New hacks still coming out for Internet Explorer 6

Believe it or not, some people are still using Internet Explorer 6! Having been surpassed by IE 7 and 8, IE6 is vunerable to hacking as well as slow and incompatible with some newer websites.

A new hack released recently will allow others to hack into your gmail account if you use IE6! And what is worse, the hack is freely available on the net and is so simple most non-techies can even use this hack.

Most people who still use IE6 fall into 3 categories:

1) Those who have migrated to another web browser such as Firefox, chrome, or safari and have completed forgotten about IE.

2) Those who are blisfully unaware of the availability of updates (lets face it, computers dont tickle the fancy of all people)

3) Those who have a very slow connection speed and decide not to, or can't download updates.

So for those in category 1, don't forget to update to IE8 by using windows updates. Just because you use another web browser, it doesn't mean that another user on your computer isnt using IE. Also, windows updates also patch other vunerabilities that IE.

For for those in category 2, Microsoft regularly releases updates. These are software patches that patch any holes that are found in Windows software. These "holes" can potentially allow a hacker to penetrate and get at your data. By using windows update you can stop this from happening. To check to see what updates are available for your computer visit this link.

For those in category 3, I suggest that you download IE8 on another computer that has fast internet connection and save it on a USB key or CD. This will allow you to transport the installation files to your own computer. IE 8 can be downloaded here.

Should I use paid or free antivirus software?

I have been asked this question a few times. Should I use free antivirus software that is available for download over the internet or should I fork out a few euro for paid antivirus software?

Essentially the main difference between paid and free antivirus programs is that most paid versions offer multiple updates per day whilst free only offer once a day, and also paid versions often offer other types of protection such as Firewall and antispam.

The answer, I believe, depends on the person and how they use their computer.
For most home users, free antivirus software is sufficient to protect their computer. However if you are one of the following users, then perhaps you should invest in better protection.
- a user that visits torrent sites to download movies or music

- a user that visits adult sites,

- a user that visits sites that provides cracked software

- if there are users in the house that are click crazy and will click on anything that pops up on screen,

If you are running a PC for business purposes it is important to ensure that you have the best protection software and this will require a small investment.

Irrespective of which type of antivirus software you opt for you should go for software that:
- Is not bloated so it will not slow down you computer
- Can be scheduled to scan at particular times
- Will update automatically-ideally several times a day.
- Will scan individual files and folders as well as full disk scans.
- Have good technical support help lines

So where do I find free antivirus programs? A quick google for the following free antivirus programs will allow you to download and start protecting your computer. Avast, AVG, and Avira Anti-Vir.

If you are going to invest in antivirus software I recommend ESET NOD32 or Kaspersky. I have found both products to be light on resources, quick scanning and very effective in keeping computers squeeky clean and virus free. In my opinion McAfee and Norton antivirus products are bloatware and can really slow down a computer without offering much protection.

Whatever you choose to go with, make sure to do some reading of your own to decide on what product is best for your needs. ESET NOD32 antivirus retails at €39.99 and in my opinion is worth the annual investment.