You inoculate your computer by running a variety of protective software. There are several kinds:
Antivirus: Antivirus (AV) programs run all the time your computer is running. They monitor what is going on and prevent the activities of viruses, trojans and worms. Because an AV program can only protect your computer against viruses that it knows about and because new viruses are being produced all the time, it is essential to keep your AV software up to date. Most AV programs consist of the main program itself (often called the antivirus engine) and a datafile that tells it how to recognise viruses (which is often called the pattern file). Pattern files are regularly updated and available for download. When you purchase an AV program the cost includes a licence to download updates for a period of time (usually 1 year).
There are any number of antivirus programs, which vary in price, effectiveness and
ease of use. A couple of the market leaders provide free copies of their software
to non-
Firewall: A firewall is a program or hardware device that prevents hacking. Firewalls can monitor and regulate both incoming and outgoing traffic. If you have a broadband connection to the internet, a firewall is absolutely essential. For home use on a single computer, a software firewall is usually sufficient; if you are running a home network, then it is probably a wise precaution to install a hardware firewall as well. If your home network is connecting through a router (as most do) then you will probably already have a hardware firewall installed, since most home routers have them built in.
Like antivirus software, there is a range of software firewalls available and, like antivirus, some manufacturers provide free software for home users. Be sure to use only one software firewall since, like antivirus programs, they may interfere with each other.
SOFTWARE THAT PROTECTS YOUR COMPUTER
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