The importance of a good anti virus software product has never been more important than it is today. Today’s computer user
faces a never-ending list of threats, from viruses and Trojans to phishing scams and spyware. It is vital for every computer user, from the most casual home user to the most serious business user, to have anti virus software in place before the computer ever gets near the Internet.

When evaluating the need for strong anti virus software protection, it is important to know that bored hackers and teenage whiz kids do not write all viruses and other malicious software programs. Today’s viruses and Trojans are as likely to be written by organized criminal gangs, whose purpose is to steal vital personal information like passwords, account numbers and even Social Security numbers. Indeed, many criminal gangs have turned to computer crime as a high profit, low risk enterprise, and anti virus software companies have to constantly stay ahead of their activities.

The importance of staying up to date

It is so important to look at how often the anti virus software is updated. I have visited many customers over the years who think they are protected because they have Norton 2001 running but haven’t actually updated or renewed the license since 2001. An anti virus software package that is updated only once a month is virtually worthless, and weekly updates can be almost as useless. It is important that the anti virus protection you choose be updated on a daily basis, and that you download those updates on a daily basis as well. A few years ago, most computer security experts felt that downloading updates to anti virus software on a weekly basis provided adequate protection, but most agree that this is no longer the case.

Fortunately, most software companies make it quite easy for users to keep their anti virus software up to date automatically. Most software can be configured to download the updates in the middle of the night, when the computer is not in use. In the case of a modem connection, the computer can be set to dial the software company and download the update each night. If the computer has a high-speed Internet connection, it can simply connect to the software vendor’s web site at the prescribed time and download the update.

Protect yourself before going online

No matter what type of anti virus software product you choose, it is important that the product be installed and ready for use before the computer is connected to the Internet for the first time. Simply because malicious software products and viruses are constantly scouring the web for new computers, and a computer without proper virus protection is an easy target. It is important that the anti virus software is installed before the computer is online, and that it be updated as quickly as possible after the connection is made. Running quality anti virus software, and keeping it constantly up to date, is the best way to make your computing experience safe and trouble free. It is up to every computer user to protect him or herself from the malicious side of the Internet.

The Free Antivirus Options

Most people ask why do companies let you use the antivirus software for free and what do they get out of it? I assume that the companies who offer software for free can make their paid versions better with all of the data / feedback gathered from people using the free software. Also lets face it, its better that people use the free software and possibly upgrade to the paid version, than to have them download and install a competitors virus protection.

I would only ever suggest that you use free anti virus software if your computer is used occasionally on the internet and you tend to receive a few emails a month without attachments. If you use your computer to chat on MSN or download music, videos from p2p / torrent download sites or have teenage kids. I would suggest that a paid antivirus with built in firewall and spyware detection would be your best option.

Avast Home Edition : comes with a resident shield, this allows the antivirus to detect viruses before they have the chance to infect you PC. P2P and IM shield, this scans your instant messenger files and and constantly scans your file download activity on Peer2Peer sites such as Kazaa, WinMX and Limewire. The Network Shield protects your computer from internet worms, similar to the abilities of firewalls. Finally the Web Shield scans web pages while you are browsing and is excellent protection against adware, spyware and dialer files generally embedded in images on websites.

“Avast! Home Edition is free of charge for HOME users and for NON-COMMERCIAL use.” see the avast site for full details.

AVG Free Edition : AVG simply protects your computer against viruses. It doesn’t have all of the features of Avast but tends not to use as much processor power.

Paid for Antivirus Software

There are hundreds of antivirus packages available these days and probably two of the most well known are Norton and McAfee but there are many more worth taking a look at.

Kaspersky Anti-Virus : Considering we all tend to be buying more and more goods online and we certainly like the convenience of banking online. It makes sense to spend a few pounds on an antivirus solution that will keep us and more importantly our personal data safe while online. Kaspersky Lab combines antivirus protection with a personal firewall and an anti-spam filter. Kaspersky Internet Security keeps your PC free from malicious code, adware, spyware, hacker attacks, dialers, spam and network fraud. It also doesn’t tend to slow down your computer system as other well known anti-virus products. The all in one protection is purchased online and is converted from US dollars, considering the pound is so strong against the dollar at the moment you can get yourself an excellent product at an amazing price.

Norton Anti Virus! Click Here

There are many choices for virus protection for the home user, but one of the first players in the virus protection industry is Norton AntiVirus 2008!. Indeed, Norton was one of the first companies to offer virus protection for personal computers, and their roots go back to the early days of the internet. For these reasons and others, it is a good idea for every computer user to at least consider installing Norton anti virus protection.

Norton 360 – All-In-One-Security! Click Here

Norton 360 Version 2.0 – All-In-One Security Click Here

* PC security defends you against a broad range of online threats–protects your computer and makes your online experience more secure
* NEW! Enhanced performance–provides industry-leading protection without sacrificing performance
* NEW! Identity protection safeguards you against online identity theft–NEW Identity Safe protects your personal information and your identity when you buy, bank, and browse online
* NEW! Automatic backup and restore protects your important files from loss–NEW backup destinations include Blu-ray Disc™, HD-DVD, and iPod®
* NEW! Network monitoring–helps protect your wireless network
* PC tuneup keeps your PC running at peak performance–helps your PC run faster and keeps it running the way it’s supposed to
* Embedded support components diagnose problems and help you quickly resolve common issues
* Includes free support via email and live chat
* Includes 2GB of online storage for photos, music, contacts, & financial documents (option to purchase additional storage)
* LiveUpdate™ Alerts you to new features, product updates and new threats
* On-going Protection keeps your computer protected from the latest Internet risks by automatically renewing your subscription at the regular subscription price (plus applicable tax), so you don’t have to.
* Platforms: Windows® XP, Windows Vista®

Summary

Loading some sort of anti virus software on computers at the factory makes a lot of sense, especially when you consider the fact that there are programs that continually prowl the web in search of unprotected computers to attack. It is absolutely vital that either Norton anti virus or another form of anti virus protection be installed on any new PC before it is connected to the internet. Of course, the software should be updated as soon as the connection is made, since many new threats have popped into existence after your new computer left the factory.

At the end of the day it is far better to have any antivirus even the free products, than to have no virus protection at all.