One of the most important tools in your online security arsenal is a firewall. Firewalls block incoming and outgoing network connections and can often be configured to be as strict or as relaxed as you like. You can also usually configure a firewall to prevent your Mac from being “pinged” – where a piece of data is sent to it over the network to check if it’s “there.”
Firewalls can be software or hardware, though most these days are software. macOS has its built-in firewall that can be configured in the Security & Privacy pane of System Preferences and your broadband router probably has one too. Your router’s firewall, if it has one, can be turned on and off in the settings webpage for the router.
Our Free Home Use XG Firewall is a fully equipped software version of the Sophos XG firewall, available at no cost for home users – no strings attached. Features full protection for your home network, including anti-malware, web security and URL filtering, application control, IPS, traffic shaping, VPN, reporting and monitoring, and much more. Check Point Next Generation Firewall is a product from Check Point Software Technologies, which is a Gartner Magic Quadrant Leader (there are two others). The company provides a security architecture designed to protect the full scope of devices, enterprise networks, and the cloud. Founded in 1993, Check Point Software Technologies protects.
Mac Security: Firewalls. By Chris Pepper and Rich Mogull. Macworld Oct 6, 2008 3:37 am PDT. Firewalls monitor and regulate the data moving on and off your computer or network. Top 5 Free Firewall APP for Mac. Mac OS claims that there is no need to install any antivirus, or any such security in your Apple Mac, because there is no way your Mac will ever get affected by a virus. Following the claim, most Mac user does not have any antivirus, or even any firewall installed in their laptops/desktops, which can actually.
Tip
Want to know how to turn on the firewall on your Mac? Just go to System Preferences > Security & Privacy > Firewall and turn it on.
Why download another Mac firewall?
If your Mac already has a firewall built-in, why would you consider a third-party version? Well, for one thing, the macOS firewall only blocks incoming connections; it doesn’t protect you from security threats that come from outbound traffic. Though there are advanced options tucked away, it’s not as configurable as some third-party firewalls.
Did you know?
Firewall Software For Mac
In addition to a firewall, it’s a good idea to use an anti-malware tool to scan your Mac regularly and keep it safe. CleanMyMac X does just that. You can use it to scan your Mac manually, and it will compare what it finds against a database of known malware. Or set it to monitor your Mac in real-time, so that it protects it automatically. Download CleanMyMac X – a free trial is available.
The best firewalls for your Mac
Little Snitch
Little Snitch has been around for almost as long as macOS. Its goal is to block apps from making outgoing network connections unless you explicitly choose to allow it. This is useful for a couple of reasons.
It stops apps from contacting a server and sending data about you to it.
It alerts you to software that shouldn't be on your Mac i.e., malware, and is trying to connect to a host server.
When an app initiates a connection to a server, Little Snitch alerts you and offers you the opportunity to allow it to connect or to prevent it. It learns from your decisions and creates rules based on them. Neatly, there’s a silent mode that hides alerts so that you’re not bombarded with them – there are a lot of them at first. You can then come back to alerts later to make decisions and create rules.
Lulu
We mentioned earlier that the macOS firewall is good at blocking incoming connections. Lulu complements that by blocking outgoing connections, similarly to Little Snitch. By default, it blocks all outgoing connections. If you decide to allow an app or service to connect, every attempt made by that app or service will be allowed. Lulu’s source code is published on GitHub so anyone can inspect it.
HandsOff
Unlike Lulu and Little Snitch, HandsOff blocks both incoming and outgoing connections. And it allows you to closely monitor and control apps that use internet connection to send information back to a remote server. Besides, HandsOff can also block domain name resolving, multiple subdomains, and offers protection from trojans and worms.
HandsOff’s options are more finely-tuned than most, allowing you to block all outgoing connections from an app or only those to a specific domain, subdomain, or IP address. You can also choose to block the connection once, until the Mac is restarted, or permanently.
Radio Silence
Radio Silence is the simplest and most elegant of the firewalls available for macOS. There’s nothing to configure and no pop-up windows to distract you. One small window is its only user interface element. That window is split into two tabs.
One, titled Network Monitor, displays all the apps that have open network connections. Next to the app is a number showing you how many open connections it has open. Click on that number, and you can see a list of connections.
Murus Pro
Murus Pro consists of two apps, Murus and Vallum. The former will perfectly complement the macOS built-in firewall by providing an interface that allows you to create rules for incoming connections. The latter, Vallum, is similar to Little Snitch and Radio Silence – it allows you to monitor and block incoming connections.
Murus allows you to drag and drop elements to create sets of rules from pre-created presets. Or, you can re-write your own rules from scratch. If what you want is to fine-tune the built-in macOS firewall, Murus could be the ideal tool.
