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A Yahoo! search on "firewalls" turns up a host of "category matches" as well as links to sites that deal with firewalls. Since specific information is difficult to find when search results are too scarce or too plentiful, it's best to have some set navigation strategies. Here are the basic tactics we used to zoom in on an answer: First off, notice that categories in Yahoo!'s directory are either commercial or non-commercial. Commercial web sites are cataloged in an appropriate sub-category in the realm of Business and Economy > Companies, whereas non-commercial, informational sites can be found in one of the other top-level subject areas. We
decided to check for definitions in the non-commercial Firewalls category located in a sub-category of Computers and Internet > Security and Encryption. As it turns out, firewall is the evocative, if somewhat misleading name given to: a set of related programs, located at a network gateway server, that protects the resources of a private network from users from other networks. Thus, firewall software controls access to a network and enforces a security policy by means of a pair of mechanisms
-- one to block traffic, and one to permit traffic and access to network data. "Usually, a firewall's purpose is to keep the jerks out of your network while still letting you get your job done." We found this insight and many more at the Internet Firewalls Frequently Asked Questions. A firewall is only effective when it is integrated and understood as part of a company or organization's overall security architecture. Firewalls won't protect against idiots, traitors, or wily hackers who operate from within, who walk out the door with sensitive data on their laptop or a disk in their briefcase; nor can firewalls keep out most viruses. Addressing issues
of security and privacy and the relation between the two is essential for individuals and organizations attempting to understand the networked landscape, both at work and at home.
Editor's Note: Several readers wrote to point out long before there were computer networks, "firewalls" were used in the construction industry. A firewall is a wall made of fire-resistant material that is placed in between units in a multi-unit residential or commercial structure, such as an apartment building, a duplex, or row house to prevent the spread of fire. Thanks to all of you who took the time to write. We appreciate your feedback.
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