Security

[a w]

I am running MySQL 4.1.5-gamma and ODBC 3.51.9 on Win XP SP2. Except for the following security questions I am installed and running fine.

I want to use MySQL locally on a single machine, and I want to make sure that my MySQL tables are totally inaccessible from the internet. How can I do that? I have read the manual but can't find a definitive answer.

I have two subquestions:

1. Am I totally secure from outside attacks if all users in the mysql user file are host = 'localhost'?

2. I'm using Zonealarm free version. I would prefer to use MySQL with ZA's "stop all internet activity" or "engage internet lock", but if I do either then any attempt to access MySQL server gives me
"Could not connect to the specified instance; Error 2003; Can't connect to mysql server on 'localhost' (10061)"
regardless whether I 'allow' or 'block' the specific MySQL programs in ZA. Is there a way to access MySQL with ZA lock engaged? Or do you think that's overkill?

I found the following in the manual but I'm not sure it applies to me since I don't want external access, and in any case I don't know how to implement it:
"Check to make sure that there is no firewall blocking access to MySQL. Applications such as ZoneAlarm and the Windows XP personal firewall may need to be configured to allow external access to a MySQL server."