Protecting Your Computer from Viruses and Spyware for Free

After investing both time and money in a variety of programs that failed to protect my computers from viruses and spyware, I finally found a great lineup of tools to do the job. And, the best part is that they are free!

If you are looking for a good anti-virus program, I recommend Avast! anti-virus (www.avast.com). Even if you already subscribe to an anti-virus service such as Symantec or McAffee, this is a great backup to have. It is my experience that Avast! actually catches viruses and trojans that the other programs out there do not. Avast! will alert you to any detected viruses or trojans in a separate window with a link for removal instructions. Avast! also updates its virus definitions automatically as long as you have an active internet connection. The interface is simple and intuitive. You can set up automated boot-time scans or manual scans almost effortlessly.

For spyware protection I recommend Spybot Search & Destroy (www.safer-networking.org) and Ad-Aware (www.lavasoftusa.com/software/adaware). Spybot S&D is a very powerful tool that scans and removes spyware from your computer. You can also use spybot to perform advanced procedures without having to directly access the registries and computer management features. Spybot S&D is, in my opinion, for more advanced users. A more basic spyware protection tool is Ad-Aware. Ad-Aware is a more intuitive program that allows you to set up automated or manual scans for spyware. Both of these programs will allow you to quarantine or delete the affected files. I always recommend that you use the quarantine feature. This saves you from deleting any necessary files.

If your anti-virus program alerts you that you have a virus then you might want to consider downloading Ewido (www.ewido.net). Ewido is a very powerful virus detection and removal tool. Ewido offers a free 30 day trial download after which you will need a subscription to continue to receive virus definition updates. I recommend Ewido if your computer is prone to viruses or trojans that are difficult to remove and continue to pop up despite your best efforts.

With this line-up of tools I have not only kept my own computers protected but I have also been able to rescue computers for co-workers, family and friends.

The free anti-virus and spyware protection protections gladly accept donations. So, if you are happy with the service you might consider offering a small donation in appreciation.