The Problem:The Japanese have a neat saying that goes something like: The things, which are free, are actually most expensive. The phrase is often used when speaking about a sense of obligation. In Japan, if you do something for me without asking or "charging" me in some way, I will naturally feel some indebtedness to you. It's not overbearing. It's just a cultural way of dealing with social contexts.
In the computing word, free stuff is actually ubiquitous. The Internet is a smorgasbord of free and easy access to all kinds of things. Unfortunately, those free downloads, like video and audio for example, are often used by the bag guys out there on the net to install malicious code on your PC. Again, free does not always mean cheap. What can you do?
The Solution:Be careful what you download. That includes what little Johnny downloads at his gaming sites, too. Of course, making sure your computer is fully protected with a firewall, anti-virus software, anti-spyware software and all the critical patches for your operating system will go a long way to protecting your computer and files.
But there is plenty of great software on the Internet that is free and safe to download. Here are a few you should seriously consider:
Avast: Avast is anti-spyware software that is currently available for free from
www.avast.com. In our tests at SuperGeeks, we've found it is more effective in identifying and blocking viruses than Norton or McAfee. It also requires less computing resources, which means, for example, that a computer running Avast will run faster than one running Norton.
CCleaner: Originally called "crap cleaner," this download software helps remove unwanted cookies from your computer. It's effective and is considered a must-have. Fortunately, it is also free. You can download it from
www.ccleaner.com.
Firefox: You've seen this one mentioned in previous columns. Firefox is a free browser offered by Mozilla. It's considered to be a safer browser (fewer known security flaws) than Microsoft's Internet Explorer a.k.a. Internet Exposure! Download it from
www.mozilla.org and use it as your default browser. You'll experience a lot less spyware if you use Firefox.
Speaking of spyware, you can get good protection from Ad-Aware and another title called Spybot Search & Destroy. Both are free and available at
www.download.com. Be sure to run both at least weekly. Spyware these days is getting so sophisticated one software title alone can't always get the job done. Also, beware of spyware masquerading as anti-spyware. Like a wolf is in sheep's clothing, bad guys often cloak their malicious software is seemingly good packages.
HijackThis: HijackThis is an effective spyware removal tool. Unfortunately, it's fairly technical and not to be used by the faint at heart. But, if you are a budding geek and have a good understanding of the processes that should or shouldn't be running on your machine, then take a peek at this tool. Search for it on
www.majorgeeks.com but be sure to do your homework before playing with it. Otherwise, I might just see you in one of my service centers!
Note: If you're a Mac user, you're already way ahead of the game. Your operating system is less poplar and therefore a much less profitable target for all the bad guys out there, meaning you are less susceptible to viruses and spyware. Nonetheless, stay vigilant. Use Safari (your browser) and be careful about which sites you visit and from where you're downloading.
