by Carol Smith

Created on: March 21, 2008

There are several free antivirus software programs available on the internet. These include AVG free, Avast, Avira Antivir, BitDefender, ClamWin. These can be downloaded and installed on your computer to provide you with protection from viruses, worms and trojans. It is worth noting that most are free for personal use only. BitDefender is free for home office use. Comodo is free for personal and business use.

You can download the free version of Avast from http://www.avast.com/eng/programs.html. Avast has a whole range of language options available so wherever you live in the world you should be able to find a version in a language that you can understand.There are free versions for Windows users and for Linux users.

You can download the free version of AVG from http://free.grisoft.com. AVG free is only available in English.

You can download the free version of Antivir from http://www.free-av.com/en/download/1/download_avira_ antivir_personal__free_antivirus.html.

You can download the free version of ClamWin from http://www.clamwin.com/

You can download Comodo antivirus from http://antivirus.comodo.com/. This is free for home and commercial use.

You can download pctools antivirus from http://www.pctools.com/free-antivirus/.

Before downloading any of these programs make sure you check that they are compatible with your operating system. Check out the features offered by the free programs and compare them with the paid for versions to ensure you get the version that is right for you.

Be aware that these are all purely antivirus programs. You will need to use separate software to provide antispyware protection, firewall protection and antispam protection. You might prefer to use an integrated security suite - but you will have to pay.

As well as these free antivirus software downloads many of the major antivirus providers offer a free online virus scan. These will scan your computer and remove any infections they find. However, these online scanners are not resident on your computer so you shouldn't rely on them for protection. It is better to use an antivirus program that is installed on your computer to provide constant protection. Prevention is always better than cure! The online scanners can be useful though if you think there might be something nasty on your computer. They are especially useful if your own antivirus software has stopped working for any reason.

In summary, there are several free antivirus software programs that you can download and use on your computer. There are also a range of free online virus scans to help rescue your computer if you think it might have become infected by something undesirable. Check your chosen product to ensure it is compatible with your sytem before using it.

And finally - better safe than sorry. Do your backups regularly, then if the worst happens at least you have a copy of your documents and emails.

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