In August of 2003, IT professionals around the world witnessed the unleashing of the Blaster worm. Blaster spread rapidly over the internet infecting hundreds of thousands of PCs and causing billions of dollars worth of damage, and it was devastating for companies running their businesses on computer networks.

Blaster’s powerful attack serves as an important reminder of how vital it is to have quality anti-virus and Internet security protection. Aside from the costs associated with malware attacks on a grand scale, there are several other important reasons for keeping your computer protected . This guide lists 6 reasons why you should invest in quality antivirus and security software.

1. There Is No Such Thing As Free Protection

Though the Internet is abundant with antivirus and security software available as free downloads, it is well worth investing in a fully-featured software package from a trusted developer. Although free alternatives provide a certain amount of protection from malicious software, they are generally stripped down to the basics in terms of functionality, and they also usually only serve as demos of the fully-featured versions. Quality commercial antivirus programs offer enhanced protection that will block trojan-infected spam, detect phishing attempts, and block potentially malicious websites.

2. Antivirus and Security Software Compatibility

Another reason for investing in quality antivirus and security software from a trusted developer is that these often come in ready-to-go bundles, which cover all potential ways malicious code can enter a computer. To be fully protected, a computer should have both an antivirus program to detect worms and viruses, and a firewall to block out hacker attacks. The advantage of buying quality antivirus and security software is that one typically gets both of these types of protection in the same package, eliminating any compatibility problems that may arise when using security software from different manufacturers on the same computer.

3. Viruses And Trojans Operate Undercover

People sometimes argue that they are able to avoid infections simply by employing common online sense, i.e. not opening spam e-mails, avoiding suspect websites, and never downloading suspect software – but these things are in no way fool-proof, and even people who are cautious online can have their computer infected unknowingly. Trojans can be impressively well crafted fakes, posing as legitimate programs, and can trick even the most experienced user into clicking “Open.” Common sense goes a long way to protect against malicious code, but any computer running without quality antivirus and security software risks being infected.

4. Your Personal Data Is Worth Protecting

Today, more and more, our lives exist as fragments on our computer hard-drives; family photos, bank account details, work related material, school papers, passwords, usernames, address books, calendars, music, movies, private documents – and the list goes on. All of it could be destroyed irreparably by a worm or virus, or worse still, could fall into the hands of a capable hacker. Quality antivirus and security software not only protects computers from the attacks themselves, but often offers convenient ways to back up important data, should the computer become infected or attacked.

5. Protecting Others

Another reason for investing in quality antivirus and security software is because it is the responsible thing to do. People who choose not to install antivirus and security software potentially potentially millions of other computer users at risk. Viruses operate by spreading from one computer to the next, and each unprotected computer potentially facilitates the spread of malicious code by serving as a weak link. The fewer unprotected computers there are, the more difficult it is for computer viruses to spread rapidly across the web. Having antivirus and security software installed is similar to accepting a shot of vaccine to prevent it from spreading via unprotected agents.

6. Avoiding Future Repair Costs

Buying a new computer or operating system can be an expensive investment. Antivirus and security software, on the other hand, is available at relatively affordable prices. Investing in high-quality antivirus and security software is like buying an insurance policy for your computer and your important data.

At Revolution IT, we make sure we stay abreast of internet security developments, and we offer the very latest and most effective anti-virus and Internet security software solutions available – expertly managed by our skilled technicians who ensure that the anti-virus software is working optimally and that your computer network is constantly monitored. If a threat or intrusion is detected – the source computer will be shut down  automatically to stop the threat from spreading; and then our system removes all infections that are found. That means you don’t have to worry about your security getting compromised, and you can run your business IT systems with peace of mind

Contact us today to get your computer secured. You can’t afford not to.