Firewalls are software or hardware which protect end users from malicious traffic on the Internet. When data is sent over the Internet, it comes packaged with information about where it is coming from and where it is supposed to go, as well as an indication as to what application the data is for. Firewalls analyse the data, and then throw it out if it looks malicious or forward it to the network if it looks genuine.
Firewalls generally do not allow connections inside the network that are initiated from outside the network unless you give them permission. This is why they are so crucial to being connected to the internet. Without firewalls, any applications you have running on your computer that accepts network connections could be connected to by anyone on the Internet. If an attacker is able to make connections to any one of your applications, he or she could potentially compromise your computer if there exists a security vulnerability in the application. Firewalls are an absolutely essential line of defence for your computer on the Internet.
We are partners with several technology manufactures and can help you make the right choice when purchasing. We can also install and configure if you need us to do so.