A firewall is software or hardware that monitors traffic moving in and out of your device, blocking connections that look suspicious or unauthorized. Whether you're using a computer, phone, or tablet, your device has a firewall built in—but many people don't understand what it does or why it matters. This category explains how firewalls work, what they actually protect against, and how to use the one you already have.
The articles here answer questions like: What's the difference between inbound and outbound traffic? Why does my firewall sometimes block programs I want to use? Should I turn it off to make things faster? And what can a firewall stop, versus what it can't? You'll learn when you might need to adjust your firewall settings and how to recognize when something is genuinely a threat.