functionality of most firewalls would eventually be an add-on application option for Operating Systems and that eventually it will be a standard part of every Operating System. Until then, we have to punt & keep using firewalls.
I'm not so convinced that adding 'firewall functionality' to an OS is such a good idea. The idea behind having a firewall is that * You have a hardened host that has been stripped of anything that could be used by an attacker to compromise other systems * You have a single machine that serves as the sole port of entry into your domain. By keeping your defense perimeter nice and small it makes it manageable to maintain. When you start trying to swtich firewall functionality to an OS you lose both these advantages. You no longer have a system that is stripped of compilers, scripting languages, etc, and you now have a much larger security perimeter. Ben. ____ Ben Samman..............................................samman@cs.yale.edu "If what Proust says is true, that happiness is the absence of fever, then I will never know happiness. For I am possessed by a fever for knowledge, experience, and creation." -Anais Nin PGP Encrypted Mail Welcomed Finger samman@suned.cs.yale.edu for key Want to hire a soon-to-be college grad? Mail me for resume