Norton wants to monitor my network traffic. What it does not tell me is the nature of network traffic it is monitoring. Is my financial info? My websites I visit? My medication history?
Without any explanation from Norton, what is the reason I should allow my network traffic to be monitored?
Norton Smart Firewall + Norton Intrusion Prevention System
The Smart Firewall acts like a traffic cop, monitoring incoming and outgoing internet traffic to help prevent cyberthreats from reaching your computer. Complementing each other, the Smart Firewall and Intrusion Prevention System:
Help block unauthorized users from accessing your computers through the internet.
Create a shield that either allows or blocks attempts to access the information on your computer.
Warn you of connection attempts from other computers.
Warn you of connection attempts by the applications on your computer that connect to other computers.
Help block your data (passwords, keystrokes, files, tax returns etc.) from being taken by an outside source.
All Windows™ and Mac® computers have a firewall built in, but a firewall is just one part of cybersecurity. The Norton Smart Firewall provides more advanced firewall features monitoring incoming and outgoing traffic, and is complemented by the Intrusion Prevention System (IPS) which informs the Smart Firewall about what “good” and “bad” traffic to allow or block. Because it looks at communications between your computer and other computers on the Internet, it helps protect your computer by:
Warning you if other computers or programs on your computer attempt to connect to other computers
Cloaking inactive ports (where internet traffic comes in), providing protection against hacking techniques that use them
Monitoring network traffic coming into and going out from your computer for suspicious behavior, and helping block attacks before they intrude onto your system
While a built-in firewall in a computer is one step toward security, cybersecurity solutions that include a firewall provides much more thorough protection against various sorts of cyberthreats like malware, viruses and intrusions.