Without the protection of antivirus software, viruses can destroy lives. It may sound overdramatic but they can. The ability to delete and corrupt any file on your hard disk, monitor your computer activities and steal personal and private data can be devastating in many different ways.

Gone are the days of using physical photo albums to store our treasured family memories; we are using digital cameras and storing the photos digitally on our computers. If you lose these to a virus, then you are losing so much more than a few files; you will be losing your history. How will you be able to show your children and grandchildren what they were like as children? How will you be able to reminisce on the best days of your lives? The weddings, the new-borns, the family get-togethers: all gone.

And what about your music? CDs are long dead; all your music is purchased and stored digitally. That’s hundreds or even thousands of pounds worth of content at risk. It’s all well and good to say you’re backing up these valuable files but external hard drives are also vulnerable when you connect them to your computer. Viruses can be spread to any device you connect to your computer, so you must be protective.

Further to the investment in your entertainment, your entire personal fortune is at risk. Trojans and spyware can access your private data like bank account details, which can be used to commit theft and fraud. What can you do then when you’re left penniless?

We rely on our computers for the digital storage of personal and private files more than we think; it is important not to take them for granted by protecting them with the best free antivirus software.