Internet security

Application-level gateway[edit]

An application-level firewall is a third generation firewall where a proxy server operates at the very top of the OSI model, the IP suite application level. A network packet is forwarded only if a connection is established using a known protocol. Application-level gateways are notable for analyzing entire messages rather than individual packets of data when the data are being sent or received.

Browser choice[edit]

Main article: Browser security

Web browser statistics tend to affect the amount a Web browser is exploited. For example, Internet Explorer 6, which used to own a majority of the Web browser market share,^[19] is considered extremely insecure^[20] because vulnerabilities were exploited due to its former popularity.

Internet security products[edit]

Antivirus[edit]

Antivirus software and Internet security programs can protect a programmable device from attack by detecting and eliminating malware; Antivirus software was mainly shareware in the early years of the Internet,^[when?] but there are now^[when?] several free security applications on the Internet to choose from for all platforms.^[21]