Essential tools

There are certain tools which are almost required when using the Internet today, with all of the nasties lurking out there. These programs work behind the scenes, trying to keep you and your computer safe, but it's important to make sure you don't neglect them. The bad guys are constantly working to get round the protection these pieces of software afford, and the software authors are constantly working to block the bad guys. Keeping up-to-date with the software is as important as having it installed in the first place!

These security tools can be grouped into several categories, each performing a seperate job:

• Firewalls - control the information going in to and out of your computer
• Virus scanners - protect your computer and data from harmful programs
• Adware/Spyware scanners - stop annoying adverts and people gathering information from your computer
• Web browsers - view the Internet in a new (and safer) way

Generally, you only need one piece of software for each group to protect yourself, and the good news is that there is a lot of high-quality software made available for free for home users.

One important thing to note: never use security software from sources you cannot trust - the software may have been deliberately damaged to either not detect some malware, or to deliberately install it! Unless the software comes from a well known download site, or a shrink-wrapped retail box, you might be installing more than you realise.