What does a firewall do?

A firewall protects you from unsolicited and unwanted incoming network traffic. It evaluates incoming traffic for malicious threats, such as hackers and malware, to prevent them from infiltrating your computer or network.

Do you need a firewall?

If you use the internet, it’s smart to have a firewall in place. It provides a first line of defence to help protect your computer and the data stored on it from malicious traffic and potential threats.

Can a firewall be hacked?

A cybercriminal can potentially hack any device or system connected to the internet. Firewalls are more susceptible to being hacked if they’re poorly configured, running outdated software, or zero-day vulnerabilities arise.

Do firewalls prevent viruses?

Firewalls don’t protect against viruses on their own. They manage access to your network, whereas antivirus software serves as cyber protection from malicious viruses. However, some software firewall suites, like Norton 360 Deluxe, include virus protection.

Do you need a firewall at home?

Yes, your home needs a firewall. Without a firewall, you leave yourself open to accepting every connection to your home network without a way to detect and reject incoming threats. Intruders could engage in malicious activities like gaining control over your computer or network, deleting your data, or using your personal information to commit identity theft and other online frauds.

What is a firewall? What it does and why you need it

Please select your country/region

Argentina

Brasil

Canada (English)

Canada (Français)

Caribbean (English)

Caribe (Español)

Chile

Colombia

Costa Rica

Ecuador

El Salvador

Guatemala

Hispanoamérica

México

Panamá

Perú

Puerto Rico (English)

United States

Uruguay

Venezuela

België (Nederlands)

Belgique (Français)

Česko

Danmark

Deutschland

España

Estonia (English)

France

Iceland (English)

Ireland (English)

Israel (English)

Italia

Latvia (English)

Lithuania (English)

Luxembourg (Français)

Magyarország

Nederland

Norge

Österreich

Polska

Portugal

România

Schweiz (Deutsch)

Suisse (Français)

Svizzera (Italiano)

South Africa

Suomi

Sverige

Türkiye

United Arab Emirates (English)

United Kingdom

Ελλάδα

Россия

Australia

Cambodia (English)

Hong Kong (English)

香港

India (English)

Indonesia (English)

Malaysia (English)

New Zealand

Philippines (English)

Singapore (English)

Thailand (English)

Vietnam (English)

대한민국

中国

台灣

日本

Products

Services & Support

About

Norton is part of Gen – a global company with a family of trusted brands.

Copyright © 2025 Gen Digital Inc. All rights reserved. Gen trademarks or registered trademarks are property of Gen Digital Inc. or its affiliates. Firefox is a trademark of Mozilla Foundation. Android, Google Chrome, Google Play, and the Google Play logo are trademarks of Google, LLC. Mac, iPhone, iPad, Apple, and the Apple logo are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. App Store is a service mark of Apple Inc. Alexa and all related logos are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. Microsoft and the Windows logo are trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the U.S. and other countries. The Android robot is reproduced or modified from work created and shared by Google and used according to terms described in the Creative Commons 3.0 Attribution License. Other names may be trademarks of their respective owners.

About Gen Newsroom Careers Legal Privacy Security Terms of Use Accessibility System Status

Contents

Want more?

Contents

Related articles

Want more?