Security software

[has]

Please help...
I have a new laptop. Do I need to buy & install internet security software, such as Norton or McAfee internet security, to enable general surfing.
One person told me I need this, another stated that the computer should already be enabled.
Windows Security Center states,...
Firewall - on,
Malware protection...Virus protection - not found & Spyware & other malware protection - on.

Hope someone can help.

[Ethel]

You don't need to buy anything - there is lots of free stuff available. You need:

1 firewall - ZoneAlarm OR Comodo

2. antivirus - AVG OR Avast

3. Antispyware - AdAware 2007; AVG antispy; A2 ; XoftSpy- you can have as many as these as you like.

All of these are free.

[has]

Thanks for your answer Ethel. Is that so, even though
Windows Security Center states,...
Firewall - on,
Malware protection...Virus protection - not found & Spyware & other malware protection - on. ??

Please ecuse me for being so dense, but I really don't know.

[vehelpfulguy]

I assume it is Vista (you dont say)

XP and Vista come with a built in Firewall so when the security centre says Firewall is on it is probably that.

You can use the one that came with Vista (the one with XP is not that good) or install your own one like Zone Alarm.

If you install Zone Alarm then Windws will turn off the one included with Windows.

I use free software like Ethel suggests. I use Zone Alarm, AVG, AdAware and WinPatrol which all cost me nothing.

[vehelpfulguy]

In the Security Centre you can expand the fields to find out what security you have on your PC.

To the right of the word Firewall should be a small arrow. Click on it and it expands to tell you more.

You can do this against Spyware as well.

Where your security centre says "Spyware and malware protection on" it is probably the one included in Vista.

I think this is included (not certain as I do not have Vista yet). It may be called the Malicious Software Removal Tool.

More here:

http://www.microsoft.com/security/malwareremov e/default.mspx.