Software Firewall
A software firewall or host-based firewall runs on a each server or workstation rather than being a separate device or hardware appliance. In some cases, host-based firewalls are available as part of the operating system or the user can download and install one from software firewall vendors. The host-based firewall settings can vary from host to host and can protect the host from attacks on the local network as well as from other networks. The value of a host-based firewall is that it works against threats that pass through the network firewall. For example, if an attacker uses a malicious email to compromise one of the network hosts, and it attempts to spread to neighboring computers, the host-based firewall will block those attempts. Using a host-based firewall is an important step in preventing reconnaissance, lateral movement or the spread of malware. Once an attacker compromises a workstation, he or she may use tools to scan the...