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As a general rule of thumb I can expect at least one phone call a month from a friend who has inevitably found themselves a nice new virus on the internet to download and run.  Of course it’s never intentional, but then again it’s avoidable.

Think of the internet as a fair or carnival.  Sure it can be a lot of fun; food, games, rides and nakkid chicks……ok, so maybe the last one you won’t find at the fair, but follow me on this…

Think of the food, games and rides as the “seemingly” safe places on the internet; online banking, Oprah.com, Wikipedia & Facebook.  Why seemingly safe?  Well that’s where the human variable comes into place; Did that guy wash his hands before he made your food?  Was that fat slimy disease infested grease ball in the same seats as you on the ride?  Where are my pants?  Same goes for “safe” internet sites, just because it looks safe doesn’t mean it is safe.

Take Facebook and its latest virus, sent as a message (or wall post) from one of your friends.  However the fact that your friend actually sent it is the furthest thing from the truth.  It has actually been sent by a computer virus you downloaded from, most likely, completely different site.

So like any encounter with a circus midget, there is something you can do, get protection!

Depending on your level of dedication there are a number of options, but basically it comes down to if you want to pay for it or not.  Paying for software doesn’t mean it’s better, but it at least gives a bit more of a comfort level.

However there is a new option when it comes to free antivirus software now, and it’s actually a good one.  Microsoft, yes, I said Microsoft.  Queue tinfoil hats and MS bashing.

Microsoft has finally ponied up and created (or rather purchased) their own antivirus package; MS Security Essentials.  You can download it here.

If you want something a little more encompassing try Norton 360, I highly recommend it.  You can buy it here.

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