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When something this great comes along, I think you need to know about it.
  technofile
Al Fasoldt's reviews and commentaries, continuously available online since 1983

BlackICE firewall proves its worth in around-the-clock use


Dec. 5, 1999

By Al Fasoldt
Copyright ©1999, Al Fasoldt
Copyright ©1999, The Syracuse Newspapers

   I was too hasty last week when I wrote about BlackICE, a new security program for Windows. And I unintentionally left out an important note for Road Runner users.
   I said last week BlackICE was the hottest new Windows program in months. After using it around the clock for two weeks, I need to revise my estimate.
   BlackICE is the most important computer program of the year. It's your ticket to peace of mind. If you have an Internet connection of any kind, running your Windows PC without BlackICE is like driving your car without automobile insurance.
   And, no, I don't work for the folks who make BlackICE and I don't get a cut of their sales. When something this great comes along, I think you need to know about it. With all the brain-dead programs we've all been exposed to for years, something as good as BlackICE deserves all the credit we can throw at it.
   BlackICE, more properly called BlackICE Defender, is an Internet firewall. It blocks intruders from getting into your PC when you are on the Internet. It shows you who's trying to break in and even tells you what kind of intrusion software the bad guys are using. BlackICE stops Internet burglars and thieves cold.
   If you think I'm exaggerating, I know one thing about you already: You haven't run BlackICE yet. As soon as you run it and start seeing the graph it displays showing how many times someone has tried to break into your PC, you become a believer.
   BlackICE is Sherlock Holmes and the Terminator rolled into one. It's cheap insurance. You can get it for $40 from www.networkice.com. It runs on Windows 95, Windows 98 and Windows NT. If you have a peer-to-peer network of mixed computers (Macs, Linux PCs and Windows PCs) in which the Windows PC has an Internet connection shared by all the others, BlackICE will protect your entire network from attack. (You don't need the network version of BlackICE in this situation, in other words.)
   BlackICE is especially important if you are a Road Runner cable Internet customer. Road Runner recently dropped its login system, meaning any modern computer connected to a Road Runner cable modem is on the Internet all the time the computer and modem are turned on. In other words, you turn on your computer and boot it up and you're on the Internet. You don't have to do anything else.
   This is perfect for all of us who use non-Windows operating systems in addition to Windows. Linux PCs and other non-Windows computers can now use Road Runner just by booting up. Until now, getting special login software to work with Road Runner's non-standard login system was a pain for Unix, Linux, Amiga and other non-Windows customers.
   But I've heard from scores of Road Runner users who are worried that the permanent connection might make their computers more vulnerable to breakins over the Internet.
   Is that true? Are road Runner customers more vulnerable to attack from malicious hackers on the Internet now?
   Of course they are. Suppose your computer was logged on for two hours a day before. Now, with no need to log on and with Road Runner's connection operating all the time your computer is turned on, your computer is connected (in my example) for 12 hours a day. Common sense says you have a problem: Your system is exposed to attack six times as long as it was before.
   The solution? BlackICE. Don't even think of running a Windows PC on Road Runner or on any other ISP's connection without it. It installs easily and runs without messing up other things. Do it now.