The ever-increasing popularity and affordability of personal computers means more and more people are susceptible to getting spyware and viruses on their systems. The personal computer, or PC, is the most purchased type of computer system, ahead of MAC, and these users need to make sure that they take full precautions to keep their computers safe from harm.

If you have been experiencing a slowdown in your computer's processing speed and general performance, then there is every chance that the problem is being caused by either spyware or a virus in the system.

With hundreds of virus and spyware protection programs on the marketplace, the questions people often ask themselves are "How can I find the best ones?" and "Are the free programs as good as the ones I have to pay for?". The answer to these questions is to look at the many reviews and trials that have previously been carried out.

Choosing the best Virus and Spyware Protection for Your Computer

When selecting a protection program there are several things that you should take into account. You should consider your needs within a program, and consider how often you use your computer. If you don't surf the internet very often, then an anti virus program that has built in spyware protection may be good enough for you. If you are a more regular user, then you should consider your requirements more thoroughly.

Some of the specific components that a basic virus and spyware protection program should include are:

• A phishing filter that can detect problems at any level within the system.
• Both virus and spyware protection built in. A firewall may also be included in some packages.
• A component to provide automatic updates. You can set the updates to run at a specific time if you so prefer.
• A free trial period so that you can 'try before you buy'. Some packages are totally free altogether.

'Word of mouth' recommendations from other computer users can prove invaluable. You can listen to information about their favourite programs, then do an internet search for further information and forums on these particular pieces of software. Many people will tell you that they are perfectly happy with the free versions that companies provide.

In addition to virus and spyware protection you should seriously consider having a firewall installed on to your computer. Vista and Windows XP have firewalls already built-in, though many people are not convinced of the quality of these and choose to use a different one. You should also keep your computer's pop-up blocker active to keep away the annoying pop-ups you get when opening Web pages.

Unless you can afford to purchase a new computer every couple of years, it is heavily recommended that you have updated virus and spyware protection. Without this you are putting your computer at risk, and giving malicious content the opportunity to enter your system and cause you problems that can be troublesome and costly to rectify.