| It's depressing and infuriating that computer security | | | | find yourself fighting with the security software on |
| software is even necessary. It shouldn't be that way. | | | | your own computer, but that is often what happens if |
| It's an appalling, infuriating testimony to the state of our | | | | the settings are too strict. |
| society that there are people out there who have | | | | Another problem with computer security software is |
| nothing better to do than try to damage or destroy | | | | that it can nickel and dime you to death. Some will |
| other people's computers or steal their data or identity, | | | | constantly nag you to sign up for this or that, try to get |
| and for the most part they can do it with impunity. The | | | | you to upgrade to some additional service, or pepper |
| productivity lost due to the heinous activities of those | | | | you with other annoying requests. Yet others haven't |
| criminals is staggering, as is the loss of peace of mind, | | | | figured out that security software should run in the |
| the ability to feel safe, and our general faith in humanity. | | | | background and quietly and unobtrusively protect your |
| What we're dealing with here is a combination of | | | | machine from harm instead of taking center stage. |
| coward and schoolyard bully of the worst kind, with | | | | That can be very frustrating, too. |
| part huckster and common thief thrown in for good | | | | So what can you do to protect yourself both from the |
| measure. | | | | bad guys and from overly intrusive security software? |
| That said, computer crime is a sad fact of life, and like | | | | Quite a bit. Most infections can easily be prevented by |
| it or not, you need to protect yourself. This means | | | | following a few simple rules of safe computing. |
| Internet security software that can handle the | | | | Learning what to ignore, not to click on, and not to |
| assorted malware, spyware, and handle virus removal | | | | download can cut down your risk of getting infected |
| and virus repair. The problem here is that protecting | | | | by 90% or more. Many people who took the time to |
| your computer, diagnosing what's wrong, and fixing | | | | learn about the risks and how to avoid them run their |
| infection problems can be complex and very | | | | systems without any special security software and |
| time-consuming. On top of productivity, you can lose | | | | they never have any problems. That approach can be |
| entire days just trying to figure out if there's something | | | | risky, of course, as some Trojans, viruses, spyware or |
| wrong, or how to repair things. As a result, a lot of | | | | phishing attacks are nearly impossible to detect. |
| people install one of the major general purpose Internet | | | | Another good way to go about keeping your |
| security suites. | | | | computer safe is to educate yourself and get advice |
| These security suites are certainly a good thing and | | | | from folks who follow both malware and the various |
| they can help protect your computer. Unfortunately, | | | | ways to protect yourself. Some have websites where |
| they can also be very intrusive and quite costly. It's | | | | they explain things in simple language, offer advice, and |
| quite possible to find yourself in a position where an | | | | recommend options in case you get yourself in trouble. |
| overly protective or improperly configured security | | | | I like that much better than calling the help desk of |
| suite or piece of anti virus software slows you down | | | | some big computer security software company. |
| as much or more than a virus or a worm. It's no fun to | | | | |