Vallum monitors and intercepts outgoing connections and lets you block them. It sits in the menu bar until you decide to configure it. When you do, like Murus Pro, you can do it by dragging and dropping. For example, to prevent an app from making outgoing connections, you just drag it from the Finder onto the Vallum window. You can modify the firewall rules for each app manually, or use one of the predefined presets.
There are several very good firewall tools available for Macs. Some complement Mac’s built-in firewall and block incoming connections; others are focused on outgoing connections. Whichever you choose, it’s a good idea also to use additional security and Mac maintenance tool such as CleanMyMac X.
You may be surprised at just how many network connections some apps make. And next to that number is a Block button, allowing you to prevent the app from making connections. Press that button, and the app shows up in the other tab, Firewall. That tab lists all the apps you’ve blocked from making connections. It’s a very simple but effective tool that has won praise and rave reviews from some of the most well-known Mac blogs and websites.
Firewalls are a good line of defense against cyberattacks. They serve as a shield, monitoring your incoming and outgoing traffic based on predetermined security rules and filtering it based on your preferences.
A firewall is a system created to avoid unauthorized access to or from a private network. You can implement a firewall in either hardware or software form, or a combination of both of them. Firewalls help to prevent unauthorized Internet users from accessing private networks that are connected to the internet.
We recommend you to use them, as they may block malware from entering your PC and protect your privacy. Do you want a free firewall for your Mac computer? Here we have created a list of the best and the most reliable options for you.
What About Mac’s Firewall?
“But wait!” I hear you say. “Is not there a Firewall already installed on my Mac?“. Yes, that is true.
Mac’s firewall can control your incoming connections and give a pass to the apps that come with a trusted ID certificate. However, it is not enabled by default.
You can turn Mac’s firewall on by visiting the System Preferences > Security & Privacy > Firewall.
Next, you can go to Firewall Options to fully configure it. We would recommend that you check Block all incoming connections and Enable stealth mode.
You can also manually select which services and applications should be allowed access, which is useful for file sharing. To do that, go click + and select your app of choice. This way, you will always get a pop up when an unauthorized app wants to connect to your Mac.
Blocking incoming connections is crucial if applications are “listening” to them. This was a necessary step on Windows, as there were a lot of vulnerabilities just a few years ago. Macs do not have these kinds of problems, and that’s why it is by default, turned off.
However, this function has its place. Testing vulnerable software, like web servers, can be made completely safe by turning on Mac’s firewall.
Still, we would not recommend using it in your day-to-day. It has enough flaws, and you can easily get better one completely free.
What’s Wrong With Apple’s Firewall
For the most part, Mac’s firewall is a hassle. Its dialog can frequently pop up while you are running applications and slow you down. Accepting this app can also be risky since it mostly punches a hole in your firewall.
Furthermore, Mac’s firewall does not monitor your outgoing traffic. This means that, once you are one a public network, every program can easily connect online.
This is not good news for your privacy. If you’ve downloaded malware that wants to send your personal data somewhere else, Mac’s firewall can’t do anything to stop it. Yikes.
And this isn’t an imaginary scenario either. 2019 marked a particularly bad start for Apple, with more than 16 million infected Macs in April. Malware is simply everywhere, which is why it is smart to up your defenses.
Although firewalls should not be your only line of defense, they can be a good ally. And, since these babies are free, this should be a no-brainer.
3 Best Free Firewall Apps for Mac
Lulu
Lulu is a reliable shared-source firewall for Mac that will stop every unknown outgoing connection you do not approve of. It has the power to block even OS and 3rd party apps from transmitting your valuable data.
This is a completely free firewall, with no ads, premium features, or time trials.
Murus Lite
Murus uses the features of Apple’s own PF firewall to its potential. It features a simple, drag and drop interface that makes working with it easy. Aside from inbound filtering, Murus offers port management, bandwidth throttling, and numerous presets.
Radio Silence
Radio Silence lets you disable outgoing access for any app you want. We love it because it requires zero maintenance and is always on. It will monitor all of your connections in real-time, so all hidden processes will at once be revealed. The app also will not ask for your permission, which can leave your system vulnerable.
Radio silence is also easy on your resources, does not require much space, and is very fast. Lastly, it is super intuitive, so you do not have to be a tech geek to set it up. To unlock all functions, you will need to pay $9.
To Wrap It Up
To summarize, a firewall is a security system designed to prevent unauthorized access on a private network. Firewalls have helped protect computers in large companies for years. Now, they are a critical component of home networks, as well.
Best Firewall For Mac
Monitoring your outbound connections is crucial when you are using a public network. Although these free firewalls for Mac are powerful and reliable, they should not be your only line of defense from cybercriminals. As an alternative, you may download one of these free antivirus software to protect your Mac from cyberattacks.
Free Mac Firewall
mac computer – DepositPhotos