Think of a sojourn into the lands of the Internet as being like something wandering into the dystopic alleyways of a Philip K. Dick novel. While you might want to simply pick up your daily rations and have your daily vid-chat at the bar across town, people are trying to rob you and steal your identity entirely. Furthermore, once you get to where you need to be, you still have to be craning your neck to keep a careful watch for scouts or bandits.
While some forms of free anti-virus protection can be as a shield, the most skillful worms and trojans can get past your defenses and plant themselves in the walls of your house. Though some virus-killing software can help thwart the bulk of these attacks, the truth of the matter is that the most malicious viruses get in because users let them in. Clicking strange links in e-mails; downloading circumspect files with strange extensions; clicking on the tempting offers presented to you in surprise pop-up ads – these are all ways viruses find ways to invade your territory.
There are two main types of anti-virus software: Free and not free. Though consumer intuition would lead you to believe otherwise, the security you pay for is usually more reliable than the free security (personal lawyer vs. government appointed). Free software is suitable, but if you value your assets, paying a little extra for some added security can’t hurt.
You can’t rely entirely on your anti-virus software to keep you protected, however. Many of the strongest viral ‘strains’ are coded to get past your defenses, but again, these viruses won’t encounter your defenses if you are careful where you shop. Or, in the realm of Philip K. Dick, you won’t get jumped if you stick to the main roads. Just watch out for androids and duplicates.