AntiVirus - Firewall - Spyware

The reason to have an up to date antivirus, firewall & spyware software package on your computer, notebook, workstation or server is simple, to protect it and all the data and information on it.

Whether you are connecting to the Internet with your computer at home, at work or running an online business, it is vital that you have some type of internet security software installed to protect your system.

Do not be fooled into thinking that you do not need security software because you only casually surf the Internet or send and read e-mail.

The reality is any computer should have security software that is designed by a trusted maker and is updated regularly with the latest virus definitions, even systems without an internet connection should have antivirus security software installed.

A computer virus is a program - a piece of code - that has the ability to replicate itself. Like say, a flu virus, computer viruses can spread quickly and are often difficult to eradicate.

They can attach themselves to just about any type of file on your system and are spread throughout your system, via email to anyone in your address book and sent from computer to computer and if unchecked can spread like "wildfire".

Antivirus software is important not only for the protection of your computer, but also the protection of the computers that you are linked to.

Firewall protects your computer from intrusion (scanning or attack) by hackers or script kiddies while it is connected to the Internet.
Firewall examines electronic data coming in to, or out of, a computer (or network) and compares it to rules it has been given. If that data matches the rules which say it is OK, it will let the data pass. If it doesn't, it blocks the data.

Firewall keeps the bad guys out and let's the good ones in.

Firewall will NOT :

• Protect you against most viruses.
• Protect you against Spam.
• Protect you against any kind of fraud or criminal activity online.
• Protect you against a poorly configured Wireless Network.
• Protect you against Spyware installations.

Spyware is a term used for software that performs certain behaviours on your computer, laptop or workstation such as advertising, collecting personal information, or changing the configuration of your system, generally without appropriately obtaining your consent.

You might have spyware or other unwanted software on your computer if:

• When you open your Web Browser (Internet Explorer, Netscape, Opera etc) , your homepage has changed automatically and without you knowing.
• You experience a sudden rise in computer crashes.
• Your computer takes longer than usual to complete certain tasks.
• You keep on getting pop-up advertisements even when you're not using the Internet.
• You notice a new toolbar in your browser (This will usually be under the Address Bar) that you didn't want, and find it difficult to get rid of.

Internet Security Package

There are many good programs out there, some free and some that you have to purchase.
Free software, like anything is just a cut down version of a full paid for product and so is not always the best solution.