None of it (with the possible exception of AdAware) will do any good
unless it's scrupulously kept up to date by subscribing to the vendor's
automatic live service that updates virus definitions on your computer
every time you log on.

AV and firewall software is already out of date by the time you install
it...the first thing it does the first time you log on after installing
it is update the virus definitions...but unless it's done EVERY time you
log on, it very quickly becomes all but useless, 'cuz new virii are
"invented" almost daily...no AV software can protect your computer
against any that aren't on the list on your computer. So anyone who
thinks that just installing AV and firewall software is all that's
needed to protect your computer from then on might as well not have
bothered...'cuz your computers are not protected against ANYthing that's
come along since.

And I can say with 99.999% certainty that several people on this list DO
have infected computers....'cuz the return paths for the infected emails
I've been getting are match for your return addresses...the most
frequent is from someone here whose return address is "@letsea.tv" At
some point you've caught an address book "harvesting" worm that keeps on
sending itself to everyone in your address book--not only from your
computer, but also from any other infected computer who has you in ITS
address book...that's how they spread. They're a PITA for people who
keep getting 'em, but aren't harmful to your systems...but if they can
get in, something that is harmful can too.

Norton's live update service costs about $20/year...McAfee's is about he
same...and would be bargains at 10x the price.

--
Peggie

Peggie Hall
Specializing in marine sanitation since 1987
Author "Get Rid of Boat Odors - A Guide To Marine Sanitation Systems and
Other Sources of Aggravation and Odor"
http://69.20.93.241/store/customer/product.php?productid=40&cat=&page=1

it...the first thing it does the first time you log on after installing it
is update the virus definitions...but unless it's done EVERY time you log
on, it very quickly becomes all but useless, 'cuz new virii are "invented"
almost daily...no AV software can protect your computer against any that
aren't on the list on your computer. <<<<

One shouldn't really speak of anti-virus and firewall software in the same
breath. Both are highly desirable, but they have different issues when it
comes to getting updates.

Anti-virus software typically checks programmes, files, e-mail attachments
etc. against a database of known "virus signatures", and this DOES need to
be updated regularly. Any decent software will do this for you
automatically. I use AVG from Grisoft (www.grisoft.com) and have it set up
to check automatically for updates once every 24 hours, because I have an
"always-on" cable internet connection. The basic version of AVG is free for
personal use, and the updates are free too, but if you want technical
support you have to buy a license.

Firewall software doesn't generally work the same way. What it does is allow
you to control incoming and outgoing connections to the "ports" which your
computer's networking software uses to connect to the outside world (that's
a gross simplification, but I have books like doorsteps on my shelves about
this stuff and most people just don't need the detail). A good firewall will
also "stealth" your computer's connections so that it will be invisible to
the scanning tools that crackers and other miscreants use to find
potentially vulnerable systems to exploit. Firewall software doesn't need to
be updated in the same way that anti-virus software does, but one should
visit the vendor's website maybe every few weeks to check for updates. The
issue here is bugs in the firewall itself. For whatever it's worth, I use
ZoneAlarm from Zone Labs (www.zonelabs.com), and again the basic version is
free for personal use.

Finally none of the above will necessarily protect you from bugs in your
mail client, web browser, operating system etc. because these are not
strictly viruses, and these tools have to be allowed to connect through your
firewall. Periodically you'll have to check your vendor's support web pages
and then download/install the latest patches.

Finally, you can test your computer's connection vulnerabilities at the
Shields Up website. Go here https://grc.com/x/ne.dll?bh0bkyd2 and follow the
prompts. There's heaps of computer security info on this site, but some of
it IS a bit paranoid (it's an occupational hazard in computer security), so
take it with a pinch of salt. Life is full of potential hazards and you
could worry yourself sick about them, but nobody gets out alive anyway, so
choose your level of risk and don't sweat the small stuff.

Best regards, Robert Bryett,
Sydney, Australia.
mailto:rbryett@mail.com