FIREWALL

As Nature builds her own
so over time has man
visualizing, conceiving ever more
complicated, intricate methods
arising from needs primitive
to those emulating our
bio-techno scientific advances
utilizing the technique
in virtually all fields of endeavor
to include among others, architecture,
fire fighting, manufacturing, production,
power generation, avionics, transportation,
scientific research, space applications
with the latest addition, that of
computer security preventing
unauthorized access to or from a private network.

The aim to look, screen, pass or block
incoming and outgoing traffic
to intercept all messages entering and
leaving the network as well as act as
security mechanisms in such applications
as FTP, Telnet servers, TCP or UDP connections,
a hoped for protection against invasive privacy
from such, generally known as
hackers, cyber punks, viruses.

Firewalls that mankind has
constructed, utilized, refined
applied in almost all areas
but one, our human firewall -
where is our protection, our
equivalent of screening, passing
blocking incoming messages
where are our filters
that protect, alert us
shield us from harm
in a timely manner
our personal firewall
not yet invented
will it ever be.

Herbert Holzbauer
© September 2001

Midi: "Antarctica"

Photograph: "Aft Firewall Discovery Mission"