Q&A – Do I really need anti-virus software on my netbook?
A. If you’re asking do I need any anti-virus at all and you intend to jump onto the internet, do electronic banking and buy stuff on-line, then you might as well just paint your credit card details on your forehead because it’s as sure as eggs that somewhere along the way, you’ll pick up a virus that will scam them out of you if you don’t.
If however, you’re asking do I need to stick with the anti-virus tryout software that was lumped onto your netbook when you bought it, the answer is a resounding “No!”. There are any number of free anti-virus options on the web from the likes of AVG, Avast – you can even go open-source and choose ClamWin if you wish.
The most important thing to do is make sure if you’re using Windows XP, that you turn on the Windows Firewall and whatever anti-virus tool you use, make sure it’s up to date. You might want something that looks out for spyware too. That, and steering clear of dodgy sites and phishing scams will go some way to protecting you and yours from the nasties on the web. It won’t guarantee protection but it’ll be far better than using nothing at all.
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