Do I need antivirus and/or antispyware?

I surf the Internet and use conduct financial transactions on trusted sites (my bank, amazon, ebay, credit card bill payment etc.) but I don't open suspicious emails/attachments or visit questionable sites to download goofy stuff. I use Firefox and have downloaded its plug-ins for blocking pop-ups etc.

Do I still need antivirus/antispyware software? Why?

Thanks.

GG_007

Do I need antivirus and/or antispyware?antivirus software

Consider wearing a seat belt. If you only drive on streets with a 25 MPH or lower speed limit, you are fairly safe, and it's possible that you'd never get in an accident. However, if a drunk person leaves a bar and comes and hits you, going 80 MPH, you're going to wish you had that seat belt on.

Not only should you make sure you have an antivirus and spyware always on and up to date, but you should also make sure you have a firewall. Just because you use Firefox, which is a bit safer than IE since it doesn't have the ActiveX features that explorer does, this does not mean that you can't get a virus from the internet. You are still vulnerable unless you have active protection that scans and catches security concerns with data as it enters and leaves your computer, and also protects you from people trying to get into your computer.

So be safe. Make sure your computer has an antivirus, antispyware, and firewall.