Is It Safe To Download Computer Software From The Internet?
Do you ever ask yourself whether it is safe to download things off the Net? I know that I am asked that question a number of times a month. The fact is, that it depends, like most solutions. It depends on two basic factors: how good your defences are and where you are downloading from.
You might be thinking: well, if my defences are decent, why would it matter where I download from and that is a good question, but so is: what do you think of as good protection?
If your concept of decent protection is a free version of Avira, then you are going to have trouble. One day or another you will have problems, guaranteed. I can say that with my hand on my heart, because they have a paid version as well. If the free version is as good as the paid version, why do people pay?
Because they are stupid? I do not think so. By the way, I am not getting at Avira! They give away a marvelous product and as long as you are cautious, it may be all you require. Avira and all the other good anti-virus software suites need a little help to keep you secure.
For instance, they will require you to run a firewall at the same time and use an anti-spyware program on a frequent basis. They will also need you to not put yourself at the greatest risk either by visiting a few types of sites and not opening attachments from people you do not trust.
If you run the free forms of these av software programs, you will notice that some features like the firewall or and the email attachment scanner have been disabled. This is how you will pick up viruses. Another manner that you lay yourself open to concerns is by downloading free utilities. These pieces of software almost always include tracking routines.
The software will do its job, but it will install a tracking cookie on your computer which will email home each day to its boss and tell them where you have been searching, so that they can spam you with similar things.
Porn sites are another decent instance of dangerous web sites. You get 'free porn', but they receive your IP address and possibly your email address as well, which means that they can either spam you themselves or and sell your email address on so that half the world can spam you.
So, free av software is OK, but you have to assist it. On the other hand paid software from a reputable company like Norton, Kaspersky and Nod, to name but a few, should take care of you without you having to do anything but pay and install and allow automatic updates. You can expect that from these companies and they are able to deliver that level of protection for $50-60 a year and then you can download anything you like.
The Internet is very much a case of 'you pays your money and you takes your choice' and 'free' is definitely not always the best choice.
You might be thinking: well, if my defences are decent, why would it matter where I download from and that is a good question, but so is: what do you think of as good protection?
If your concept of decent protection is a free version of Avira, then you are going to have trouble. One day or another you will have problems, guaranteed. I can say that with my hand on my heart, because they have a paid version as well. If the free version is as good as the paid version, why do people pay?
Because they are stupid? I do not think so. By the way, I am not getting at Avira! They give away a marvelous product and as long as you are cautious, it may be all you require. Avira and all the other good anti-virus software suites need a little help to keep you secure.
For instance, they will require you to run a firewall at the same time and use an anti-spyware program on a frequent basis. They will also need you to not put yourself at the greatest risk either by visiting a few types of sites and not opening attachments from people you do not trust.
If you run the free forms of these av software programs, you will notice that some features like the firewall or and the email attachment scanner have been disabled. This is how you will pick up viruses. Another manner that you lay yourself open to concerns is by downloading free utilities. These pieces of software almost always include tracking routines.
The software will do its job, but it will install a tracking cookie on your computer which will email home each day to its boss and tell them where you have been searching, so that they can spam you with similar things.
Porn sites are another decent instance of dangerous web sites. You get 'free porn', but they receive your IP address and possibly your email address as well, which means that they can either spam you themselves or and sell your email address on so that half the world can spam you.
So, free av software is OK, but you have to assist it. On the other hand paid software from a reputable company like Norton, Kaspersky and Nod, to name but a few, should take care of you without you having to do anything but pay and install and allow automatic updates. You can expect that from these companies and they are able to deliver that level of protection for $50-60 a year and then you can download anything you like.
The Internet is very much a case of 'you pays your money and you takes your choice' and 'free' is definitely not always the best choice.
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