While you are on
www.grc.com check out leaktest,
http://grc.com/lt/leaktest.htm, it'll tell ya if yer firewall is doing it's job.
"Your Internet connection flows both
ways . . . so must your security."
"Most personal software firewalls provide — or attempt
to provide — application-based management and
control of outbound Internet communications"
one of the reasons i switched from Blackice to Zonealarm was because of this test.
read this page, run the app with your firewall, then use yer own judgement.
hope it helps.