I'm wondering: How many virus/worm infections could have been prevented
by the simple use of a firewall software (such as eg. ZoneAlarm)?

  And more wondering: Why do people use Windows without a firewall software?
Even many who *know* these things and are not total n00bs.

  "I never run untrusted programs nor open dubious emails" doesn't help
when a worm exploits a security hole in the system which allows it to
infect it remotely without the user doing anything. And this is something
which a firewall software will usually prevent.

  (Another very important aspect of the firewall software is that, in the
case the system *does* get infected, it will stop the virus/worm/malware
from connecting to the internet behind the scenes, without the user knowing.
This is something a hardware firewall won't do, which is why a software
firewall in Windows is so important.)

-- 
                                                          - Warp

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