RatedPC has posted an article covering the fundamentals of internet security, in addition to a comparison between the leading firewalls. The article goes in-depth explaining how anyone is vulnerable to hackers, and how a firewall can protect you. Each firewall has been tested for security and stability, as well as the amount of resources each require to run. Heres a quote:

    "When I found the Shields Up! website last week, I wondered which of the more popular firewall software is actually more secure than the rest. This curiosity led to this article. By now, it is clear who the winner is. While the concept of shielding a PC is the same, ZoneLabs has been able to put this concept to use in the most elegant way. While the free version of ZoneAlarm is sufficient for home use, professionals and business users find the more aggressive protection of ZoneAlarm pro more appealing."