If you don't use 3rd party firewall, at least make Vista's built-in firewall more secure...http://www.pcworld.com/downloads/file/fid,64950/description.html?tk=nl_picksMicrosoft has been touting the new Windows Firewall in Windows Vista, which it says for the first time includes an outbound filter as well as an inbound filter. Outbound filters are important, because if you've been infected with a Trojan or similar software, it makes an outbound connection without your knowledge, letting someone else take control of your PC. Some malware can also turn your PC into a spam-spewing robot, sending out email without your knowledge.
Unfortunately, the outbound filter in Windows Vista is, in essence, turned off by default. And as a practical matter, it's impossible to manually configure it to block malware making outbound connections. That's where the free Vista Firewall Control comes in. Install it, and whenever an application tries to access the Internet, a screen pops up, with the application name, the publisher, and similar information, as well its path and file name. You can enable or disable inbound or outbound connections it tries to make, either permanently, or just this one time.
If you're not sure if the program is malware or not, go to
www.processlibrary.com and do a search for the file name, for details. All in all, Vista Firewall Control is a great way to make sure your PC isn't making unwanted outbound connections.
