Looking for an efficient ASW/AV combination

Discussion in 'other anti-malware software' started by SoCalReviews, Oct 10, 2007.

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  1. JerryM

    JerryM Registered Member

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    Hi again Escalader. Here is a thread on the Kaspersky forum that I think addresses some of your questions about the KIS firewall. Hope it helps.
    http://forum.kaspersky.com/index.php?showtopic=50952

    I will be interested in your assessment of OA after you have had time to form an opinion.

    Regards,
    Jerry
     
  2. aigle

    aigle Registered Member

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    Hi what,s the diffrence between two? Two types of hardware FW?

    Pls a small and simple explaination? Thanks
     
  3. Escalader

    Escalader Registered Member

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    The 2 are both hardware. The router is needed to allow 1 ISP hookup to be shared by 2 to 4 PC's on my home Lan.

    The alphashield is a pure H/W F/W that makes my ports and PC invisible and does technical packet inspection. It allows the user to focus more on outbound no matter how bad or good their S/W F/W.

    A H/W F/W cannot be compromised by software parasites.

    It is not possible to say less on this, even this is inadequate, but you asked for short and simple.
     
  4. aigle

    aigle Registered Member

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    Thanks, but I am a total noob in this area.

    If u have a single PC witth a router, will u need AlphShield as well.
     
  5. Escalader

    Escalader Registered Member

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    No it is the reverse, you could skip the router and just use the alphashield H/W F/W.Others have a different views.

    Routers also do screening of packets and may be cheaper that an alphashield (this is just 1 brand)

    But IMO have one or the other not neither. It is really important.
     
  6. aigle

    aigle Registered Member

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    Thanks.
     
  7. Escalader

    Escalader Registered Member

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    You are welcome!
     
  8. SoCalReviews

    SoCalReviews Registered Member

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    I know that it has been a popular internet hardware security device but after a great deal of reading about it in the past I never could figure out exactly what advantage the AlphaShield had over a modern common NAT router with SPI. I am not saying that there isn't an advantage to using the AlphaShield. Maybe it does provide some additional type of security. http://www.alphashield.com/home.htm . I just never read anything that showed me how it was better for FW security than a NAT router. However, from what I have read there are some interesting ways that both a NAT router and AlphaShield can be combined to provide more layered protection on a LAN.

    Using a good NAT router (such as the Linux firmware based Linksys WRT54GL) along with a properly configured advanced software firewall (on every machine on the LAN) has been all that I have ever needed for layered FW based protection. Most home internet users only consider the threat coming from the WAN side. The truth is that there is also a chance that a threat can come from another computer that has direct access to the LAN. Whether your computer is connected on a wired or wireless home network, office network, or public access point there can always be a threat coming from within the LAN. Hackers, network viruses or worms on infected computers, etc. are all possible threats for which an advanced software firewall and additional FW hardware devices can provide another layer of protection.

    I noticed from reading their web site that the company that developed the AlphaShield also has plans for releasing their own wireless router in the near future. http://www.alphashield.com/router.htm
     
    Last edited: Nov 6, 2007
  9. 12fw

    12fw Registered Member

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    http://www.gss.co.uk/news/article/45/'%241m_hacking_challenge'_product_is_flawed/?highlight=API

    does mention something about the long ago million dollar hack me prize offered by alphashield.

    Some reviews

    http://www.ntcompatible.com/AlphaShield_Home_Edition_Firewall_Review__s71777.html

    I still would not forsake the SPI/NAT router just yet. Maybe using both is safer. But the cheap home router is still standard hardware.

    12fw
     
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