What is a Firewall and Why is it Necessary?

Video – VLog #30

What is a firewall and why do we need it?

What is the definition of a “fire” and a “wall”? Now combine the two ..

In this discussion David explains to Willie what a firewall is in simplistic terms and makes a comparison to your home, what other comparisons can be used?

Script – VLog #30

Willie Nicol: Hello everybody and welcome to week 30 of The Techno Dinosaur Meets the IT Geek. I’m Willie Nicol, The Techno Dinosaur, also a personal development coach. I’m based in Troon, South Ayrshire, Scotland. Hello David, how are you? And, where are you?

David Logan: Hi Willie, great to see you again. Another week of fun. I’m good. I’m based here in Annan, South West Scotland. I’m known as the IT Geek, the guy who takes the complexity out of technology for the home worker.

Willie Nicol: Splendid. Thank God you’re here. Right, I’m the Techno Dinosaur and I hear all these phrases and words and they mean nothing to me. So, my question to you today, in fact two questions is … What is a firewall and why do we need it?

David Logan: Okay, so, I’m going to throw it back to you. Split into two words ‘fire’, ‘wall’ – what is the fire?

Willie Nicol: It’s a danger.

David Logan: Sorry?

Willie Nicol: It’s a danger.

David Logan: Yeah. And, what is a wall?

Willie Nicol: To stop the danger.

David Logan: Right. So, in computer terms, combine the two, you’ve got danger, you’ve got a wall, which protects you. Basically, in a nutshell, that is what a firewall does. It protects your computer from the baddies getting in. So, on your, I can’t talk for Apple devices, for Microsoft Windows they’ve got a firewall on. Now, on Windows devices especially, a smart device, your lights that go on and off via a computer, or your curtains that go or your Amazon ….. the gizmo that talks and can record your voice – make sure they’re all on public mode.

David Logan: You have public and private mode. Public is like a coffee shop, the restrictions on the firewall are very, very tight, it lets very little people in. Let’s stuff in like Amazon for your, I can’t remember the name and the term again .… my brain’s gone dead .…

Willie Nicol: Alexa

David Logan: Yeah, Alexa, that’s it. I may need to spend 5 minutes with you and your stress management here! A firewall, basically, it’s you, the device owner saying to the outside world, I’ll let that person and I’ll let that person in but I’m going to stop the bad guys coming in.

David Logan: Now other firewalls, which are subscription based, will also stop you sending bad stuff out so if you check an email via email or a website, you click on a bad link. Oh, some will reduce that going back out to attack other people. All attacks are, it’s been sent from other computers, other devices, external to the building you are in.

David Logan: So, for the home workers, you’re working from home So, basically, if you’re sending a bad egg out or bad malice out by clicking a link on an email, it may stop that going any further but it could go out to hundreds of your contacts on your email. So, a firewall. Basically it’s like your locked door in your house. Look at it like that, simple. Locked door. Why do we lock doors on our front of houses?

Willie Nicol: Stop the bad guys getting in.

David Logan: Correct and for young kids, stop them getting back out. Same with a computer in a nutshell. Is that too simple?

Willie Nicol: No, no, that make sense – a firewall, protection, keeping the bad stuff out.

Willie Nicol: I was interested when you said about emails. I’m very suspicious about unsolicited emails and I always check the email address from which it was sent and you will find sometimes, the clever ones, are very similar to a legitimate email address except they might end in net instead of com or they might end in some other thing or they’ll be a funny name @aol.com. That’s how I protect myself, in addition to my firewall.

David Logan: I’ve got something for you, Willie, plus the listener. Now I may get a lot of emails here when I’m saying this publicly, but it is an open service. If you get an email that looks suspicious, may need pen and paper here, I’ll say it slowly then we can type it out on the website, when we put it on the website. If you get a suspicious email and you’re not sure, send it to checker@logan-it.co.uk. So, that’s C for Charlie, H for hotel, E for echo, C for Charlie, K for kilo, E for echo, R for Romeo @logan-it.co.uk. What that does, it goes into a system I have designed, you get an autoresponder saying that your email has been received, I get an automatic email saying there’s an email arrived in my system – but I don’t know that has come from Willie Nicol. I need to then login to the system and through that mechanism I can then check, is it legit or not? Is it a bad link?

Willie Nicol: So, you have your extra firewall then?

David Logan: Well, it’s extra security rather than a firewall, extra security. That, there I provided mainly for businesses. I do it because if I fry my machine, I’m not touching any other equipment, I’m not touching your machine. I can soon rebuild that computer whereas your computer might take longer.

Willie Nicol: Excellent David. That’s a very kind offer and I’m sure the listeners will take you up on that if they have any dodgy emails coming in. That being the case, I think we’ll wrap that up because we’re all out of time. It’s added security – firewalls. Keeping yourself and your computer safe.

Willie Nicol: So, I’ll just say goodbye now. To the listener – keep well, stay safe, until the next time, goodbye.

David Logan: Thank you Willie. Thank you for your question. Brilliant question. To the viewer if you’ve got any technical questions, fire them to us. If you’re under stress, like me, speak to Willie, the life coach, he will sort you out, no ends, trust me, I’m not a doctor but I’m as close as. To the viewer, please go on YouTube, subscribe. We’re on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook. Go on and comment on another post, feel free, ask questions. Contact us privately. Main thing though, to you, the viewer – be safe, stay healthy. Have a great weekend all. Thank you for listening.