Advice on choice of free computer security

[8hotair]

Hello. I just formatted my harddrive, and would like some advice on which free security I can download on-line.
I am not too tech savy, but I hear that I would require an:
1) Anti-virus
2) Anti-Ad ware
3) Anti-spyware

is this sufficient? If so, are there any you would recommend?

Thank you.

[Tom]

I'll move your request to the CTH Applications forum where it will be more available for member responses 8hotair.

[Speedy]

Hi 8hotair.

I'm assuming you are using Windows XP, in which case here are my suggestions:

For an Antivirus, use FreeAVG. It's well supported, it works great.
For Anti-Adware anti-Spyware, I suggest Spyware Blaster.
I'd also suggest a Firewall, Zone Alarm is free and works great.

Other good programs of note:

Spybot S&D
AdAware Personal

If you don't feel like hunting them down, there is a link in my sig to my website which has all of these listed under the free software page.

[Tom]

Listing Spyware Blaster as an anti-spyware/adware software is not quite accurate Speedy, given how folks understand that. It is more a net activity blocking mechanism that can be used to block unwanted ActiveX and known undesirable website activities. And it is available from it's own site Here.

As for you redirecting folks to your own site and forums in your signature links, please review the CyberTechHelp Terms of Service here again, especially the part about linking to other sites. And please remove those signature links once you get done reading that. Thanks.

[Speedy]

It's a proactive blocking mechanism and I guess it may not qualify in the same sense as say a piece of software that blocks spyware in the same way as an antivirus, it does achieve more or less the same effect.

As per the removal of my sig, I do not see where it violates the TOS as I am not a rival tech site, I just merely have a different way of presenting some of the same information as well as some new stuff. I even link over to your site from my own, so I fail to see where I violate the TOS unless it has to do with the message board portion.

However, I will remove the links because I don't want to start any anything. I do expect a followup on why my site violates the TOS.

[Tom]

Best if you contact the CybertechHelp Administrators on that. Let's not take this request thread any further off task for now. Thanks.

[8hotair]

Thank you people.
So I assume Spyware Blaster is sufficient???

[Speedy]

I've been using Spyware Blaster for several months now in conjunction with Firefox and my last scan only turned up 7 items, so I would say i does a pretty sufficient job.

If you absolutely must have a real time scanner for it, then there's always Spyware Terminator, but I can't vouch anything for or against it as I've never used the program before. Maybe somebody else around here has some insight as to whether it's good or bad.

[Tom]

Installs the Crawler Toolbar (actually Spyware Terminator is owned by Crawler), which installs it's own net access service and makes changes to search settings in the browser. Actively listed here in the past. Why not let others have a shot at suggestions as well Speedy (and like I mentioned - PM an ADMINISTRATOR. Either zipulrich or the owner Mishy).

[Speedy]

See? I didn't know that, which is why I made note that I'd never heard anything for or against it. I've only heard that that program has real time scanning, which is why I asked for insight as to whether it was good or bad.