I would suggest a different approach to security. You don't need to buy yet another scanning program aimed at the unwashed consumer. You're going into the computer field. You should learn what is behind actual security, how to secure the OS and limit the attack vulnerabilities, what the OS has built in that you can take advantage of to improve the security, things like that. Yet another malware scanning program isn't going to help. I've been playing with computers since the days of the Sinclair and original Apple. Not once in all that time has an active virus/malware scanner actually protected me from anything. Not once has it identified something or protected me from an unknown that I didn't already know was there or wasn't already protected from (because I had already patched so whatever was identified was not a threat that would have actually got me). All active scanning has done is annoy me and get in my way. It has never actually protected me in 30 years of computer use. I do run an active AV even though it annoys me, but I hate the thing.
Save your money. You don't need more stuff from Symantec or another company. There's good security software available for free if you're a home user or student. Take advantage of it.
Learn what it is that makes a computer system more secure. Things like:
What ASLR and DEP are and how to take advantage of those features. What do they do? How do you get DEP to protect all processes rather than just Windows processes that opt-in?
Learn about tools like Microsoft's Enhanced Mitigation Experience Toolkit (EMET). Using it properly can protect you from unknown and known but unpatched vulnerabilties. For example it protected against the last Adobe Acrobat vulnerability that took Adobe almost a month to patch while it was being actively exploited.
Read sites like Secunia to keep up with what software is vulnerable and being exploited. You can also find out when patches are available and keep your computer patched up and current.
Learn about tools like Secunia PSI which will scan your computer for software that is unpatched or vulnerable. The next version of Secunia PSI has some neat features planned for helping you keep patched.
Learn about tools like Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer. It covers some basic security hardening steps.
Learn about tools like Filehippo Update Checker that will scan your computer for several popular programs and let you know when there are updates. The updates are often security issues. It checks some of the biggies that often get exploited like Adobe Acrobat, Flash, browsers, QuickTime, and Java.
Learn about disabling unnecessary services. Disabling unnecessary services will protect you from current and future exploits that attack those services. See sites like BlackViper that help you know what can be disabled.
Don't run warez. If you absolutely must browse warez and pR0n learn how to do so safely and smartly. Don't run any keygens or try to get a free copy of PhotoShop. So many problems come from people running warez and software that can't be trusted.
Learn to be smart. That's far more important than running yet another malware scanner. And you'll save money that can be better spent on headphones and music.
