Ok I havent gotten my fingers burned but the internet is full of nasties and the chance is fast approaching that Ill need it . Im considering Norton, F secure , and MacAFee(?) . I have a Dell 531 Interion hp running Windows XP home edition . Narg and Olf weigh in since you two probably know the most.
Depends on what you’re doing. Ooh what a lie.
- Get a router with some built-in hard-wired security.
- Depending on your technical level of expertise either buy the best all around package or the individual programs and tweak away. Right now, for ease of use, Norton Internet Security (or Norton 360 if you’re really technologically inept) is probably the best package.
- Freeware: lots of people swear by this. I don’t like it as much and usually, if it’s as good as the big names, it eventually becomes something you pay for.
- If you can’t stand the idea of Norton, at least don’t buy McAfee. While they’re a well-known company, I don’t personally know anyone who has found their products as good as other companies.
My system: (after the router) uses Norton Antivirus, PCTools Spyware Doctor, PCTools Threatfire, and a registry cleaner. I do occasional scans with other programs since none is perfect, including an online virus scan.
I tried it for a month without using anything but the hardware stuff just for kicks and found absolutely nothing had gotten through. I don’t recommend this though.
I used to swear by Zone Alarm, but that got too complex to bother with.
OrcAttack, who does work in computer security. What I’ve listed above is more than adequate for a home system. Less so for corporate.
I honestly just use the free version of AVG on my home systems:
It puts these “scanned by free avg” thing on all my outgoing and incoming emails, but it’s totally ignorable and small text print at the bottom. Never had a problem with it. If you’re getting the newest version, just be sure to NOT install the Safe Search feature. It’s annoying as hell, and the normal scanner part of the program will catch viruses anyways.
I use Spybot Destroyer for my anti-malware needs:
http://www.safer-networking.org/en/index.html
Narg loves free stuff that works. That way he can spend moar money on twincest. 
I assume you’re not wanting to go through the hassle of creating a real firewall, right? If so, the combination of AVG and Spybot haven’t let me down.
I’m currently using Symantec Antivirus Corporate Edition 10. I didn’t have to pay to use it either (I have connections). As for spyware, my main line of defense is Spybot Search & Destroy, just like Narg (even if he did give the wrong name 
). I also use a really good firewall program that I think many of you don’t know (ISS Proventia BlackICE). Again, free for me (same connections).