Nowadays, computers have become so common that most households possess at least one of them. A stand-alone computer in itself does not pose any security threat to the individual using it. However, once connected to the Internet, each computer becomes a door which any identity thief or hacker may use in order to take advantage of the pandemonium of the World Wide Web. In an effort to protect users from the aggravation caused by viruses, spyware, pop-ups and spam, software companies have developed various measures aimed at improving computer security.

Anti-virus software is the predominant development in this field. McAfee and Norton are the two major companies offering such anti-virus software, which actually searches through the files on a computer in order to see if they contain certain characteristics which could be viruses, or which are often associated with viruses. The characteristics, known as virus definitions, need to be regularly downloaded. In addition to files on the computer itself, e-mails as well as files on CDs and floppy discs should be scanned. It has already been accepted as an axiom, that anti- virus software is absolutely essential for computer security.

Anti-virus protection the most essential program you need. There are many expensive and popular alternatives, which however tend to slow down the performance of the computer and require an annual subscription fee. Experience shows that the virus protection provided by freeware alternatives is just as good. A good recommendation is Grisoft's AVG Free Edition. Though the program does not boast every single feature provided by the commercially available programs, it provides excellent protection by performing the most important task of keeping the system free of viruses, Trojans and worms.