| Even if you are new to computers and the internet, | | | | It is however advisable to have a dedicated |
| you have probably heard that you should at least have | | | | antispyware program running in combination with your |
| an antivirus or internet security suite in in place while | | | | antivirus software. If one cyber-pest tries to get |
| surfing the internet. Does it stop there, do you need | | | | through your protection it will at least have two |
| extra computer security products? | | | | programs to deal with. |
| That depends on how much you value your online | | | | The final -and most complicated- computer security |
| safety and security. The purpose of antivirus programs | | | | defense product every consumer should have in place |
| is to protect your home computer against a virus | | | | is a firewall. The complexities in configuring a firewall |
| infection in the first place. Protection against malware | | | | are even difficult to understand for IT professionals, |
| and spyware comes as an added bonus. This is just | | | | unless he or she is a network administrator of course. |
| one part of computer security. | | | | I would not recommend software firewalls to the |
| There are new cyber pests being developed every | | | | average user. These kind of firewalls traditionally are a |
| hour, so you better get an anitivirus with a built-in | | | | part of internet security suites. Some of them |
| proactive defense mechanism. Proactive meaning that | | | | constantly ask you if you want to allow this or that |
| the program can defend itself against viruses that are | | | | program to access the internet. Deny access to the |
| not in its virus database yet. | | | | wrong program just once and before you know it you |
| Malware comes in different forms and flavors such as | | | | won't be able to access the internet yourself. The |
| Trojans which usually contain spyware or even | | | | reason being that you locked yourself out because of |
| worms. The definition of these terms is beyond the | | | | on an incorrect firewall configuration. |
| scope of this article, but let it be suffice to say that | | | | Just use a hardware firewall like a router which comes |
| you do not want any of these pests on your | | | | with the basic security settings already configured. Just |
| computer. | | | | having an out of the box router is a much better |
| As mentioned before, most, if not all anivirus programs | | | | protection than a software firewall. |
| also provide some sort of malware protection. | | | | |