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First of all let's discuss what these terms mean. Think of a Firewall as a guard that stands watch over your computer. The firewall does not allow access to unauthorized visitors. Much like a guard at a warehouse your firewall should not let visitors have access without your permission. When someone asks the warehouse guard if he may enter, the watchmen checks his log to see if they are authorized to enter. A firewall works much the same way. If a visitor asks for access to your computer from the internet your firewall tries to determine whether access is appropriate. The firewall may ask you if the visitor is authorized or, if in locked mode, the firewall may reject the visitor automatically. An excellent firewall that is free for personal use is
Zone
Alarm. Visit the Zone Labs web site for more information.
Anti Virus software protects your computer from malicious or potentially dangerous items that may find their way on to your computer. A virus may come to you as an attachment on an Email, as a script run from a website or from a disk or other medium used to input or load information on to your system. A good anti virus program runs constantly on your system, keeping an eye out for potential danger. It is also important to execute a thorough scan regularly. An out of date virus database can't protect you from new or modified virus attacks so it is important that your Anti virus software is kept up to date. Two Anti virus software programs that are free for personal use are
AVG and Avast. Both offer regular updates and are relatively easy to use. Visit their web sites for more information. You may also keep an eye on recent virus's and virus hoax's below.
What is spyware? Spyware may be a cookie placed on your computer when you visit a website, or a program that is loaded from a malicious script on a site. Spyware may also come in the form of seemingly safe software. Some computer programs have what is known as "phone home" features built in to them. What this means is that the program tries to access the internet once it is installed. Usually the information is claimed as "non personally identifiable" information. Such as your computers name, browser I.D. , operating system, the sites you visit on the internet etc.. Some are more bold and actually install themselves with out your permission an send whatever information is available. Try
Spybot Search & Destroy to rid your self of most if not all spyware.
This three pronged approach to security should keep you safe from the most common internet surfing hazards. Remember to be aware of the information you provide on the internet. Make sure you trust the recipient before giving away any secrets!
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