrust. No bank will ask your bank account details ( like account number and pin number ) in any case, there are no exceptions, they never ask in any form, whether by email, web browser or whatever. In case you have doubts about how to respond to a received email, then directly call to your bank’s help line center and get yours doubts cleared there and then, that too before providing any such details.
Our recommendations to prevent Internet fraud are :
=>If in doubt, ask your bank.
=>Remember that fraudulent emails you receive can be properly written without any spelling mistakes, with all the official logos but keep a note that no bank will request you for data by an email.
=>You may not only receive a fraudulent email from a bank, it is possible that we may receive them from other platforms such as Ebay or even Facebook .
=>Check your bank accounts regularly and if in doubt about any concept contact your bank.
=>Enter your details only on pages that are marked as safe . You can identify a secure web page if it starts with https instead of http.
=>Protect your computer with a good antivirus that offers anti-spam and anti-phishing filters.
=>Never access any website through the links that are provided by an email , it is always recommended to type the web address directly into the browser as you may be taken to a page that has been supplanted.
Finally, we recommend that if you have already been a victim of such a scam, do not hesitate to notify the police. If you hold the tips explained to you, you can browse and carry out online shopping without any problems , through public and secure pages.
[...]
Easy Way To Monitor Your Computer Hardware In DetailJuly 10, 2026PC Guides / System PerformanceIn OnlineCmag, we’ve recently discussed about the methods of monitoring your graphics card and also explained you the way to know all the parameters of your microprocessor and other hardware but these tools are designed to display information that is only for monitoring.
If you are interested in dealing with real-time data such as the temperature of your microprocessor or graphics card, operating speed of the fans and also in knowing their maximum and minimum values, you need a monitoring application and one of the simplest but complete one is the ” Hardware Monitor “. which can be downloaded at the end of this article.
HWMonitor – Simplest Way To Monitor Your Computer Hardware :
This application is really easy to use and interpret, it has only one main screen where all data related to your computer hardware is displayed, it will show the current value, minimum value and the maximum value reached for each and every component.
There is nothing more to explain about this application, it promises to be a hardware monitor system in real time for your Windows operating system and meets the expectations plus it is also free. So if you are interested in knowing everything about your computer hardware, then we recommend this tool for you.
Download | Hardware Monitor [...]
