Internet Security

[Alex R]

For reasons too annoying for me to go through again I have decided to remove Norton Internet Security. But I would like some unbiased/unhysterical advice on the subject of internet security. Basically I would like to know how much of it I need?

I use Firefox and Thunderbird, so NIS never really integrated with them anyway. I have a router with a firewall and will be downloading ZoneAlarm as a software one. I have Ad-Adware and will also be downloading some freely available anti virus software. Is this enough? How much do you need?

 

[NathanE]

Just ask yourself...

Do you ever run attachments in e-mail's from people you don't know?
Do you visit dodgy websites?
Do you download stuff from said dodgy websites or random stuff from P2P?
Do you accept random files from people on MSN, even if you know them?
Do you have a straight connection to the Internet (no NAT router inbetween)?
Do you have Automatic Updates turned off?

If the answer to those is mostly Yes then you'll need all the security you can get. If most or all of them is No then you probably don't need any security software - within reason.

 

[uknorthboy]

Well with Nathane suggestions and the programmes you are running and going to run you should be ok, just occationally run one of the free online virus scanners like trend micro.

Also I dont like Norton I think it is too much of a resource hog and seems intrusive to me anyhow

 

[AJUK]

As a minimum you should run Wndows Firewall and an anti virus software such as Avast, AVG or AntiVir, all of which are free. Ad-aware is fine but you may also consider Microsoft Antispyware which is also free. As long as you have a firewall anti virus and a spyware scanner together with Firefox or Opera and applying some common sense, as NathanE has said, you will be fine.

You made a start in the right direction by removing that Norton junk as well.