Zone Alarm Caught Two

[Whizbang]

I did something very stupid that I have never done before and almost paid for it.  Fortunately, I had Zone Alarm installed and it caught the intrusions.  I left the Poasters Forum page open for considerable time while I was working on my other computer.  That means that a port was open through the hardware firewall and gave access to trojans.  When I returned to this computer, the ZA red flag was up.  I thought it was just a fluke until I read the explanation.  High-rated attempted access was made on port 80 twice.  I had broken my own rule--->Never leave a computer web page open with the computer unattended, even with a hardware firewall.  I am having to retract the statements I have made that I have not needed a software firewall with everything else that I have on-board.  With the new sophisticated hacking techniques, ports can be monitored for activity and probed if they are found to be open but not transmitting or receiving.  That is open invitation to the "roaches" to come in.  Only three days ago I reinstalled Zone Alarm after a protracted absence of the software guardian.  Sometimes even fools are protected.  Had I closed the page, this would not have been a problem, as far as I know, but I no longer can make that assumption.  From now on, I keep both the hardware and a software firewall running.