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Even though different antivirus software have different functions, they all perform the same basic function: protecting your computer from a potentially costly, annoying virus.

All antivirus software will scan your computer for any viruses, spyware or malware that could potentially damage your computer. The tricky thing for antivirus software is to detect new and updated malware that may be slightly different to existing viruses.

Viruses can be avoided in many instances if you follow some simple precautions. These can include being a little more suspicious of unknown emails/websites, as well as regularly receiving and downloading free antivirus software to help scan your PC and keep yourself protected.

One of the easiest ways to get infected with a virus is via your email. It is easy to disguise emails so they look like they come from official, recognizable sources only to find that a Trojan horse, virus or other nasty piece of malware is lurking inside waiting to be downloaded.

If an email looks suspicious, don’t open it and don’t click on any links within it. If you think you are infected or clicked on something that turned out not to be what you thought it was – run a virus scan on your computer right away.

Another good tip is to regularly receive information from your antivirus software on updates of recent viruses and potential computer security threats.

It is important for your software to be able to identify new viruses so opt in for the updates immediately.

It can be terrifying to find that your computer – filled with work and personal information – has been infected with a virus and you cannot access it, but if it does happen to you, try not to panic too much as in most instances it is possible to recover your files, get rid of the offending virus and restore your computer to how it once was.

But in order to avoid having to scream in frustration at your computer; waste time trying to fix it and then waste more time and money getting a professional to fix it for you; installing antivirus software on your computer should give you peace of mind that you are fully protected.

Make sure that you have the right virus protection.

If you own a computer and regularly browse the Internet, you’ll understand the importance of protecting your machine from malware with up-to-date antivirus software. Malware, which is short for ‘malicious software’, is designed to infiltrate a computer without the owner’s permission. If it is successful, the implications can be very serious indeed.

The term ‘computer virus’ is often used to encompass all types of malicious software, but in fact malware consists of viruses, worms, spyware, adware, trojan horses, crimeware and rootkits. The good news is that most PC users recognise the importance of free antivirus software, but recent research has shown that one demographic may be putting itself at greater risk than others.

According to Kaspersky Lab, there are almost 15,000 malware attacks on UK computers each day, which suggests that gamers may not be as malware savvy as other computer users. Its global research and analysis team has expressed concern that the reported figure is actually much higher, with fantasy game World of Warcraft users being some of the most affected.

There’s little doubt that cybercriminals are diverting their attention to the online gaming community, so if you’re an enthusiast, what should you do to protect your machine? If you’ve got a relatively new computer, it’s wise to consider Windows 7 antivirus. While this may be the latest version of Windows, it’s vital to invest in some antivirus software – with many packages now including a ‘gaming mode’ for added security.

Separate research from Kaspersky Lab revealed that during 2009, over 14 million malicious programs were released on the Internet; the computer security company processed approximately 30,000 such programs every day. While some of these are relatively harmless, other are far more serious. For example, some are specifically designed to take bank account details and login and password details for online shopping accounts.

David Jacoby, Kaspersky Lab’s senior security researcher at its global research and analysis team, said that “failing to secure every computer is potentially leaving people vulnerable to theft, identity fraud and sometimes worse”. While burglars can choose which house to break into, he explained, malware does not discriminate – it can target any computer at any time, and if the machine isn’t protected, the chances are that it will successfully obtain the confidential information it was designed to extract.

Mr Jacoby went on to state that the value of the information stored inside a computer is quite often greater than the machine itself. This tends to be true in most instances – not only is an unprotected computer putting financial data such as bank details at risk, the user also risks losing sentimental files such as family photos or videos.

Once malware successfully enters your computer, it is designed to spread to your electronic contacts. It does this by including itself in email attachments – so, depending on how many addresses are stored in your email account, you could be moving your problem on to hundreds more computer users.

Why is malware created? The simple answer is money: cybercriminals can make vast sums by obtaining personal information. Experts in their (highly illegal) field, they rely on virtually breaking into unsecured computers and stealing money online. With new malware being developed and released every day, it’s vital that your Internet security package is able to update itself in real time.

The most effective antivirus programs have an automatic update service, which means that they are able to scan your machine at regular intervals with the latest information – spotting anything suspicious and bringing it to your attention.

After deciding on your antivirus package and purchasing it, there are a few basics to bear in mind. First and foremost, how it’s configured is actually more important than how it’s installed. If a faulty configuration occurs, the efficiency of your antivirus program may be significantly compromised. If you’re unsure of anything during the installation process, consult the help of a technical expert who will be able to point you in the right direction.

It’s also worth bearing in mind that you should never have two antivirus programs running at the same time. If you purchase another one, make sure that the old one is completely removed. If the uninstall facility isn’t available, use Windows’ add/remove software tool, which can be found in the control panel.

An unfortunate reality of the Internet is the number of bogus antivirus programs out there. Rogue virus scanners will normally encourage you to purchase ‘the full version’ in order to fully remove the malware that it has supposedly detected. If you go ahead with the purchase, there have been reports of credit and debit cards being charged more than advertised. The moral of the story? Only purchase an antivirus program from a reputable company. If you’re unsure, ask an expert for advice.

Sadly, it seems that malware is no longer limited to computers. Kaspersky Lab recently reported that the first SMS trojan had been detected on smartphones using Google’s Andriod operating system. Disguising itself as a harmless media player, it prompts users to install a file of just 13KB ending in .APK, which is the standard Android extension which many users will recognise. Once this is installed, the trojan starts to send text messages to premium rate numbers without the owner realising. Unaware that anything is wrong, their money can soon be passed into the hands of cybercriminals.

