How to buy security and utility software for your business It's a fact of business that you need to protect your intellectual property, whether it's in e-mail, marketing plans, or in-house software. Security software can go a long way toward protecting these assets, and utility software will help you maintain them. Increasingly, utility apps are being integrated into operating systems. Windows XP, for instance, includes a disk defragmenter, a zip utility, and a backup feature--but you may find yourself on the hunt for a more full-bodied, third-party utility from time to time.

On the other hand, the software built into Windows isn't always the most secure. Although Internet Explorer remains the most widely used browser, less popular alternatives such as Firefox, Netscape, and Opera offer better features and typically attract less attention from hackers, which can ultimately make them more secure for your employees to use to access the Internet.