How to Avoid Getting Viruses, Spyware, and Other Malware

The online web is larger today than it has ever been. Unfortunately, computer viruses, spyware, and other malware are also a bigger threat than ever before. These can cause countless problems ranging from slow performance to complete system failure. Harmful spyware can even leak crucial information such as credit card numbers to fraudulent entities on the internet! Learn some basic guidelines for preventing these from happening.

1.) Get Good Anti-Virus Software

This is probably the most obvious choice of software to include in your arsenal. However this is also where many people go wrong. Most people usually go for big-brand products such as Norton or McAfee. However, the effectiveness of these programs is far from ideal. Just about anyone who is experienced in internet/computer security will be quick to tell you to avoid big-brand products. There are a couple main reasons why these are less than ideal choices:

- Programmers who create malware often design their creations with the big-brand products in mind. Programmers will do their best to create malware that will slip through these programs. This makes sense, as a malicious programmer would want to make their design as effective as possible, which means targeting the most popular software.

Every computer expert that I know or have interacted with has said that big-brand products are inferior for detecting malware. This is also the case in my experience with different brands of software. In one experiment I did myself, I downloaded a file known to contain malware onto a secure computer. After running this malware-containing program, my anti-virus program immediately detected 11 pieces of malware. When I repeated this with Norton software, it detected NO malware at all.

- Norton anti-virus programs are notorious for hogging large amounts of computer memory, as well as frequently causing many miscellaneous problems. The 2007 version is said to use less CPU memory, but it is still an inferior choice in my opinion.

Good Anti Virus Choices

AVG anti-virus by Grisoft

AVG anti-virus has an extremely solid reputation among computer experts as a quality antivirus program. This program does an excellent job of picking up many types of malware. It is also easy going on CPU memory, which is especially good for people with older processors. Virus definitions can be automatically & easily updated on a daily basis. And best of all, its free! You can download the software at Grisoft's website. Grisoft also caries a paid version, which has more features than the free version.

Anti-virus software by Kaspersky Labs

This is a paid version of anti-virus software. Like AVG, it also has a solid reputation. If you feel more comfortable by purchasing an anti virus product, then this is definitely a solid choice. The product is also very user friendly, and does not tax the CPU to a great extent. This is a great choice for Windows Vista users.

Use only one antivirus product. Running more than one at a time can cause conflictions and other problems in your computer.

2.) Get Good Antispyware/Adware Programs

A good anti-virus program will detect some spyware, but for the best results, it is best to use dedicated software for this purpose. Unlike anti-virus programs it is best to use multiple anti-spyware programs. This will ensure the best detection of spyware. These programs can be activated one at a time to scan for spyware. I recommend scanning 1-2 times per week if you are an active web user. I recommend the following programs. Many of these can be downloaded for free from the company's website.

- Ad-Aware by Lavasoft
- Spybot, search & destroy by Safer-Networking
- AVG anti-spyware by Grisoft
- Spy Sweeper by Webroot Software
- Windows Defender by Microsoft

3.) Install A Good Firewall

A good firewall is essential for maintaining a safe internet connection. It is especially important if you keep sensitive information on your computer, or if your computer is connected to the internet 24/7. The main function of a firewall is to restrict traffic between the internet and your computer. This is important for several reasons:

- Helps to protect sensitive information on your computer. Some malware is specifically designed to upload various information to the internet without the owner's knowledge. Without an active firewall, one would be unaware that this had ever happened.

- Prevents harmful files from being downloaded onto your computer without your knowledge. Many type of malware, such as trojans, are designed to access the internet and download more malware without the user's knowledge. An active firewall will prevent this from happening.

- Helps to prevent hackers from accessing your computer.

Best Firewall Product

Zone Alarm Pro by ZoneLabs is by far the best firewall software in my opinion. It has a solid reputation, and is also one of the top rated firewalls. It is the one that I have used for a long time, and I recommend it to anyone who uses the internet. It is a paid product, but it is well worth the cost. For Windows users looking for a free firewall, I suggest the built in firewall that comes with the Microsoft Service Pack 2. All newer Windows systems have this pre-installed.

4.) Be Careful When Downloading Files

Malware is most commonly contained within executable files, or those that end with .exe. Be wary when opening an executable file from an unknown source. Malicious emails usually contain malware in the form of innocent looking .exe files. These programs can contain dozens of viruses or trojans. As a rule of thumb, avoid downloading anything that is not from a trusted source.