I prefer Norton Anti-Virus (I use it as a part of Norton Systemworks) for virus protection. I find it easy to use, easy to buy, and well-made. The updates are frequent and do not take long to download (they average 100-300 kilobytes per download, with releases about once a week).
Another anti-virus software with a solid reputation is McAffee. Most new computers come with one or the other pre-installed. You can buy either from Amazon.com or at your local software store.
Firewalls:
A firewall is the term used for software (or hardware) that functions like a firewall in building construction: it completely blocks the path of a fire - delaying or halting its progress. Firewalls on a computer block network traffic coming to and leaving a system, giving permission to transmit and receive only to those pieces of software authorized by the user.
My favorite firewall software is ZoneAlarm. Available for free for individual users and at a nominal fee for professionals and businesses, this simple-to-use software takes care of everything most users will need. It alerts you when unauthorized software is attempting to send or receive (thereby letting you authorize it or find the culprit) and the Zone Alarm site has a large database of known software so that if you aren''t sure what''s trying to access, you can click on the warning box and a web page will open with an explanation of what that software is (if it''s in their database).
I''m not aware of any comparable software firewalls available. There are a lot of hardware options, though, especially if you connect via broadband. Most cable and DSL modems are now equipped with built-in firewalls for protection.
You The User:
By far the best tool for defense against attack of any kind is you and what you know. If you know what you''re up against and ways of combating it, you are less likely to be a victim. The uninformed user is more likely to stumble into or unwittingly be the progenitor of an attack. If you are in the know, keep your software updated, regularly update your virus definitions, read informed articles such as this one (*wink*), and watch for sudden changes in your computer''s activity - you''ll be better able to defend against attack.
We will probably never be able to keep all attackers and attacks from causing harm. But at least we can minimize their effects or reach. As J. Edgar Hoover once said, "for every thousand honest men, there''s one hoodlum trying to steal from them.
by Aaron Turpen of Aaronz WebWorkz, 'Hacker_Prevention_Techniques', 0, 0, 1, 1, '2006-05-31 17:55:40', '2006-05-31 17:55:40');
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