A host-based firewall is firewall software that is installed directly on a computer (rather than a network). Host-based firewalls help detect and stop viruses, malware and other malicious scripts that may not have been caught by network security. When a host-based firewall is regularly updated and running on an individual computer, the individual computer is protected against viruses and other malicious software.
Many popular Anti-Virus programs include a host-based firewall feature. To verify if you have a host-based firewall installed on your computer, first confirm that you have an Anti-Virus program installed your computer. Then, make sure to turn on the firewall feature.