As a responsible parent, you do your part to keep your children safe by securing your windows and locking your doors. An important step is to also teach your children to keep windows closed and locked at night and double check the locks on your doors. Firewalls are the locks and doors of a computer, keeping out intruders and dangerous elements. Troomi believes in safety so much they have state-of-the-art security built into the software of their phones. But not every device is made by Troomi.
“But how do firewalls protect your work?” you might wonder. Here’s how a typical firewall works and why you should keep yours updated. Make sure your children are listening, too.
How Does a Firewall Work?
Firewalls monitor or guard information coming to and from your computer and then decide if that information is safe or not before allowing it through. They are gatekeepers at the wall and the first line of defense.
The first firewall was developed in 1988 but the versions we use now are much more sophisticated. Your current device likely has one or multiple versions of a firewall. They can be both hardware, software, or even a combination of the two. As technology advances, so do the kinds of firewalls and what they protect against.
What remains consistent is how to keep yours working at it’s best.
How to Maintain Your Firewall
Now that we’ve answered your questions like “how does a firewall work?” Let’s explore how to keep yours in good shape.
Find the right match for you
With technology now in our hands as well as in our computers, it’s important to remember to keep even our smartphones safe. A first step is to make sure you have a firewall and security on your device. Many devices have firewalls built in. If yours doesn’t, or you want upgraded security, check out these options curated by Geekflare. Remember to think of yours and your kid’s specific needs and preferences. PS. Remember to turn it on.
Keep the firewall updated
Firewall’s protection is only as current as the update date, and with hackers and viruses constantly evolving their attempts at cracking security, the best way to keep your devices safe is by frequent updating. Set up auto-updates or check frequently for new updates.
Have secure passwords
A hacker can bypass a firewall if they have your passwords or can brute force them. Update your passwords frequently and make sure they are long, complex, and secure.
Run antivirus scans frequently
Most software is designed to do two kinds of antivirus scans which you can schedule. Schedule a ‘quick scan’ daily and a deep scan once a week. If your computer is behaving strangely, do a deep scan to check for any problems.
Firewalls are a part of our technology’s health. By keeping ours updated and making sure our kids are using safe tech habits, we can keep our technology virus free. For smartphones with military grade security and OS level control (which makes the phones hack proof), check out Troomi for a phone that is perfect for your kid’s safety and your peace of mind.