More particularly, the fact that they're no longer with us... they toddled or waddled off into the sunset never to return. To bring this lead in on topic, the same thing is happening to freeware anti- virus programs just at the time when this software is becoming even more crucial.
I'm on record in articles past saying numerous things about virus checking... most of them need updating.
It's not usually been my practice to have virus checking continually running in background because it seems to slow down my system so much. First, I make a point of never opening unannounced E-mail attachments, and second, checking every file I bring down from the Internet as soon as it's downloaded.
Neither is sufficient any more... the nasties are getting to be even nastier. There are so many ways to get infected now that it's advisable and necessary to have an AV program looking over your system's shoulder the whole time. It's also more important than ever that this software be updated as regularly as possible with the latest DAT (data) files from the author(s.) No program can detect a virus it doesn't "know" about!
Not only can a virus or worm be spread by E-mail attachments but now they can be hiding within the message itself, just waiting for you to read it.
Not only can the nasty little things be concealed in website based download files they can be hidden within the files that make up the website page itself. As soon as you click on the URL for a website, you can get the page displayed on your browser... and something else installed (or at least placed) on your hard drive as well.
Nastier, and nastier.
Until recently, my AV freebie of choice has been InoculateIT Personal Edition and I've kept it regularly updated. Unfortunately, it's no longer available free to new users... another D & D.
The only three free, fully featured and supported by updates, (at least for private users) that I can find available now are AntiVir Personal Edition; AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition; and Avast!. Live long and prosper.
While we're on the subject of anti virus software here's a few comments about the commercial programs like Norton and McAfee etc.
First of all these are commercial programs, they cost you money, and the more money they cost you the better. At least for the program vendors that is! It is therefore in the vendor's best interests to keep you "running scared" so that you will willingly put your hand in your pocket whenever they want you to. It is a well known, and documented, fact that the biggest scaremongers are the commercial AV program sellers.
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