Online Safety: Software, Updates and More

I was thinking about yesterday's blog entry about using the Web safely. I noticed I smoothed over the security software piece. I figure it would be appropriate to share some inside tips on keeping your computer secure with free software.

Computer security software usually comes in three flavors: anti-virus, firewall and spyware protection. Anti-virus software prevents viruses and worms from infecting your computer. A firewall prevents unauthorized Internet connections. Spyware protection removes unauthorized privacy-related or "adware" programs from your computer. Using the right combination will keep you protected and your computer happy.

If you don't have an anti-virus, AOL offers AOL Safety & Security Center and Active Virus Shield. These work great and are completely free to AOL and AIM members. If your anti-virus program nags you to pay for your updates or that they expired -- I suggest uninstalling it and switching to one of the ones that I mentioned above.

Keep in mind that the AOL Safety & Security Center is a full security suite. It includes a complete virus scan, firewall, spyware protection, phishing protection and more. So, if you have that, you really don't need anything else.

There are those of you (like me) who like to mix up security applications. That's good, but please do yourself a favor and only run one firewall plus one anti-virus. Running two firewalls or two anti-virus programs simultaneously is unnecessary, makes your computer vulnerable and makes it painfully slow. It's all too geeky of me to go into in great detail, so only run one of each. You can learn how to remove your current virus scan or firewall by performing an AOL Search for "How to uninstall <name of program>?"

Alternative security software is widely available that helps you secure your computer and keep it that way. The programs listed below are not supported by AOL, but you can find a lot of support available on the Internet.

Anti-Virus: AVG, Avast!, AntiVir
Firewall: ZoneAlarm, Comodo Personal Firewall
Anti-Spyware: Spybot Search & Destroy, Lavasoft Ad-Aware, CWShredder, AVG Anti-Spyware

There are probably many other programs available, but I feel these would be the best ones most people would benefit from. If you have any suggestions, drop them in the comments.

Now that you've got the tools, you need to update them. Updating them will provide the software with the latest information to keep your computer secure. Most anti-virus software update themselves, but it would be a good practice to manually update them to make sure they are functioning correctly.

Your computer needs updates, too. I suggest to occasionally check for updates on a monthly basis. IT administrators nickname the second Tuesday of the month Patch Tuesday, because Microsoft often releases important updates on this schedule. I'm not exactly sure how often Apple releases updates for OS X, but it would be a good idea to check for software updates if you own a Mac.

As long as you keep your operating system and security software up to date, you shouldn't need to do anything else.

If you have a question or would like a second opinion on your computer's security, I suggest to hop over to our Online Safety Message Boards. There are plenty of helpful members (just like you) that share their expertise and offer helpful advice.

What tips do you have to keep your computer secure? Share them in the comments and stay tuned for more tips on using the Web safely!

Tags: AOL, Safety, Security, Privacy, Software, Anti Virus, Firewall, Spyware, Internet, Tips

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