“Where can I find the the best free antivirus scanner,” is one of the questions I am asked more than any other. My answer is simple, do a search for something like free antivirus software on Yahoo or Google and have a look at the info they provide.
There are many companies offering internet security programs for free, some are good, some are not so good, and some you should stay well clear of.
Many of the better known companies like AVG offer what I consider to be, an excellent anti-virus solution. The latest version not only includes an AV scanner but also a spyware scanner and built in protection for web surfing, phishing attacks etc.
The web surfing protection is very useful as it can alert you to websites that it deems could be a security threat. This is accomplished by showing different graphics merged into your web browsers search window. Specific graphics or icons informs you if caution is required or that site is ok to visit.
Problem is many sites are offering what is termed, “rogue software.” Basically what this means is that if for instance you were trying to remove some spyware on your laptop and downloaded one of these so called “spyware removers, then installed it on your PC, some of them may actually install malware onto your system instead of removing it.
The link scanner from AVG which is installed into your browser comes in really handy to help prevent this from happening. It should keep you away from sites that may try and trick you into installing their dodgy software. This kind of web surfing software has been around for quite a while although not many end users are aware of it.
AVG was not the first company to make this kind of technology available. I first came came across it when McAfee security made it popular. By now you have probably worked out that I’m a fan of AVG. Although they are my personal preference, there are others out there to choose from.
There are others like Avast and Avira, which seem to have a good reputation and are used by many to protect their systems from worms, viruses and all types of malware infection.
Back full circle to, “where can I find free antivirus software.” I hope that I have given you enough relevant information for you to spend a little time researching so you can make your own informed decision. Alternatively you may decide just to take my word for it and make the AVG free download page your first port of call.
Posted under Home Security
This post was written by Hugh Duddy on June 11, 2008
