Not necessarily, and they do tend to slow down older PC's. The nice thing about the "suites" is that it's all in one place and easier to manage. I prefer the "roll my own" method but it involves installing different programs, keeping them updated and staying on top of things. It's more a matter of what you prefer. But Avira comes up near the top in most tests against some of the top AV's. Here is the rest of what I recommend if you want to come up with your own.Originally Posted by JarJar
Use an AntiVirus Software - It is very important that your computer has an anti-virus software running on your machine. This alone can save you a lot of trouble with malware in the future. Here is a list of some free and evaluation versions to try:
Use a Firewall - I can not stress how important it is that you use a Firewall on your computer. Without a firewall your computer is succeptible to being hacked and taken over. Simply using a Firewall in its default configuration can lower your risk greatly. Here are some free and evalutation versions that provide
better security than the Windows Firewall.
For a tutorial on Firewalls and a listing of some other available ones see the link below:
Understanding and Using Firewalls
Install SpywareBlaster - SpywareBlaster will added a large list of programs and sites into your Internet Explorer settings that will protect you from running and downloading known malicious programs.
A tutorial on installing & using this product can be found here:
Using SpywareBlaster to protect your computer from Spyware and Malware
Install Winpatrol -
Use Winpatrol to take control of your PC and provide another layer of security.
Help file and tutorial can be found Here
Block unwanted parasites with a custom hosts file -
http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm
Visit Microsoft's Windows Update Site Frequently - It is important that you visit http://www.windowsupdate.com regularly or set your computer to receive automatic updates. This will ensure your computer has always the latest security updates available installed on your computer. If there are new updates to install, install them immediately, reboot your computer, and revisit the site until there are no more critical updates.
Update all of your Anti-Malware programs regularly - Make sure you update all the programs I have listed and the ones you are currently running regularly. Without regular updates you Will Not be protected when new malicious programs are released.
Keep your applications up to date -
Use Secunia Personal Software Inspector to help stay on top of application updates that could leave your PC vulnerable to attack.
