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In August of 2003, IT specialists all over the world noticed the launching of the Blaster worm. Blaster spread quickly online infecting hundreds of thousands of PCs and causing billions of dollars worth of damage, and it was devastating for businesses running their operations on computer networks.
Blaster’s successful attack serves as an important reminder of how essential it is to have quality antivirus and Internet security protection. In addition to the costs associated with malware attacks on a large scale, there are several other important reasons for keeping your computer secure. This guide outlines six reasons why you should invest in quality antivirus and security software.
1. There Is No Such Thing As Free Protection
Though the Internet is abundant with antivirus and security software available as free downloads, it is well worth investing in a fully-featured software from a trusted developer. Although free options offer a certain amount of protection from malicious software, they are often stripped down to the basics in terms of functionality, and they also usually only work as demos of the fully-featured versions. Quality commercial antivirus programs provide enhanced protection that will block trojan-infected spam, detect phishing attempts, and block potentially harmful websites.
2. Antivirus and Security Software Compatibility
Another reason for investing in quality antivirus and security software from a trusted developer is that these usually come in ready-to-go packages, which cover all possible ways malicious code can enter a computer. To be fully protected, a computer should have both an antivirus program to detect worms and viruses, and a firewall to block out hacker attacks. The advantage of buying quality antivirus and security software is that one usually gets both of these types of protection in the same package, eliminating any compatibility issues that may arise when using security software from different manufacturers on the same computer.
3. Viruses And Trojans Operate Undercover
People sometimes say that they have the ability to avoid viruses simply by employing common online sense, i.e. not opening spam emails, avoiding suspicious websites, and never downloading dubious software– but these things are in no way foolproof, and people who are careful online can have their computer infected unknowingly. Trojans can be impressively well-crafted fakes, posing as legitimate programs, and can trick even the most experienced user into clicking “Open.” Common sense goes a long way to protect against malicious code, but any computer running without quality antivirus and security software risks being infected.
4. Your Personal Data Is Worth Protecting
Today, more and more, our lives exist as fragments on our computer hard drives; family photos, bank account information, work related material, school papers, passwords, usernames, address books, calendars, music, movies, private documents– and the list goes on. All of it can be destroyed irreparably by a worm or virus, or worse still, can fall into the hands of a skilled hacker. Quality antivirus and security software not only protects computers from the attacks themselves, but also often provides convenient ways to back up important data, should the computer become infected or attacked.
5. Protecting Others
Another reason for investing in quality antivirus and security software is because it is the responsible thing to do. People who choose not to install antivirus and security software potentially put millions of other computer users at risk. Viruses work by spreading from one computer to the next, and each vulnerable computer possibly facilitates the spread of malicious code by acting as a weak link. The fewer vulnerable computers there are, the harder it is for viruses to spread quickly across the internet. Having antivirus and security software installed is like receiving a shot of vaccine to prevent it from spreading through unprotected agents.
6. Avoiding Future Repair Costs
Buying a new computer or operating system can be a costly investment. Antivirus and security software, on the other hand, is available at relatively low prices. Investing in high-quality antivirus and security software is like buying an insurance policy for your computer and your important data.
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