Windows 8 In Depth

Making Sure Windows Firewall Is Turned On

By far the most important thing you need to do to thwart crackers is to have a software firewall running on your computer. A firewall is a security feature that blocks unauthorized attempts to send data to your computer. The best firewalls completely hide your computer from the Internet, so those dastardly crackers don’t even know you’re there! Windows Firewall is turned on by default, but you should periodically check this, just to be safe:

1. Press Windows Logo+W to open the Settings search pane.

2. Type firewall and then click Windows Firewall in the search results. The Windows Firewall window appears. Check the Windows Firewall State value. If it says On, as shown in Figure 31.3, you’re fine; otherwise, ...