If you use cable or DSL to connect to the Internet, you need a firewall. A firewall, whether it's hardware or software or a combination of the two, shields your PC and the information on it. Firewalls protect you from anyone looking to access your computer and steal sensitive information, and from people who might try to use your computer in unauthorized ways, such as installing code to use it for a denial-of-service attack.

The new version of Zone Labs' ZoneAlarm Pro 3.0 still centers around its signature (and most useful) product -- a firewall utility -- but it adds other privacy features, such as an ad blocker, cookie management, beefed-up security alerts, and extra security against Trojan horses and other malicious code. This version also offers support for LANs (local area networks), including wireless networks; the program can tell you if an active network is "trusted" or "untrusted."

Setup a breeze

Like previous versions of the software, ZoneAlarm Pro 3.0 is easy to set up. It's even easier than version 2.6, thanks to a revamped interface. Each version seems to get less cluttered and better organized. Like many software programs, ZoneAlarm Pro 3.0's setup is wizard-based, so you simply click through a series of screens and the program automatically sets itself up. If you're more technically astute, you can configure settings yourself. That's fine if you're a network administrator, but probably not the best option for a home user running a small network.

You can accept the program's defaults configure the software in a piecemeal fashion -- each time a program accesses the Internet you can decide whether ZoneAlarm should shield it, and you can have the program remember your decision.