If you use the Internet regularly, the chances are that you have a Facebook account. Did you know that the social media portal is the third most-targeted website in terms of phishing attacks? So, it may be wise to consider how much information you choose to publish – even if you think that only your friends can see it.

Kaspersky has also discovered that the majority of current malicious programs were HTML pages written in JavaScript. Because these are so widespread, you can’t afford to leave your computer unsecured – even if you browse the Internet occasionally. Not only will you be risking your financial security, you’ll also risk losing a number of cherished memories.

Online, whenever the word ‘free’ is attached to anything people start to wonder.  At one time the possibility of free goods online was an actual reality, but anymore with the amount of spam, fraud, and dangerous malware programs it pays to be a little sceptical whenever anything is supposedly available for free.

With this mind, it is perfectly normal and wise to be wary of free download antivirus software offers, but the truth is that there are effective antivirus programs out there that are available for free if you know what to look for and use a healthy dose of common sense when choosing one for your computer.

The first thing that you should do when you start looking for antivirus software is turn to the brands that you already know you can trust.  Many consumers are not aware of the fact that many of the top software brands actually offer free versions of their programs in an effort to help consumers protect their computers from malware, adware, spyware, and other malicious software that can threaten the health of your PC and possibly lead to identity fraud if dubious people get into your computer.

The second thing that you should do if you do not run across free antivirus software during this search is turn to trusted websites online with high page rank values and valuable information.  There are many technical websites that specialize in offering consumers useful tips and screened downloads, so that you can rest assured each software has already been tested and is actually useful.

Additionally, these technology focused websites also offer feedback and a clear set of ratings and rankings so that you can make sure you get the best software available on the net which can be helpful if you are not the most computer literate users.

Finally, you need to be aware of the fact that excellent free antivirus software should be able to do more than simply detect a virus, because there are now dozens of additional ways that your computer can be attacked.

Elements such as a firewall, link authenticity check programs, messaging scan programs, and other features are also needed and a requirement if you want a full suite of protection against the many different threats that are in existence across the internet.  By carefully searching for a suitable software with these factors in mind you can ensure you get absolute protection without compromising your computer in the process.

A recent study conducted by freebielist.com sugegsts that people who purchase new computers are being sold anti-virus software unnecessarily.

In the study they found that many electrical and computer tores fail to notify customers on the numerous free alternatives, and it is not surprising since about 1 in 3 elect to purchase anti-virus software at the ‘point of sale’. Only 30% of respondents recognised free alternatives were available. A further 15% of these believed free software was inferior.

Sales staff regularly recommend anti-virus packages, such as McAfee, Norton or Kaspersky. However, a similar level of protection can be achieved without spending hard-earned cash.

The following can all be obtained online, completely free of charge and with no catch.

AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition (http://free.grisoft.com/)
Avira AntiVir(http://www.free-av.com/)
Outpost Firewall Free (http://free.agnitum.com/)
SUPERAntiSpyware (http://www.superantispyware.com/)
Spyware Terminator(http://www.spywareterminator.com/)

One of the central narratives in the story of the internet to date has surely been the wealth of opportunities that have been opened up to those who feel they have something they wish to say to the world but have previously lacked any obvious route to relaying it to a wide audience. By self-publishing online, using digital publishing software, significant advantages suddenly become available to the aspirant author, in terms of flexibility and user-friendliness, as well as delivering certain sustainability benefits, as the need to deliver a physical product is negated.

However the central advantage of online publishing is undoubtedly one of accessibility, as geographical boundaries are instantly rendered null and void and the self-published product becomes immediately available to a potential global readership. It becomes possible to communicate and collaborate with like-minded individuals, with the internet of course being a two-way street in terms of the flow of ideas, and the wealth of information available online coming in the varied shape of eBooks and digital magazines and brochures. And when you self-publish via the internet the opportunity for delivering a fully-integrated multimedia product becomes a reality, as photographs, music and podcasts can be appended to any online magazine venture. Digital publishing has been very much a process of democratisation, as the plethora of aspirant authors and editors who have chosen to deliver their material over the web are increasingly joined by leading traditional publishers venturing into this area – it being an area which is absolutely vital if those larger publishing houses are to retain a connection to their audience in the 21st century.

So what precisely are the advantages that stem from the adoption of publisher software? Well, the opportunity to fully engage with the readership is delivered to the self-publisher, as they are given means to record reader habits, and consequently produce content which most closely reflects what items their readership respond to. Similarly email collection options provide route to building a fully-comprehensive database of reader email contact details, and – for those who wish to put a price on their writing – a subscription management system offers secure means of monetizing digital magazine subscriptions. These types of tracking options give the publisher the means to target their advertising more effectively and produce the kind of material that reader habits indicate would be most successful. And of course the costly overheads of providing a physical item are removed, with no outlay being necessary to dip a toe into the world of online publishing, and begin building a readership that could potentially provide a stream of income over time.

To get started in digital publishing all that is required is to utilise, often free, publisher software to upload PDFs or other documents in order to begin delivering search engine-optimised pages that can be added to a website or sent out direct by email. By exploring the burgeoning realm of online magazine or eBook publishing, and gaining readership through online magazine subscription, it becomes not only possible, but relatively simple to bring your voice to a potential audience of millions.