Do I need anti-virus software?
The likelihood is, if you have to ask the question, then yes, you most probably do need anti-virus software. The thing is, security software is just one piece to the overall health of your computer. As well as airing the side of common sense, good browsing practices are also a big factor in your computer’s health. If you aren't browsing dubious sites, downloading files from suspicious sources, and clicking links from people you don't know, you'll definitely put yourself at less risk from viruses. But computer viruses don’t only come from browsing practices. Your computer could be infected just from you visiting a website – even if you only visit websites you trust. The reason being, the website itself could be compromised.
Antivirus software provides protection from viruses, Trojans, worms, spyware, adware, dialers, keyloggers and rootkits. These are commonly referred to as malware in “tech speak”. And these days, good antivirus software has good detection rates on all forms of malware.
Tips for staying safe online:
- Back up important files: this is a crucial step to ensure you have a copy of everything you need in case something does happen to your computer.
- Keep you software up to date: this will help to protect your computer from new attack from the newest malware.
- Keep your applications update also: If you’re prompted to do an update, do it. Updates generally improve applications and make things run much better.
- Be suspicious: Malware authors try to trick people into installing software that claims to do one thing but in actual fact, it takes over your computer, steals passwords etc. If you’re unsure, don’t install!
- Use a modern browser: If you’re still using Windows XP or Internet Explorer 6, stop! Try Google Chrome or Firefox.
- Use anti-virus software: As well as using anti-virus software, ensure you keep it up to date.