When I was a kid, my mom used to put a baking soda paste on bee stings and bug bites. I'm not sure it really helped that much, but psychologically it made me feel alot better. McAfee's AVERT labs has released a new tool, Stinger, that takes the sting out of many popular viruses and it's definitely much more than a 'feel good' fix. At a time when virus writers specifically target antivirus software, disabling its protective shields and leaving systems difficult to disinfect, Stinger is a must have in your arsenal. Best of all, Stinger is free - consider it a philanthropic remedy to cure today's most common viruses.

Antivirus software should first and foremost prove its ability to detect and remove viruses. Performance is also important and should include factors such as system impact, user-friendliness, and basic features such as right-click scanning, configurable extension lists, and ability to update easily. The Top Picks chosen all meet these criteria.

In the previous article, we looked at why pre-installed software might be a prescription for trouble and just what constitutes a virus. Determining that antivirus protection is a necessity should be the easy part (yes, you need it). The hard part is deciding which one to use.

Two new programs are expanding the usual role of antivirus software, adding features that tackle spam and spyware, as well as ways to detect brand-new viruses. The new programs have been announced by Global Hauri and Norman Data Defense Systems.

Trend Micro is updating and expanding its antivirus software with the release of PC-cillin Internet Security 2004, a suite of security programs and services for small offices and homes.

Of the three free antivirus programs we tested for "The New Virus Fighters" AntiVir's Personal Edition Classic 6.32 performed the best and got the best overall rating. But when compared with the whole set of paid and unpaid programs, what you get is pretty average.

Alwil Software's Avast Home Edition 4.6 is free and sports a slick media-player style interface, but its performance scores were bottom-of-the-barrel.

If you've ever had weird pop-up windows that just won't go away, hijacked browser settings, internet preferences inexplicably changed, or a very slow web search experience, than you've most likely been the victim of spyware, adware, or malware. All three of these terms mean pretty much the same thing: a program that monitors your actions, generates unwanted ads, and is installed on your computer without your explicit permission or knowledge.

Getting stubborn adware and spyware off your PC can be frustrating. However, there are steps you can take to make the process easier and more effective. First, make sure you have an up-to-date anti-spyware scanner. Do not rely on your antivirus program to do the job. (See Top Spyware Scanners). Before running a scan, shutdown all open browser windows and applications (including email) and then disconnect your PC from the Internet. If accessible, the easiest thing to do is just remove the phone line or cable connecting the PC to the modem.

As W32.blaster, Sobig, and earlier virus threats have shown, the Internet is not a terribly safe place to connect your PC. Besides updating Windows and your Internet applications regularly, please, I beg you, install two key utilities--a firewall and antivirus software--to ward off future attacks. And if you install any of the products I recommend below, the ounce of prevention won't cost you a dime.