Despite the real threat of computer viruses, it's still amazing just how many folks operate their PC with little or no antivirus protection. There are literally millions of PC's that are infected with malicious malware, spyware, and various viruses, and quite often unbeknown to the user. Many complain that their machines are running sluggish, or behaving oddly, but don't always connect viruses with these problems and usually blame the PC as being useless. If you are one of these people, then I urge you to install and run an anti virus check before you do another thing.
I have been using a free anti virus checker on all my machines since 1997 called AVG. It has protected me well over the years and has an automated update facility included in the giveaway version. Every single day, its anti virus check updater finds and installs new updates. This means that every single day they are finding new threats to online security. This should give you some idea of just how big the menace is. These virtual villains are writing code and nasty programs for no other purpose than to spy on, destroy, or steal your data, but it's up to you to protect yourself. Don't worry, there are many free programs out there which are designed to do just that.
Another mistake many folks make, is that they think they can simply visit one of the free online anti virus check programs should they get infected. The problem with this is that some viruses can wipe our your entire hard drive, stop you from opening web browsers, or simply shut your PC down each time you try to boot it up. No, the only way to keep your PC and your personal data safe is to download either a free or paid antivirus program, then run an anti virus check immediately to safeguard hardware, software, and stored information.
Most folks have a standard line of defense and despite running an anti virus check weekly (recommended), it is not enough defense on its own. Once again, there is some good free protection out there and here's what I have running on my PC:
Zone Alarm firewall: to block all unauthorized access to my machine.
AVG Free Edition: My anti virus check program.
Ad-Aware SE Personal: Which provides advanced protection from known data-mining, aggressive advertising, Trojans, dialers, malware etc.
SpywareBlaster: Another anti-spyware and anti-adware line of defense.
Spybot - Search & Destroy: Detects and removes different kinds of spyware from your PC.
That little lot should be enough to give most home users a good line of defense. Whichever programs you choose, they will become pretty redundant if you don't update and run them on a regular basis. These are not labor intensive tasks but you must remember to make a schedule and stick with it if you care anything about your privacy.
Your firewall will just run in the background, so there's nothing to do there. Your virus checker will scan you emails and find most viruses as they attempt to enter your secure zone, but it's still crucial to run a full system scan weekly to route out any that have gotten in through the back door. Ad-Aware needs updating and running weekly as does Spybot, but SpywareBlaster just needs updating.
So there we have it. Start by giving your PC an anti virus check, then download you free firewall followed by the rest of the programs.
The above is just a guide and there are many ways to protect your PC and personal data. If you require more advanced suggestions, I recommend you hop online and check out your options.
Janis Elliot is a proficient writer and webmaster for Anti All Sorts dot com where she has articles on Anti-aging Creams and Anti Virus Protection. She also has other pieces on the site relating to Anti All Sorts! |
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