Roundup: The Best Free Firewall Software of 2015: Stop malware before it gets you

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Introduction, ZoneAlarm Firewall and Comodo Firewall

When purchasing a new Windows PC, it should be a matter of urgency to immediately install antivirus software that includes an effective firewall to stave off threats that might target your machine when it connects to the internet.

All recent versions of Windows come with a built-in firewall and, whilst it's perfectly okay to leave your PC with this thin layer of protection, before long you will want something that covers a little more than just the basics.

Thankfully an industry has grown out of providing this type of software and the amount of competition means that there are plenty of programs to choose from.

And it doesn't have to cost a small fortune to shore up your system's defences either. We've picked out five of the very best free firewalls to deliver protection at no cost whatsoever.

ZoneAlarm Free Firewall

Those of you looking for a firewall, antivirus software and identity protection all in one easy-to-use program will immediately be impressed by the ZoneAlarm Free security suite.

Its centrepiece is a two-way firewall that makes your PC invisible to malicious hackers whilst at the same time preventing spyware from sending any data online that it may have pilfered from your Windows PC.

Another strand to the firewall is that it monitors all programs on your PC for suspicious or out-of-the-ordinary behaviour and alerts you to anything untoward whilst preventing new attacks that are designed to get around traditional anti-virus programs.

It includes an optional browser toolbar complete with a built-in site checker, Facebook privacy scanner, private browsing settings and a lot more. In addition the built-in identity protection lets you monitor credit accounts and sends you an alert should any anomalies be spotted. There's even the aforementioned antivirus service, which only has to be downloaded if you need it. For a free package it's hard to beat.

Comodo Firewall

Comodo Firewall takes a slightly different approach to ZoneAlarm in that it genuinely feels like Comodo is attempting to take over your computer - in a good way of course - and it's surprising just how many features it has for a free program.

A small box runs in the top corner of the screen that keeps a constant watch on the traffic running to and from your system and the program offers five main icons that allow you to scan, update, run a virtual desktop, quarantine threats or speak to live support for even more help.

The Firewall settings are extensive and let you to permit and block applications that want to connect to the internet, manage your PC's visibility to other PCs, allow or block internet connections and block all network activity.

The only drawback about Comodo is the constant pop-ups informing you about what might seem every file on your PC will get annoying as most of the time they're simply double then triple checking every installation. Better to be safe than sorry though.

PeerBlock, Privatefirewall and Anti NetCut 3

PeerBlock

Blocking certain IP addresses is a big part of a firewall's remit and PeerBlock is the best program out there at doing that, and only that. In this sense PeerBlock is very simple yet it will keep you out of trouble without the flashy appearance and memory draining effect that some fully-fledged firewall/anti-virus programs have.

When you start it up for the first time it will ask what you want to block from a list that includes anti-P2P organisations, adware and spyware, and educational institutions. There is even an option to import or create your own lists.

From there on in, PeerBlock does its work by immediately blocking millions of sites and updating itself on a daily basis to make sure your system is safe from whichever of the options you checked above. On its own, it isn't the most extensive program, however, when it comes to the specifics that it covers, not many can touch it.

Privatefirewall

Off all the firewalls on this list, Privatefirewall is a minuscule-sized installation that performs the job to the same level. Another in the no frills camp, it is just a firewall plain and simple with a main menu that shows the status of the firewall (i.e. whether it is on or off), a selection of different profiles depending on location, and a list of sites that are trusted or blocked.

Gone is Comodo's annoying tendency to ask you about every single thing. Privatefirewall instead works to understand how you use your computer and then allows regular programs to bypass the process while it tracks down threats.

Any application that has attempted to access the internet is listed in the applications tab and system processes have a separate tab where you can adjust the monitoring status depending on your preference. The last two tabs display the firewall log and port tracking, and every single tab has an extensive section to the right that explains what everything means - something extremely comforting for beginners.

Anti NetCut 3

Another specialist program, Anti NetCut 3 attempts to stop programs from accessing your internet connection by protecting the network adapter connected to your PC. It works largely in the background after the initial setup and looks out for any attackers attempting to cut or manipulate your connection to the internet.

If it detects anything it gives you a warning and then kicks off an anti-spoofing technique that protects your network connection and ensures that your online privacy is 100 percent protected.

Its main remit is to prevent ARP spoofs and is especially useful when connecting to free public Wi-Fi hotspots where your system is often at its most vulnerable.

Some users have complained of not being able to uninstall it once its on the system yet all it requires is a trip to the Control Panel to get rid of it. The value of the program possibly won't necessitate this happening although it's good to know that if there are any problems then uninstalling isn't impossible.