Just how important IS an up to date Anti-virus program?

A couple Friday's back, I was doing what has become a normal part of the life of any person in the modern connected world, checking email, when I got to a message attempting to convince me that the sender was offering me the service of registering one of my websites with them in order to have them then submit said site to Search Engines, or as the email tried to promote it, Search Engine Optimization .

Well, being a web designer, there was no way I was going to click on some random link in an unsolicited email in the first place, even with being on the very virus and malware resistant Apple Computer that I use for my primary machine, and sure enough it was a good thing I did not click the link, for, the email was barely on the screen when suddenly, in the left lower corner of my screen popped up this

Red Alert-Anti-Virus Style

That's correct readers, a threat was detected, as the link in the email (again, thankfully I DID NOT click) was linked to a virus that was just sitting in Cyberspace waiting to attempt to take over my Email Account, Browser, computer (if coded to take over a Mac) AND most likely the specific website the email specifically mentioned

Now, most likely, you are wondering how the attempting Cyber criminals knew where to send the email and just how valuable a good Anti-virus program can be in these type of situations.  Well the answer to the first part is simple, and worth remembering

WEBSITE DOMAIN OWNERSHIP IS A MATTER OF PUBLIC RRCORD!

The second part is also fairly simple, Anti-Virus, along with educating yourself about online risks, can save your digital life.  There are plenty of both free and paid options for system protection on almost all desktop and mobile platforms, its wise to find the one that works for you. Oh, in case you are wondering, the Anti-virus that confirmed what I already figured that fateful Friday was a free app called Avast for Mac.