Updated June 2010:
An advertisement pop-up from AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition has recently begun promoting an offer to upgrade to a paid version with more features. In my opinion most people don’t need the additional features that AVG Internet Security provides since most of the additional features are redundant or free from other sources. The upgraded program also has more components of AVG that run in the background, thus slowing down the computer. Specific examples of the additional modules included in AVG Internet Security are listed below:
- Firewall: The Windows firewall already on your PC is sufficient and doesn’t pop-up an alert for every unknown program attempting to make an internet connection. Also, routers and some broadband modems provide more secure hardware firewall protection.
- Web Shield: You can avoid viruses by not clicking on unknown links or files in Instant Messaging programs web sites.
- Anti-Rootkit: AVG Free detects some rootkits
- Anti-Spam: Anti-spam programs don’t work with AOL, Yahoo and other web mail services. If you use a mail program like Outlook or Windows (Live) Mail, their protection is likely no better than the junk email filters included with those programs.
- Identity theft protection: Though the name of this protection is somewhat vague, this is the only extra protection I would recommend for some people. This protection “uses a technology called behavioral analysis to make sure all the programs running on your computer are operating the way they should. If it spots something suspicious that could indicate an attempted ID theft attack, it shuts that activity down, preventing any possible theft from happening”. This protection is also available as a $19.99 annual upgrade to AVG Free, or any other security product. You can also install a similar free product called ThreatFire.
- RegistryBooster: Please read The truth about registry cleaners.
At this time for most people I recommend they decline the upgrade to AVG Internet Security 9.0 + RegistryBooster and close the pop-up window.
