Even with all these precautions, however, it is still possible for a computer to become infected. The writers of computer viruses, Trojan horses, adware and spyware are very clever after all. It is often possible for the latest threats to fly under the radar for a day or two before they are uncovered. This lag time may cause some threats to be missed by your virus scanner and spyware sweeper, so it is a good idea to perform a manual scan from time to time.

Fortunately there are a number of free online scanning tools designed to make it easier and faster to find and eradicate these hidden threats. One of the best known sites for a free scan is worldaggregator, but there are other sources as well. Running one of these free online scans from time to time is a great way to keep on top of emerging threats and make sure your computer does not become infected.

Running an online scan is generally fast and easy, requiring only a few steps and a couple clicks of the mouse. In most cases you will need to read through a user agreement and click and acknowledgement box, after which the scan will start. As possible threats are identified they are highlighted, and at the conclusion of the scan you will have the option to ignore, quarantine or delete those threats. In many cases the online scanning service will provide a brief description of the threat in order to help you decide which course of action is best.

Running an online scan is a great way to supplement the virus scanning and spyware protection you already have in place. While these scans should not be your sole means of protection, these types of services can provide an important extra layer of protection for your important data.