2. There used to be a time when the only computer
threat you had to worry about was viruses. Now
there is a full range of malware that could wreck
your machine, steal personal information or just
cause misery. This includes spyware, adware and
spam. The computer security industry has
responded by creating Internet security suites.
These are marketed as all-in-one security
solutions to keep you safe online. But do you
really need one?
There has been a distinct rise in the variety of
threats that are present on the Internet. One of
the most high profile in recent years has been the
possibility of people using spyware to steal your
identity. Many people would feel that it is a good
thing to put all of your security products into one
package that is easy to control.
3. But there is a cost to doing this. As you may
expect, you will pay more for an Internet Security
Suite than a regular antivirus software product. But
there is also a cost in terms of system
performance. Many people have reported that their
computer has slowed down when using these
products.
There have also been opinions voiced that some of
these security suite bundles are overkill for the
home user. For instance many come with a
personal firewall. Although a firewall is essential for
corporate networks, many home users will find that
the free firewall that comes with Windows XP and
Vista is perfectly adequate.
4. The other downside is that you can't choose
the most suitable product in each category. For
instance, if you buy the Norton Internet Security
suite, you are effectively stuck with all of their
products. But your needs may mean that the
most effective antivirus software is from Eset,
the best anti spyware is from Lavasoft and the
best anti spam is from Firetrust.
If you like the idea of everything all under one
roof, by all means go ahead and get an
internet security suite But if you like to do your
research and then get the best of everything,
you may prefer separate products.
