CA antispyware 2009 LE and Antivirus PC Security Tips
Free CA Antispyware was previously referred to as Pest Control. The software was particularly good at in depth scans and was known for its small download signature. The scans were also described as fast and accurate at detecting viruses and spyware. Thankfully, the software was bought out by Computer Associates which eventually incorporated all of the scanning technology into CA Antispyware LE. The software is particularly good at utilizing the fewest computer resources when scanning. The freeware uses approximately 35 megabytes of hard drive space once fully installed and an even fewer amount of ram when running a virus scan. There are a few features that really separated CA Antispyware 2009 from other free antispyware. First, the software includes free customer support from CA. I think its surprising that the company would do this considering its a freeware program. Regardless, this makes it even sweeter download for computer users on a budget. The free antivirus software also includes one of the most extensive spyware and virus databases on the internet. The database has definitions even for key loggers and browser hijackers. Finally, the free antispyware has extremely frequent updates. One will not be surprised to get an update and almost a daily basis. So, this software needs to be installed on your computer.
I recently came across an article online that claimed you could safely run a computer without antivirus. While this is definitely a bold assumption, and I argue not to be completely true, the article did mention a lot of good security tips. The first is that a computer should start with all completely licensed software. This is true given that some download sites that offer full versions will bundle viruses with illegitimate software. I have even seen free antivirus software bundled with viruses that will infect a users computer upon installation. The next tip is to utilize the built-in protection against viruses with Internet Explorer. One can do this by increasing the security settings in Internet Explorer and using the built-in malware scanning engine for phishing sites. The next important tip is to watch websites that one visits. Many websites will actually advertise that they have free antivirus but in fact the antivirus is simply scare ware software. Names like Total Antivirus and Antivirus 2009 should ring a bell. It's best to keep away from these sites by searching for free antivirus etc on Google. This will prevent one visiting malware sites because all sites are initially scanned.