There are several free antivirus programmes that are readily available to download on the internet. Good firewall security is always the basis of your computer protection, but it is not full and complete. If you are concerned about viruses, Trojans, spy ware and internet theft (and you should be) complete protection is a must.
If you think of your computer as being like a human body you will start to realise that basic protection is necessary. Believing ‘it will never happen to me’ is just nonsense, because if you aren’t protected it will. It is not a matter of ‘if’ but a matter of ‘when’. The main browsers now come with their own firewalls and anti virus protection, but it is never enough.
The good news is that there is free software you can use that is very effective. You can download an effective firewall for free and good antivirus software is also free to download. Although it is certainly not the only one, AVG is probably the most popular, and considered the most effective, of free downloads for antivirus protection.
A firewall very simply blocks incoming unauthorized access while allowing outward going communication. An antivirus program is designed to recognize threats of currently known viruses that could damage your computer software or possibly even hardware. They work in harmony together to protect you. Firewalls are particularly necessary in intranet situations as well as being basic protection on a stand alone system.
Macafee and Norton are probably the biggest names in firewall and general antivirus protection. Some of their services are free, but like most companies they recommend a paid version for full and complete protection. Most new computers will come with firewall protection and one of most common antivirus and firewall protection programs pre- installed.
At the end of the day you simply cannot afford not to have decent firewall and antivirus protection running on your computer. The good news is that there are good programs available for free. You really don’t have to pay through the nose to keep your computer protected, but you do need to keep your antivirus software up to date always.
