Essential Tips to Keep Your PC Safe

3. Install a spyware/malware removal tool

Speaking of malware, there are plenty of threats and annoyances out there besides viruses, including spyware (which tracks what you do and where you go online), adware (software that bombards you with unwanted pop-up ads and the like), key-loggers (software that logs all your keystrokes, making it easy to snag your passwords and other personal information) and more. Most anti-virus applications, especially the paid ones, include some form of malware removal, but we strongly recommend you get a dedicated tool... or two. Apps like SpyBot and MalwareBytes are much better at removing and protecting against spyware than a multi-function program, so you'll want one regardless of what other security software you have installed.

As an added bonus, some apps, such as SpyBot, are able to immunize your PC against certain malware apps permanently, and will alert you anytime something attempts to make changes to your systems registry -- one of the major ways such malware hijacks your PC. This is a feature often missing from anti-virus programs, particularly free ones.