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San Jose Mercury News, Calif., Troy Wolverton column: Tips on protecting your PCMar 28, 2010 (San Jose Mercury News - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- Choosing a computer security program these days can be a daunting task. More than 20 companies offer security software, and each has multiple versions of its software. Depending on features, the programs can range in price from free to $70 or more. Meanwhile, you may have heard that Microsoft has been battening down Windows, making its operating system and related programs more secure. That may lead you to wonder whether you should even bother with security software anymore, especially if you have to pay for it. I'm not a computer security expert, and I'm not going to pretend to know which security program is best. But I have a lot of experience with computers and have talked to many bona fide security experts. From that perspective, I can say without a doubt that it's still important -- perhaps now more than ever -- to run software to protect your computer from malicious programs. Malware continues to multiply. While Microsoft and other software makers have closed a lot of holes in Windows and other popular programs, new ones are discovered all the time. And the bad guys who exploit such vulnerabilities are endlessly inventive, always finding new ways to break into computers when older routes have been shut off. Threats can come from a variety of sources, including files stored on USB drives, e-mail attachments and links that seem to come from friends or companies with which you've done business. And Web pages and ads -- even those found on reputable Web sites -- can have malicious code buried within them. If you don't protect your computer with security software, you run the risk of losing important files, having your personal information compromised or seeing your computer bogged down by malicious programs. Worse, your computer could be turned into a digital Typhoid Mary, spreading malware to other computers on your local network or over the Internet. So running a security software program should be a given. But how should you choose among them? First, make sure you get the real thing. As the number of genuine security programs has multiplied, so has the number of fake ones. Such programs can send up legitimate looking pop-ups encouraging you to download or update your software, only to give you malware instead. One way to be safe is to stick with known brands, such as Symantec, McAfee or Trend-Micro, say independent security experts. If you have any questions, you can also turn to companies such as West Coast Labs and iCSA Labs, which certify security programs, vouching that they actually work. West Coast also provides links to the Web pages of certified security software makers. The next step is to figure out how much protection you need and what you can afford. Basically, the more you spend, the more layers of protection you'll get. The free software from companies such as Avast, McAfee, Panda and even Microsoft can offer very good protection against viruses, spyware, Trojan horses and the other kinds of malicious programs floating around in cyberspace, security experts say. But typically, that's all they do. In contrast, the paid programs generally have added features, including spam filters to block unwanted e-mail, parental controls to bar kids from accessing offensive Web sites, and browser protection that can block hijacked Web sites or allow you to access suspect ones without endangering your computer. Some security programs, such as Symantec's Norton 360, also include backup software and online storage. Those extra features come at a price. Some versions of Norton 360 cost as much as $100, although you can find less complete security programs for $60 or even $40. The final step is picking a product. Technology review sites such as PC Magazine and CNet do a good job of rating new security programs, putting them through a battery of tests. PC Magazine in particular rates both basic anti-virus programs and the full-security suites. Another resource is AV-Comparatives, an independent company that specializes in testing anti-virus products. Unlike the security certification companies, which don't compare products against each other, AV-Comparatives rates the various products, looking at three specific measures: the percentage of malware a program fails to detect, the number of applications a program falsely identifies as malware and the speed at which the program scans your computer. Among the programs that both PC Magazine and AV-Comparatives ranked highly are two that come with a cost: Symantec's Norton Internet Security 2010 and PC Tools' Spyware Doctor with AntiVirus 2010. Avast Free Anti-Virus 5.0 ranks highly among the no-cost programs. Contact Troy Wolverton at 408-920-5021 or [email protected]. Follow him online at www.mercurynews.com/troy-wolverton or at Twitter.com/troywolv. Free security software resources online West Coast Labs: Independent company that certifies anti-virus and security software. Searchable list of verified products: http://www.westcoastlabs.com/checkmark/search/ iCSA: Verizon-owned certification company. List of certified products: http://www.icsalabs.com/products A-V Comparatives: Company that specializes in testing and rating security software. Latest rankings: http://www.av-comparatives.org/images/stories/test/ondret/avc_report25.pdf PC Magazine: Technology rating publication. Collection of articles and rankings of security software: http://www.pcmag.com/category2/0,2806,4829,00.asp To see more of the San Jose Mercury News, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.mercurynews.com. Copyright (c) 2010, San Jose Mercury News, Calif. Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For reprints, email [email protected], call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA. |