Useful free softwares to Protect your PC from virus, spyware and maleware!!

In most of the cases if a Tally user formats his PC then the most common reason is virus attack or too much spywares which hampers the normal processing of computer. The most major factor of infection is your internet connection. Faster is your internet connection faster would be the data transfer rate and faster would be the infection rate. Few tips and timely measures would say you the day and insure some level of security for your PC.
As festival season is approaching in the western countries the virus attacks or maleware attacks would increase. This msdn page makes you aware about internet frauds. This article at blogs tells about avoiding phising techniques. This page at Microsoft’s site tells about 4 easy steps to protect your computer. The four steps include keeping a firewall between your computer and internet, keeping OS updated, use antivirus, and use anti spyware technology.

Firewall
As far as firewall software is concern, Windows firewall can protect upto certain extent but a good fire wall software like Zone Alarm would give you choice to figure out each and every software which is using internet and facility to block and allow the use of Internet. You can get Zone Alarm firewall for free of cost.

Antivirus
The best anti virus choice depends on you and your experience. But what ever anti virus you use regular update is required to prevent new virus from attacking your computer. This page at labnol tell about free anti virus scanning. You can try some of the sites mentioned and see which one can work for you.

Anti spyware
For best anti spyware my best based on my experience is SpyBot. This software is free to download as well as very much effective. Like updating antivirus you have to update spyware list also and Spybot updates its list constantly. More over it can protect from internet explorer hacks, and can controll the windows registry keys. when ever a new entry is added in registry or deleted from windows registry you would get noticed and you can allow or deny particular action. It would warn you when ever a programe is putting an entry in startup or in internet explorer defaults etc.

Browser :
If you are fed up of frequent search pages automatically coming up in your internet explorer or certain pop ups automatically open some adult sites or automatic homepage configuration, then the only answer is to either switch to latest internet explorer or give firefox 2 a try. You would feel the difference. You can download Firefox 2 which is having dictionary support like MS word. You can download Firefox with google toolbar for easier surfing by clicking the Firefox button on left panel under useful software.

The combination of these softwares can secure your pc like anything.
Last but not the least you can get few tips about protecting your pc at this page on University of torento site and see how this person Clinton Forbes claims to be having virus free computer without having anti virus softwares.