Fight against Spyware - Choose the right Anti-Spyware

If you ever go online, you know what can happen. Without the right software to protect it, your computer is vulnerable to all kinds of viruses, trackers and other intruders. This you already know. Because every time you turn around, there's something new on the market that claims it's crucial to the safety of your PC. Heck, you even get spam about protecting your computer from spam.

If you paid attention to all of this, you'd end up with a hard drive full of anti-virus programs and a whole host of spyware seekers. Which would really slow down your computer, if nothing else. So what do you truly need to protect your home PC? We asked Monica Forrest, who's a DCI -- that's deputy of counterintelligence -- for Best Buy's cheeky computer support team, the Geek Squad. (Don't ask about the job title. It's a geek thing.)

Here's what Forrest says you need: "One really good anti-virus program and one good spyware program." Really? Is that all? It seems too simple. As long as those two programs are reputable and updated, you should be safe, she says. How do you know what to get? Here are tips:

Do your research.

What kind of software should you buy -- Norton? McAfee? Trend Micro?

Most computer and technology publications rate this stuff every so often, so go online and search for recent ratings. (You can go to CNet.com to find all the reviews you'll ever want to read.) Once you've seen a few of these charts, you'll start to see which software programs consistently come out on top -- and which have features that you like. Or, of course, you can ask an expert. Forrest urges you to drop by the Geek Squad counter at your neighborhood Best Buy and ask for advice.

Don't opt for the combo.

Lots of companies sell software suites -- package deals that offer both anti-virus and anti-spyware programs. But Forrest doesn't recommend those. In her experience, when security software is packaged, it tends to protect against one problem far better than it protects against the other. "They tend to work better," she says, "if it's not a combination." So don't just settle for the suite. It's unlikely that the very best will come in a single package.

Beware of freebies.

What about those anti-spyware programs that are free for the downloading?

Those can be OK, Forrest says. But be careful. Sometimes free software can have some nasty stuff attached. "Some of the free anti-spyware programs are very good programs," Forrest says. "But some that say they are free are more spyware than they are protection."

Don't assume your computer is protected.

Yes, some sort of anti-virus software probably came with your computer. You've seen the little icon on your desktop, and you know you once saw it scanning for something. Isn't that enough? Probably not, unless your PC is brand-new. Most of those programs are installed with a 60- or 90-day trial period. And once that trial expires, if you don't subscribe to the service, then you're out of luck.

(Watch the expiration date even if you paid for the program, by the way. You don't get indefinite protection; you have to re-up every year or so.) Once you've picked out your software, how do you know it's doing its job?

Here are tips for making your security software work for you:

Don't forget to scan

You can have all the protection programs you need, but if you don't use them to scan your computer, they might as well not be there. You should set up your anti-virus program to scan your system once a week. And run your anti-spyware program at least a couple of times a week. "You don't have to sit there and watch it," Forrest says. "Let it run in the background, then check and see if it finds anything."

Don't forget to update

Here's why you pay for these programs in the first place: They're constantly searching for new threats, coming up with new ways to protect your computer. But you don't get the benefit unless you update your system. So check for updates every time you run a scan. (You may be able to set your program to do this automatically.)

Set up your firewall

A firewall protects your computer from more than just viruses -- it keeps out a whole array of network intruders. Some security suites include a personal firewall. But the one that Windows installs on your PC is perfectly decent, Forrest says. "As long as that's turned on," she says, "that'll protect you as well as anything else." To turn it on, or to see whether it's turned on, go to your computer's Security Center.

Be careful out there anyway

"Be careful where you go on the Internet," Forrest says. Just about anytime you download something for free, you're going to get some spyware. Those programs that offer you free music and free movies? Yeah, you may get entertainment for free. But there's likely some stuff you don't want thrown in with the deal. The Geek Squad sees a lot of that, Forrest says.

"You're getting the music, but you're also getting X, Y and Z spyware that's on there," she says. And that's just asking for it.

So Just be Cautious Enough to Fight them all........