AntiVirus Reports : Computer Safety: Better Safe than Cheap

Computer Safety: Better Safe than Cheap

So, now you have the blue screen of death on your computer and you’re pretty sure that you caught a virus. Probably from one of those ten million pieces of spam that hit your inbox daily. Knee jerk instinct is to go for some free download of a virus program to take care of the problem.
Bad idea!

Most downloads are just going to give you a trial version of the popular software on the market. It is far from being the solution to your problem. In fact, it could be a bad idea. If it just takes care of the immediate problem it could miss important things like a Trojan Horse program that can do even more damage. The list of antivirus software out there is a pretty long one. With common names like McAfee, Norton and Panda heading the pack, there are many more to chose from.

So, what is your best bet for your computer’s antivirus needs? Not an easy question. In addition to an antivirus program you may want to take the extra step of installing a firewall to act as your first line of defense. Again, you are going to want to invest some time in researching which program will work right for your particular situation. A free firewall is about as good an idea as a free antivirus program. In other words, it’s not.

Why spend the money? Well, how important is your personal information? More and more people are doing more with their personal information online than ever before. Making purchases with their credit card, giving out personal information to buddies on MySpace, the list is endless and it all leads to identify theft. Especially if a smart hacker has managed to get what looks like a normal file onto your computer.

Even downloads that look 100% legitimate may be no more than a cleverly designed shield for a truly malicious program that is designed to transfer all of your sensitive information to people you would rather not have it.
Once you have purchased your antivirus software be sure to treat it as your best friend. Keep the discs in good shape, make sure you always follow the recommended updates and don’t think it will be the be all end all of security. Just because you have the tools to rid you of those nasty viruses is no reason to go to suspicious sites and download files. Don’t make the hackers jobs any easier than they already are.

The Internet should be a safe place for everyone. Take the time to make the proper investments to make sure that this never happens to you. Remember, when it comes to computer safety, better safe than cheap.