If you think your virus scanner is enough to keep your computer safe, think again! Here we tell you about a simple program that can keep your computer from being compromised.

IThe Secunia Personal Software Inspector (PSI) is a free computer security solution that identifies vulnerabilities in non-Microsoft (third-party) programs which can leave your PC open to attacks. It scans for outdated, vulnerable programs like Java, Adobe Flash and many others that need updating. It is an easy to use tool and can be explained in three simple steps:

Step 1 — First download the program from this link: http://secunia.com/vulnerability_scanning/personal/ and save it to any folder or on your desktop.

Step 2 — After the download is done, double click on the PSISetup.exe file and follow the instructions to install it.

Step 3 — After the installation is complete, run the program from the desktop shortcut or from the all programs section in the start menu. As the program opens you will be welcomed with this screen:

Secunia Personal Software Inspector can provide you the necessary software security updates to keep your system secure and up-to-date. The Secunia PSI even automates the updates for your insecure programs, making it a lot easier for you to maintain a secure PC. This tool is a must-have and free for personal use on any individual PC and complements your antivirus suite along the way.

Published in Dawn, Sunday Magazine, August 17th, 2014