Security Software: Protection or Extortion?

By Rick Broida and Robert Vamosi, PC World

Two PC World contributors square off to debate the necessity or nuisance of anti-malware apps.

As the Conficker worm sprang to life on April 1, talk here at the PC World offices turned to some interesting debates about how best to protect PCs from malware threats. In recent weeks, we've run several helpful articles offering tips, tricks and insights to keep you and your PC safe from Conficker and other malware on the Internet. At the same time, a few among us have revealed that they don't run any security software at all on their own machines -- and have no intention of starting now.

Shocking as it may sound, there are plenty of experienced, knowledgeable technophiles out there who laugh in the face of danger as they traipse unprotected through the wilds of the online world. Among them is our own Hassle-Free PC blogger Rick Broida, who prefers what he deems the relatively minor threat of malware to the annoyance of intrusive, nagging security apps.

Is he insane? Naïve? To find out, we gave Rick a podium to speak on behalf of those who shrug off the safety of anti-malware suites, and to defend his point of view in a debate with security correspondent Robert Vamosi, who regularly reports on malware and other security threats for PC World's Business Center. Who's right? Who's nuts? You be the judge. Share your view in our comments section.

First up, Rick Broida presents his assertion that security suites are an unnecessary nuisance compared with the threat of malware.

Rick Broida: We don't need no stinking security software

Security software is a scam. A rip-off. A waste of money, a pain in the neck and a sure-fire way to bring even the speediest PC to a crawl. Half the time it seems to cause more problems than it solves. Oh, and one more thing: It's unnecessary.

Heresy? Crazy talk? Recipe for disaster? No, no, and no. For the past several years, I've run Windows (first XP, and now Vista) without a single byte of third-party security software. No ZoneAlarm. No Norton Internet Security. No Spyware Doctor. Not even freebie favorite Avast Home Edition. I use nothing but the tools built into Windows and a few tricks I've learned.

Want to know how much time I've spent cleaning up after viruses, spyware, rootkits, Trojan horses, keyloggers and other security breaches? None. I'll say that again: none.

Maybe I'm asking for trouble (that sound you hear is fellow PC World columnist Rob Vamosi nodding furiously), but after years of infection-free computing, I have no qualms about my methods. Your mileage may vary, and I make no guarantees. But if you want to rid your system of pricey, performance-choking security software, read on.