Ziay!

jg_rat

...checkers for free? Kerio's free firewall (despite a recent scare about it closing) will still be available, and AVG virus checker is still free.

Glenn_11

I've stopped updating my McAfee Anti-Virus.
If you are cheap (like me) there is a good anti-virus
program called AVG from Grisoft that is free for
personal use.

You can download it here (link near bottom of page):
http://free.grisoft.com/freewe...

Before you install this program be sure to UNINSTALL
any other anti-virus program that you currently have
installed. Anti-virus programs don't play well
together so you should have only one anti-virus
program installed at any given time.

Zone Alarm is a FREE firewall program that provides good protection.

You can download it here:
http://www.zonelabs.com/store/...

When you install Zone Alarm you will be prompted to
choose the free trial to Zone Alarm Pro or just Zone
Alarm, choose the Zone Alarm (just the firewall)
because it's free. Zone Alarm monitors incoming and
outgoing transmissions. It will take a little effort
to get the settings up and running but it's easy and
worth the time.

Along with scanning for viruses stopping spyware is important too.
There are 3 good FREE programs that are effective at dealing with spyware, Ad-aware SE Personal 1.05 (removes spyware), Spybot Search & Destroy (blocks and removes spyware), Spyware Blaster 3.2 (blocks spyware). I have all 3 of these programs installed on my PC and they work well together without any conflicts. After these programs are installed they need to be updated on a regular basis to be effective. These programs will have to be manually updated.

You can download Ad-aware SE Personal 1.05 here (click on "Download Now" near top left of page):
http://www.download.com/Ad-Awa...

Ad-aware SE Personal 1.05 will scan your PC and
identify spyware that should be removed. Ad-aware
definition files are updated about once a week.


Spybot Search and Destroy can be downloaded here:
http://www.safer- etworking.org/en/mirrors/index...

Spybot Search and Destroy will "Check for Problems"
(scan) your PC for spyware that should be removed.
Be sure to use the "Immunize" feature that blocks
known spyware from getting onto your PC. Spybot
Search and Destroy detection files are updated about
once a month.
After you update Spybot Search and Destroy each month be sure to "immunize" your PC so that the updated spyware threats will be blocked.



Spyware Blaster 3.2 can be downloaded here:
http://www.javacoolsoftware.co...

After the program is installed be sure to click on
"Enable All Protection" so the program blocks spyware.
Detection files are updated about once a month. After updates are installed each month be sure to click on "Enable All Protection" again so the updated detection files are applied.


You may also want to use Mozilla Firefox 1.07 as your
primary web browser. Firefox is an excellent program,
and I have been using it for several months now.
Firefox has fewer security flaws than Internet
Explorer. You will still need to use Internet
Explorer to download Microsoft updates.
You can download Firefox here:
http://www.mozilla.org/product...


Be sure you have all the critical updates from
Microsoft for Windows and Internet Explorer.
Open Internet Explorer, click on "Tools" and select
"Windows Update".