You cannot be too careful when it comes to protecting your computer. New viruses and ways to attack a computer arise every day. If you are not protecting your system with one of the good software utility applications, you will eventually pay the price of neglect.

Software utility applications can help to keep your computer running safer and faster. Utilities perform a number of tasks, including protecting your system from viruses, malware and hacking. Some even perform additional tasks, like file backup and spam protection. Perhaps the best software utilities for well-rounded computer protection are those made by McAfee.

AntiVirus Plus

McAfee\’s entry-level software utility, the award-winning AntiVirus Plus, offers virus protection and more. It scans your computer to make sure it has no viruses that can harm it, such as Trojans and Worms. It does this in real time to catch anything new on your system.

AntiVirus Plus updates itself in real time, too, but even if a new, unreported virus hits your computer, the utility has ability to recognize it and alert you. You can also schedule it to check your entire system when it is not in use. Your system stays virus free at all times.

Another important feature of AV Plus is protection against malware and spyware. These are programs maliciously placed on your computer to do damage or gather your private information. McAfee\’s software utility applications find and eliminate these.

AV Plus also protects against invasion from outside sources. The integrated firewall keeps outside sources from the Internet from accessing your computer. Your system, files and information is safe from hackers.

AntiVirus plus can be yours for only $49.99

McAfee Internet Security

If you use the Internet, you must have protection from the many attacks and attempts to invade your computer and your privacy that happen every day. The Internet Security package is the best of the software utility applications to protect you from those threats. It allows you to safely surf the Web and view your email without fear of danger to your system and threat to your identity.

The Internet Security suite has all of the great features of the AntiVirus utility — virus and malware protection — and it includes protection against spam. Spam is more than just annoying, it can be dangerous. Opening a spam email can expose your computer to viruses. With the Internet Security suite, you will not even see the spam because it will not even make it to your inbox.

This utility also keeps your computer safe with a two-way firewall that protects it from an outside attack, and prevents information from leaving it without your permission. Should a program or software attempt to send out your personal information without your permission, the McAfee utility stops it before it ever hits the Internet.

The Internet Security software utility sells at retail for $79.99. It is on sale right now for $39.99

McAfee Total Protection

This is the granddaddy of all of the packages. It is an all-inclusive software utility application that does all of the things the other two packages do — virus protection, malware protection, two-way firewall, and spam protection — and even more: anti-phishing, home network protection, email and instant messenger checker, and file protection.

Phishing is an attempt to gain access to your personal information and even steal your identity through email. The Total Protection utility is on to this, and alerts you when you get a phishing email.

You can protect your home network, up to three computers, with the Total Protection software. This gives you the comfort of knowing that all of your household computers are safe. You can also supervise your child\’s activities through parental controls.

Other useful features include QuickClean, for removing files that slow your computer; Shredder, for permanently deleting sensitive and personal files; Disk Defragmenter, for consolidating files for faster computer operation; and File Protection, which automatically backs up your important files to a secure online server.

The McAfee Total Protection package retails for $89.99 but is on sale for $44.99