Expert: Carolyn Meinel - 12/5/2006

Question

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The text above is a follow-up to ...

-----Question-----
I have used 4 yr old Compag Presario Windows XP. When I boot up AVG appears with many other icons on desktop. Recently, though big banner drops down warning me it will be disconnected Jan 15th. Inquiries brought only gibberish but on Nov 19 got confirmation for my order 90256035 for
AVG anti-virus professional editiion 1 license (1 year plus a backup  for $40.95 but hear nothing since. I am 87  yr old novice and frinds tell me I am being jerked around because ASVG has always been free. Have heard nothing since except big threatening banner to disconnect me Jan 15 still drops.All pals say AVG has always been free.AVG wants my license number which I never heard of.
1.Is AVG always free? 2.What if I simply ignore andlet it drop? I use this desktop less than an hour a day and only for e mail and search engines and have no virus or other problems to speak of. Thank you.
Bill Kiewel
-----Answer-----
AVG has both free and paid versions. I'm presuming the computer you bought had the paid version.

You definitely need an antivirus program. The most common ways for viruses and other dangerous programs to infect your computer are through web browsing and email.

Now here comes the BIG problem with your computer. Some malicious programs are able to bypass some antivirus programs. So it's possible that the website where you paid for a renewal for AVG was phony. Even the popup telling you that AVG is about to expire could be phony. In any case, if you didn't get a license number and if Grisoft, the company that makes AVG, isn't helping you fix the problem, then you made your payment as a result of fraud. If you paid by credit card, you can get your money back by informing your credit card company that you never got a valid renewal license for AVG.

Then if AVG really got your payment (and not some Internet fraudster), your credit card company will explain to them why they are losing your payment and also fine them for being such louts toward you.

F-secure Internet security is pretty darn good and they will allow you a free trial before you buy. You can download it at http://www.f-secure.com/home_user/support_and_downloads/evaluations/

Two more things about securing your computer.

1. Your Internet Explorer is notorious for infecting computers with evil things that can allow criminals to steal from you -- even if you have the best antivirus program. You will be much safer if you use the Firefox browser, free from www.mozilla.org

2. If you only use your credit card when buying things online, if some fraudster steals through your credit card, you can get your money back. Just be sure to check your credit card statement carefully each month because if you wait too long they won't refund you. The same goes for your phone bill. If some criminal breaks into your computer and uses its phone modem to make expensive long distance or 900 porn chat line calls, the phone company is required by law to refund you. If you use cable modem or broadband, however, you won't have to worry about criminals running up phone bills.

By the way, one of my daughters is a highly paid, and quite brilliant computer professional, yet she doesn't even have the Internet at home. I'm telling you this so that if you ever decide it isn't worth the trouble to fend off swarms of Internet criminals, and if some moron accuses you of being chicken, you can tell them that you know a computer security expert who says it is perfectly sensible to not waste time and grief coping with an increasingly dangerous Internet.*****Thank you for your comprehensive reply! I misinformed you when I said I made a payment of any kind. After much button pushing I got a notice about the $40.59 about 2 weeks ago and that I should remit when a bill arrives.But nothing came but          the drop down threats continue -to cut me off Jan 15. I am tempted to just ignore if they ever respond  because I now know the web is full of crooks,that I have always run Adaware weekly which my computer-smart pal says is enough because I just about never get spam e-mail( which is marked so I can delete without opening.),and I now have your mail so I an hopefully find you again on AllExperts and have all your good advice on file. .Am curious about your last paragraph about you daughter who "doesn't have the internet at home"
How does she e-mail. Remember you are speaking to an 87 year old novice. Thanks agin.
Bill

Answer
First of all, Adaware is not enough. All it does is remove the least harmful things -- adware and spyware. It doesn't defend you from viruses, worms, or Trojans. Any of these could either destroy your computer or allow criminals or enemy cyberwarriors to operate from inside your computer. They could do things like break into U.S. military computers, run an illegal gambling site or sell narcotics using your computer, and guess who could get blamed! You! Please read the news story at the USA Today newspaper website about some of these problems at http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/technology/2004-09-08-zombieuser_x.htm

To protect your computer you need a firewall -- preferably a better one than the one that comes with Windows XP, you need an antivirus program and anti-adware/spyware. If you buy a full Internet security suite it will include all these in one software package. If you also use Firefox for web browsing you are even safer yet. Excellent Internet security suites are available from Norton (symantec.com), McAfee (Mcafee.com) and F-Secure (f-secure.com), and you can buy Norton and McAfee at almost any big computer or electronics store, for example Best Buy.

My daughter who is a highly paid computer professional uses email at work, but as the mother of twins she has better things to do at home than email and surf the web.