Security Starter Kit

Protecting your PC

by Jason Parker (4/27/06)

Viruses, spyware, and hackers--oh my! These days, it seems as soon as we connect our computers to the Internet, a whole gang of bad guys is waiting to infiltrate our systems and steal our personal information. To help you set up your computer with a basic security system, we've put together some must-have programs that will act like a fortified castle for your PC.

Whether you have a new machine or simply want to bolster the security on your old one, take a look at our list of safety categories to see which areas you have covered. If there are holes in your defense, download one of our suggestions or look at our software library in your particular area of need. If you have security suggestions for Download.com users, please add them to our Security Discussions.

One thing to always remember is that while these free or cheap programs are all high quality, no system is 100 percent safe. That caveat aside, these programs will lower the chances of an attack considerably. Also, ignoring any of these security categories can be extremely dangerous to your data and personal information.

Now, without further ado, let's start building our castle!