Cyber Security: Configuring a Firewall You need to have Administrator level access to the computer you use as you will be making changes to important parts of the operating system. So if you own the computer that is fine - if not you need permission from the 'Administrator' If your computer is in an office environment, or is supplied by your employer, you need to check that you are permitted to change the firewall settings before you do so. Many employers have preferred settings that are maintained by specialist staff and you should not attempt to change them without permission. Windows 10If you have Windows 10, your firewall should be on by default. Use the information on Microsoft’s support page to check the firewall is turned on: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/4028544/windows-10-turn-windows-defender-firewall-on-or-off AppleApple takes responsibility for the security functions of their devices. You can read their latest information at: https://www.apple.com/ business/ docs/ site/ iOS_Security_Guide.pdf . LinuxIf you are using Linux you have a lot of choice about which firewall to run. See these articles for more information:
Configuring your own firewall in Windows 7If you have Windows 7, go to the Start menu.
From then on, every time an application first attempts to connect to the network, Windows will prompt you, asking if you wish to give it permission to do so. Your choice is remembered by the firewall. You should only give permission if you are sure the application is safe. If you want to get maximum protection from the firewall, select the Block All Incoming Connections option, including those in the list of allowed apps. This will prevent other computers connecting to your machine unless your computer has requested data. This is a very useful option if you're travelling and using public Wi-Fi networks. Configuring your own firewall (Mac)On an Apple Mac, you can access the firewall using the System Preferences.
Any changes you make to the firewall settings have to be confirmed by clicking the OK button at the bottom of the window Support on the Apple website can be found here:
Other firewallsOther firewalls are available either to download or as software packages that can be bought from retailers. Make sure that any software packages that you download have been fully evaluated by organisations that have the expertise to do such an evaluation. Apps and software that you find using a search engine, or in an Android app store may contain malware. You may prefer to use one of these programs, but if you do, please remember:
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