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Why do I need Internet security software?

In a world where nearly 25% of the world’s population actively uses the Internet (including over 74% of North America), it shouldn’t even be a question that you need to protect yourself from online predators with a suite of Internet security software. In order to illustrate why, we’ve come up with a few examples. This article touches on a few key areas that can be easily remedied with software so that you don’t even have to think about what you need to do to stay safe: you’re just protected.

Viruses, spyware, and hackers, oh my!

Facts are facts: there are a lot of bad people out there who like to write computer viruses, worms, rootkits, and all manner of malware. Computer viruses have plagued users and administrators since as early as 1971, and there’s no sign of a slow down.

Antispyware and antivirus software are key components to keeping unwanted spyware and problem-causing viruses off of your computer and/or network. Using automated threat scanning, antispyware and antivirus software seek and destroy anything that isn’t welcome, which leaves you free to run your computer worry-free.

Don’t you want to keep your private data private?

According to the Social Security Administration, identity theft is one of the fastest growing crimes in America, making it a very real, very serious problem. Many of the methods used to steal personal information are offline, but since spyware tracks your computer usage and can even be written to send data back “home” to the person or group who created the spyware in the first place, making a leap to the digital world isn’t that difficult for crooks.

In the current world economy hackers and crackers around the globe are feeling a pinch in their pocketbooks just like everybody else, so they are devising crafty new ways to separate you from your private, personal information and your hard-earned money. If you do your taxes on your computer, keep a file with passwords stored on it, or have anything else that may contain sensitive information, it is completely possible that a spyware application can find or sniff out that information and relay it to the hacker.

But what if I’ve never had a virus (or spyware, etc.) before?

Unfortunately the reality is that even if you’ve never had to deal with malware in the past, the longer you use your computer and the Internet it’s only a matter of time before you become infected with a virus or some spyware if you are running your computer without some kind of protection. Why take chances when there’s a simple, safe, and inexpensive solution?

It’s better to be safe than sorry, so we recommend that you install, use, and keep updated, an internet security software package like our own (cue the shameless plug) StopSign Internet Security software.

With over 239 million web sites on the Internet it’s no surprise that Internet security is a hot topic. While it’s virtually impossible to nail down a solid number, it’s safe to say that there are millions of computer viruses, spyware applications, and assorted malware out there that can infect your computer. Some of that malware is merely an annoyance and some of it can do real damage. That’s where basic Internet security comes into play. You can protect yourself with a few simple tools and set them up to automatically protect you 24/7/365.

We’ve compiled a list of 3 pieces of software that most Internet security experts should agree are the core components of basic Internet security for your computer.

Firewall

A firewall is a piece of software or a device that sits between your computer and the Internet and blocks and/or filters all of the traffic before it gets into your system. In the home computing world, a firewall is more often than not software. At it’s heart, a firewall only allows certain kinds of traffic or requests to get through, and most modern firewalls allow you to customize what kind of traffic is accessible, such as email and web surfing.

Installing and configuring a firewall is is a great first-line defense against hackers trying to remotely access your computer. Once the bad guys have a foothold on your computer there’s not telling what they might do. Keep in mind, however, that a misconfigured firewall can be just as bad as not having one, so it’s best to either carefully read the firewall’s instructions or allow the default configuration to be set up by the firewall itself.

Antivirus

Detection, protection and deletion of malware such as computer worms, computer viruses, etc. are the bread and butter of antivirus software. Using a variety of virus detection techniques, antivirus software secures your emails, instant messages, and web browsers.

With the sheer number of viruses that are written and released every day, much less every year, it’s easy to see why you need antivirus software installed on your computer. Just be sure to stay updated with new patches, virus definitions, etc. otherwise you might leave yourself open to malware.

Antispyware

Spyware is generally considered to be any piece of software that is installed on your computer (usually without your permission) that tracks your computer usage, your browsing habits, and may even collect your personal information. Like it’s name implies, spyware snoops on what you do on your computer and sends that information back to the folks who wrote the spyware.

Think about all of the sensitive data on your computer (tax information, social security numbers, pictures of your kids, etc.) and all the different web sites that you visit. Now imagine if a complete stranger has access to all of that information and you have no idea they are snooping on you. Without antispyware software installed that’s a very real possibility, and you are leaving yourself open to potential computer infections.

In Closing…

There are bad guys out there who know that there are still plenty of people who aren’t protecting their computers. Keep your family’s information safe on your computer with a firewall, antivirus, and anti-spyware software.