antivirus Archives - Page 6 of 7

Microsoft is set to abandon Microsoft Security Essentials for Windows 7 in January

Posted on December 20, 2019

Microsoft will be ending support for Windows 7 in January 2020, and that move will leave Windows 7 users with a very important choice to make.

If you have a Windows 7 PC one of the choices you’ll have available to you is to take your chances and keep using Windows 7 even after Microsoft stops releasing critical security updates for it.

I don’t really recommend that due to the reasons stated in the post I linked to above, but if you decide to forge ahead with Windows 7 anyway you can reduce the significant security risk a bit by using a really good antivirus and anti-malware product.

[Read more…]

Q&A: Is it true that Avast Antivirus snoops on our browsing habits?

Posted on November 6, 2015

Question from Mandy G.: I’ve been using Avast Antivirus for several months after reading how you recommend it, and so far I really like it. Something has me worried though.

A friend of mine told me that Avast uses their software to snoop on our browsing habits. Is that true? And if it is, why do you recommend it?

Rick’s answer: [Read more…]

Scam Alert: If you visit Forbes.com, your PC might have been exposed to malware.

Posted on February 12, 2015

scam If you visited the popular financial news website Forbes.com between November 28 and December 1, 2014, your PC might possibly be infected with a virus.

First the good news: If you are diligent about keeping Internet Explorer up to date by installing all available updates as soon as they become available, you should be in the clear.

And still better news: If you use Firefox, Chrome, or any other non-IE browser you were definitely safe from this particular attack. [Read more…]

Review: PC Matic

Posted on October 28, 2014

It seems that you can’t turn on your TV these days without seeing a commercial for PC Matic, especially the one in which the company’s founder and CEO touts the software’s “superior” virus protection.

And of course there’s the ever-present pitch aimed at users of the now-abandoned Windows XP.

Upon the request of several of this blog’s readers, I decided to put PC Matic to the test. [Read more…]

Massive security flaw found in every version of Internet Explorer

Posted on April 29, 2014

Microsoft has announced that every version of Internet Explorer since version 6 has a massive security flaw that allows hackers to place viruses directly onto your PC, even if you are running up-to-date anti-virus protection.

And yes, this includes YOUR version of Internet Explorer so there is really no reason to check.

All you have to do to have your PC “catch” a virus is to visit an infected website with your Internet Explorer web browser. That’s all. You don’t have to click on anything, just visit the site, and wham – you’re infected! [Read more…]