Three free essential programs for personal computer security

Malicious programs—including viruses, Trojans, keyloggers, and more—can find their way onto your computer in ever more creative routes.  Who among us hasn’t accidentally clicked on one of those pop-up ads which claim in a panicked display “Your computer is infected!” and thus inadvertently invited garbage onto our computer?  There are browser exploits, security holes in outdated versions of Java, Flash and even Acrobat PDF!  Even if you keep your computer’s browser and plug-ins fully updated (which you should!), the next security hole is just around the corner.

Even as a relative “expert” when it comes to the internet, I find it virtually impossible to keep my computers immune to random attempts of digital infection.  Keeping your software updated with the latest patches is critical, but that’s simply not good enough by itself. 

I’m going to share with you three software titles which I’ve found to be very effective in keeping my friends and family’s computers operational and out of the repair shop.  These each happen to be free for personal use, but more importantly they are effective.

Please note:  this list is provided purely as a courtesy information resource.  Hurtdidit is not affiliated in any way with any of these products, nor can we provide technical support for these products.

It’s also important to ensure you are downloading from the legitimate developer source and not from a website posing as one of these popular products.  As such, we’ve provided direct links to the download pages hosted by CNET, a respected and trusted source.

1 - Antivirus

Avira AntiVir Personal

Direct download for Avira AntiVir

A quality antivirus program is the single most important piece of software you can have installed on your computer, particularly if you are spending any time connected to the internet.  Not all antivirus titles were created equal, however!

We’ve used Norton Antivirus for over a decade on our various computers, and dabbled with McAfee Antivirus as well.  Both products had been considered industry standards, however they suffer from a few annoying drawbacks.  First, they tend to be quite the inefficient resource hogs.  They are not the most affordable titles for personal use, either—typically $50 for the license and $20 per year thereafter (and that is for EACH computer).  Finally--and most importantly—their effectiveness at catching viruses has slipped versus some of the competition, such as Avira (based on our own experiences, as well as tests done by notable reviewers, including the venerable Consumer Reports).

The free version of Avira AntiVir does greet you with an annoying "nag screen" that up-sells you on their paid Pro version.  That annoyance might be a small price to pay for a free program, but if it bothers you it's easy to remove (click here for a step-by-step guide).

Don’t get me wrong—there are many antivirus programs which are far less effective than McAfee or Norton, but if your license is coming up for renewal and you are looking for alternatives, the German-born Avira is hard to beat!

2 - Anti-malware

Malwarebytes Anti-Malware

Direct download for Malwarebytes Anti-Malware

Avira is fantastic at what it does, but it is designed to focus on viruses in particular.  When it comes to malicious programs (malware), a second layer of specialized protection is in order.

Malwarebytes has proven itself time and again at catching even the most obscure of these bugs.  I make a habit of updating and running Malwarebytes at least once per week, and it nearly always finds a handful of annoying—and potentially damaging—little programs lurking in the darkest corners of my hard drive. 

If your computer has suddenly started to operate sluggishly, odds are good that it has fallen victim to malware of one form or another.  Malwarebytes is adept at finding and removing those problems.

3 - Firewall

ZoneAlarm Free Firewall

Direct download for ZoneAlarm

A firewall is part of a computer network that is designed to block unauthorized access while permitting authorized traffic into and out of your computer.  Your internet router likely includes a hardware firewall.

Microsoft Windows XP, Vista, and 7 each include a built-in software firewall.  If you consider your computer security skills to be basic, I would advise that you stick with the Windows Firewall product—just double-check that it’s enabled. 

If, however, you demand more precise control over the goings-on with your computer’s background traffic, ZoneAlarm is peerless.  ZoneAlarm allows you to see in real-time whenever a program attempts to access the internet from your computer, or to access your computer from the internet.  If it’s a program you recognize (such as your antivirus updater) you can grant access.  If it’s something you do not recognize, however, you have the option to block access, either permanently or at least temporarily until you have had time to research the program to verify it is something legitimate.

ZoneAlarm also allows you to easily review the list of programs you have allowed or blocked, and to edit those configurations at will.

Conclusion

In summary:  be mindful of basic computer security as you use the internet.  Second, always keep your browser and browser plug-ins (such as Flash, Java, and Acrobat) updated to the latest versions.  Finally, install and use a quality antivirus, anti-malware, and firewall such as those I’ve just listed in this article.  Follow these practices, and you will enjoy a safer, more enjoyable online experience!