Firewall (computing)

What Is a Firewall?

A firewall is a special helper for computers. It works like a guard, watching all the information that goes in and out of a computer or a group of computers. This information is called network traffic.

The firewall checks each piece of traffic with a set of rules. It decides if the data can pass through or if it should be stopped.

Why Do We Need Firewalls?

Firewalls are very important because they create a safe barrier. They protect trusted places, like a school’s computers, from the Internet. This helps keep bad things away from our important information.

Types of Firewalls

Firewalls can be set up in two main ways. One type protects many computers together, like in a school. The other type protects just one computer, like the one in your home. Both help make sure only safe and needed information can move between different places.