When we begin our computer journey and jump aboard the internet we are told we need to buy anti-virus security software. Often a trial program will be packaged with your new computer that is set to expire a short time later. Then the program will ask for payment to keep you protected. The most common two programs that come preinstalled on new computers are: Norton and McAfee. While both of these programs are well respected by many users they are also quite pricey.

There is no doubt that you need antivirus software on your computer, but there are some effective products out there completely free that compare to those high priced programs. Yes, you read that right. Free antivirus software products that are just as superior as the expensive well known brands.

As the internet evolves and so will the types of threats. There are now more problems and ways to infect your computer than ever. This is a trend likely to continue. Our job as an internet user is to become familiar with common threat types and keep our computer systems protected from them.

There are many types of security issues. These problems can come in many flavors and change rapidly so including them in this editorial would prove pointless. In a short time from now the threats could be much different than they are today. Trying to keep up with those details would be a full time job. Not to worry, we do not need to be security experts to stay safe.

There are some common wide based categories that most threats fall under. Knowing this we can learn how to protect ourselves from each category rather than each threat individually. The most common areas that need to be addresses are as follows:

Microsoft vulnerabilities

These are exploits to the code inside your Windows, IE browser and Office products. The way to keep these risks to a minimum is by keeping your Windows up to date using the Windows update service. I keep my Windows updates on automatic and they are downloaded and installed as released. This is free to Windows owners and can be found in your control panel.

Viruses

These come in many types. From worms to trojans they can cause huge problems on the users system. This is where free antivirus software can keep you protected. At the time of this writing, AVG, AVIRA and AVAST are three of the top place award winners for free antivirus software. I have used all three and settled with Avast as my protection software of choice. I also trust it enough to install it on the computers I assemble for clients.

Spyware and Malware

Items that fall into this category can vary from – chaotic as viruses or simple tracking cookies from an advertiser wanting to see where you came from or where you left to. These buggers can sneak in from website graphics and invisible code often with no warning at all. While Avast is one of the better anti-virus programs to also guard from spyware, it is not truly the software’s purpose.

Again there are free choices for spyware protection that work just as well as the high priced alternatives! One feature that is harder to get in the free spyware software is “real time protection”. I use Spyware Terminator which does offer real time protection and seems to be doing a great job on my Vista work machine. You can do a search for “free spyware protection” and look for review sites that evaluate several different programs available to choose from.

A frequent trick used by many *not so nice* software companies is to force a pop up that looks like a System Message announcing the user’s computer is infected by a virus. The box offers only one button, a link to remove the infection. This is actually a link that leads the clicker to a website that cleverly requests payment to solve the problem. Many times there is no virus other than the one asking you to pay to remove it!

With all these free protection tools available for personal use it is frustrating to see so many people who are lead to believe that they must pay for safety. We may not be able to stop viruses and other malicious codes on the internet but we can do our part to protect ourselves and thanks to a few great companies out there, we can do it for free.

Today, more and more people have been using their PCs to perform various things, from investing to shopping. Clearly, our lives are already getting influenced by this technology.
Unfortunately, malicious programs erupt daily and they are getting more complex. That is why as a PC user you should stay alert and use some common sense to keep your computer virus-free, especially if your PC is connected to the internet 24 hours a day.
Some reputable security companies such as Symantec provide the latest virus alerts on their websites. Just make sure to keep yourself informed by visiting such sites frequently. This way, you will be more aware about the latest threats and will always be able to know how to avoid them.
Computer viruses can spread fast and they are hard to eradicate. They can be brought from the internet by downloading a file. A free downloadable file may contain an unfavorable program. Keep in mind that although not all viruses inflict damage they can still cause annoying problems so it is highly recommended to exercise caution every time you want to download a file from an unknown source.
Viruses can also be brought from the internet as attachments to emails. As a general rule, do not open an attachment coming from someone you do not know. Even if the attachment is from a reputable source, it is still wise to scan it first before downloading or opening it.
The behaviors of viruses vary. Many which only show messages or pictures do not really harm anything. However, others are extremely dangerous. That is why it is a good idea to install an antivirus program on your PC. Such program can detect the presence of viruses in your computer and then disinfect the infected files or delete the ones that can not be disinfected.
Many antivirus programs can be purchased at a low cost. Some are often prepackaged with an anti-spyware software and a personal firewall. Normally, you are allowed to download the trial version of an antivirus program to test its abilities. Whatever antivirus software that you will choose, just make sure to only use the one created by a reputable company that provides ongoing support and updates.
Some security companies even provide antivirus programs which can be downloaded for free. Free downloadable antivirus programs usually come with some limitations compared with the paid versions. Moreover, the companies which created such programs normally do not provide technical support. However free antivirus software still make a good choice for many home computer users.
After installing an antivirus program on your PC, you should also make sure to configure it properly. For instance, it is a good idea to configure the program to start automatically each time you boot your computer and to perform automatic updates as new viruses erupt daily. Just be familiar with the features offered.
As a computer user you should protect your PC from the threat of a virus. Fortunately good virus protection can be accomplished without having to spend much money. Many security software are very affordable these days. Some can even be downloaded for free, with no further obligation necessary. Just choose the one which fits your needs.