Computersight -

It is common knowledge that anyone with a computer connected to the internet should take the appropriate measures to protect themselves. Safe web surfing habits are simply not enough these days. All computer users should utilize security software to protect themselves from viruses, Trojans, rootkits, keyloggers, adware, spyware, and the like. However, with all of the freeware security software that is available today, some people might be hesitant to spend money on software that they could get for free. But does free security software work? Can you trust it, and are you really protected? Or do you “get what you pay for”, thus making security software that you pay for actually worthwhile? This essay discusses the difference between free and commercial security products for Windows operating systems.

While there are dozens of free anti-virus solutions available right now, there are really only a select few that are worth employing. Generally speaking, the best free anti-virus software is free versions of commercial products that you would pay for. For example ALWIL Software’s “Avast! Anti-virus”, my personal favorite, has a “Home” and “Professional” version. The home version is free to any non-commercial PC user, and provides a super defense against attacker and malware. The home edition features anti-spyware and anti-rootkit built in, with an integrated malware removal system. It includes P2P, IM, web and network shields. This version also includes free automatic updates. The professional version which costs $39.99 per year to upgrade to, offers an expanded feature set over the free version. Included with the professional version is an improved interface, and on demand malware scanner, the ability to define your own anti-virus tasks, and a script blocker (FREE antivirus…). While the professional version has a few nifty features that are absent from the free version, the average PC user is still going to be very well protected by using the free “Home” version.

Some other companies that have taken the same route as “Avast!” are AVG, and Avira. AVG offers “AVG Anti-virus Free Edition”, and Avira has “Avira AntiVir Personal Edition”. Perhaps either of these programs are more appealing to you, as I am not trying to say Avast! Is perfect. One complaint that some people may have is the fact that both of these programs incorporate advertisements, which are used as a form of revenue for companies that provide free software. However, many people are indifferent to the ads. AVG’s free software includes a few nice features that are uncommon among other anti-virus solutions, like spyware removal, phishing detection, and an on demand malware scanner. On the downside, AVG is often criticized for their less than stellar detection rates, which is a fairly good reason to stay away from this one. Another gripe that you may have with “AVG Anti-virus Free Edition” is that is suffers from painfully slow scan speeds. “Avira AntiVir Personal Edition” is a fantastic piece of free software. The free version includes the same outstanding virus detection in a lightweight package that the commercial version is known for, however it does not include the web and email scanner(Best Antivirus…).

Of course, since we are running Windows, we could always use the free solution provided by Microsoft. Microsoft Security Essentials is free to anyone running a genuine copy of Windows Unlike the other anti-virus solutions I have mentioned, there is no full, or paid version to upgrade to, so you don’t feel like you are missing something by not paying for the full version, like you are with the other anti-virus programs. Microsoft Security Essentials has all of the features you would expect to find in a full fledged anti-virus solution. It defends against many forms of malware, including viruses, adware and spyware (About Microsoft…). The software is updated three times daily via Windows Update. It’s detection of malware is of decent quality, however, it has a particularly low detection rate of keyloggers. Still, Microsoft Security Essentials is a very good choice for anyone not looking to pay for their anti-virus software.

You need to be careful when downloading and installing free security software, as security software is a very popular for hiding Trojans in. Rogue anti-virus software is a large problem that is constantly growing. According to Panda Labs, a security software company, approximately 35 million computers are infected with rogue anti-virus software every month (Mills). This disturbing figure is definitely cause for concern. When looking at anti-virus software online, you need to do your research. First of all, make sure that you are downloading the files from a reputable site. I think that the best site for security software is Download.com, which is hosted by CNET. So I would advise either downloading the software from anyone of the official sites for any of the anti-virus solutions that I recommended earlier, or finding something else more suited to your needs on Download.com. One benefit of using Download.com is that there are reviews for each piece of software, so it is easier to find quality software.

Other anti-virus applications are commercial and require the product to be purchased before it can be used. Some companies that offer commercial anti-virus solutions include Norton, McAfee, Kapersky, Panda, and ESET. Many people have likely heard of Norton and McAfee, as they are two of the biggest names in the business. They are successful for a reason though. For example, not only is McAfee anti-virus software, it includes anti-spyware and anti-adware, as well as a malicious website blocker. Norton has one of the best virus detection and removal reputations in the business. Kapersky is unique in it’s ability to unpack and scan compressed files, a very likely place for malware to be hiding. Panda Anti-virus Pro has a built in firewall and phishing filter. ESET Nod32 has indisputably the better virus detection than any other anti-virus solution (Want the best…). Nod32 also features one of the smallest footprints of all of it’s competitors, so you can run other programs while scanning, or even play games.

So free anti-virus software will protect you from viruses, and not much else. If you decide to pay for your anti-virus software, you will get more features, such as anti-spyware, anti-adware, phishing detection, firewalls, on demand scanners, and much more, depending on the product. However, viruses can be devastating to your machine, and if nothing else, getting a free anti-virus solution will protect you from that. You will, however, still need to deal other malware, such as spyware and adware.

OK, what about a firewall? Any computer without one will be hacked within seconds of connecting to the internet, so a firewall is absolutely necessary. Do you need to pay for a firewall too? Well those of us running Windows Vista or Windows 7 are already covered. The version of Windows Firewall included with these releases is an excellent firewall. Since Windows Vista, Windows Firewall not only block unauthorized incoming connections, but it filters outgoing connections too. The Windows Firewall included with Windows XP did not filter outgoing connections, meaning you could easily lose data from your computer to an attacker without even knowing. With the new version of Windows Firewall, this will not happen. Of course, if you don’t want to use windows firewall, you have the option of using Zone Alarm. Zone Alarm is another great firewall that monitors both incoming and outgoing connections. You can use this in place of Windows Firewall, and if you are running XP, I would highly recommend it.

So, you can scrape by with all free security software. You can use on of the anti-virus solutions I mentioned earlier, such as Avast!, to protect you from viruses and Trojans. Then you could install Spybot search and destroy to check for spyware. Then you could install AdAware to protect you from adware. Then you could use Windows Firewall, or install ZoneAlarm if you use XP. Or, if you want to spend the money, you could get a security suite which takes care of all of that, and would likely give you more solid protection. If you are going to use free software, make sure you do your research first, as often times you cannot trust what you are downloading, and it could have a Trojan. You also want to make sure what you’re downloading works well, as a lot of freeware security solutions are very poor quality. The anti-virus software that I recommended earlier are all reputable.