RE: Zone Alarm

[Ron DuFresne <dufresne () winternet com>]

The terminology might be suspect.  perhaps rather then using the term
hardware firewalls those devices that have hit the market in full the past
few years might be better deemed blackboxes, sine few allow one to get to
the real OS to 'tweak'.  Afterallthey do have an OS, it';s just kept out
of the users hands, and since they have an OS, they all run 'software' of
some sort, even if some or most of that software might be programmed into
an asic or ten in the blackbox.  And then thus, those other systems, that
allow the enduser, the admin of that device into the OS level of the
system/device might be better termed 'open devices/?

Thanks,

Ron DuFresne

On Wed, 4 Jun 2003, Joe Hummel wrote:

> I would agree with morning_wood - hardware routers are a much better way to
> go - when the device fails, you fail closed, as opposed to a software
> solution, where if it fails, you fail open (read - open=vulnerable).  In
> addition, I've found that even the technically savvy get perplexed by some
> of the alerts generated by personal firewall software.
>
> My personal experience in my home lab -
>
> The Linksys products worked very well, and I had mine running for 3 years
> without a failure (that wasn't caused by my ISP), but I recently upgraded to
> a Netgear model (FR114P) and saw a slight increase in throughput, both
> externally and internally.  In addition, the Netgear provides additional
> features such as logging, better rule creation, and alerts to a SYSLOG
> device.  Note, that the Netgear model is about twice as much as the typical
> Linksys models (mine cost ~$100).
> ______________________________
> Joe Hummel
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: full-disclosure-admin () lists netsys com
> [mailto:full-disclosure-admin () lists netsys com] On Behalf Of morning_wood
> Sent: Wednesday, June 04, 2003 1:20 PM
> To: Ben Tyson-Norrman; full-disclosure () lists netsys com
> Subject: Re: [Full-disclosure] Zone Alarm
>
>
> buy a $40 hardware router. Software firewalls are not a security solution
> IMHO.
>
> morning_wood
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Ben  <mailto:ben () twowaytv co uk> Tyson-Norrman
> To: full-disclosure () lists netsys com
> Sent: Wednesday, June 04, 2003 8:53 AM
> Subject: [Full-disclosure] Zone Alarm
>
>
> I'm not sure I can ask this question without derision, but here goes...
>
> Zone Alarm, is it really as crap as everyone makes out.... or is the usual
> posturing by ill-informed...?
>
> Many thanks all
>
> Visit our web site @ www.twowaytv.com
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