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Is there a difference between "anti virus" and "spyware" security programs? - DogLady Do you need both and are there any reliable free options. I have Norton "spyware" on my PC but does that also check for viruses? This is for my home PC. Thank you for your ideas!

Best Answer: Yes, usually. For the most part, antivirus programs scan for viruses and spyware programs scan for spyware. However, more recently, most major brand scanners perform both functions. You probably should have both. There are free alternatives for both. In fact most spyware scanners are free. I recommend AVG or Norton for antivirus. AVG is free and Norton has a free version available through Google's Google Pack (seach google for "google pack"). For spyware scanning I like using both Adaware and SpybotSD which are both free. Adaware is included in the google pack as well. You only want to have 1 virus scanner installed, but you can have multiple spyware scanners if you like. - Shandralyn

There is a difference between a virus and spyware but sometimes it's a very fine line these days. A lot of spyware programs act like viruses and make themselves very hard to remove. The best thing to have is a good and up to date antivirus program. This is a MUST! Current antivirus programs now detect and remove spyware and viruses. Spyware removal programs will find more spyware and adware related items that an antivirus may not detect but the extra items they find are usually harmless remnants. A spyware scanner on the other hand will not remove most real viruses. - DiRTy D

Viruses are different from spyware. You will need seperate software to check for both. Spyware software can be used legimately, for example for employers to monitor work computers, this is one reason why anti-virus products do not scan for spyware. Spyware is generally 'stand alone' software, while viruses are basically blocks of code which attach themselfs to programs and spread. Nitron, C++, like all high level languages, is no good for writing viruses. - Giff

yes you really do need both antivirus ,and antisyware protection , but i found out that none of the free ones actually work ,they only find the virues ,and spware, adware ,i would reccommend buying zone alarm security suite, and webroots, spysweeper5.0 - automotive_buff_man

Viruses are very small application (by Assmbley or c++), they harm your applicaitions , but spywares are modern application that gather your informations for some companies or persons. you need special software for each. you can use Kaspersky Internet security 6. it collect both software together like pc-ciline. - Nitron

Yes. Viruses are found and/or stopped with Anti virus programs. Anti-spyware deals with programs attempting to keep you from going to site you asked for and go to site they want you to go to instead. Can download Ad-Aware for free for this - at lavasoft.com - Marissa

anti virus is protection the viruses and other things that can detroy your computer. anti spyware is protection from spyware and other things that steal information from your computer against your constant. u can get ad-aware is free easy to use u can download it from http://www.lavasoft.com/ - spikybeagle5

they are totally diff antivirus is the tool to detect the irus from ur computer,,,,virus is program which cause the computer to malfunction,,,spyware is the toll which send the computer info like any file or any info from ur cmputer to other - ash

No. Anti-spyware software only checks/cleans spyware software. Viruses are a totally different breed and u need a seperate program to deal with them. However, many security suits come with both programs. - spacemann_spiffff

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