Choosing Anti-Virus Software

There are a number of companies that provide software solutions to virus, Trojan, and internet worm attacks. It can be really confusing when you compare three different software packages from five different companies trying to find the one that is right for you. With that in mind, there are several very important things that you need to consider when choosing antivirus software:

1) How often/fast are the virus definitions updated. You want the answer to be "As soon as a ne...
There are a number of companies that provide software solutions to virus, Trojan, and internet worm attacks. It can be really confusing when you compare three different software packages from five different companies trying to find the one that is right for you. With that in mind, there are several very important things that you need to consider when choosing antivirus software:

1) How often/fast are the virus definitions updated. You want the answer to be "As soon as a new threat is found".

2) Are the virus definitions updated automatically by the software? You want the answer to be "YES".

3) Can you configure the software to check for updates every time you go online? You want the answer to be "YES".

4) Is the software "smart" so that it can find viruses it doesn't even know about yet? You want the answer to be "YES".

5) Can it scan incoming and outgoing email automatically? You want the answer to be "YES".

6) Can you configure it once to perform automatic scans of your entire computer on a regular schedule? You want the answer to be "YES".

7) Does it provide a way to 'clean out' any viruses etc. that are found? You want the answer to be "YES".

8) Are upgrades to the software package performed automatically, regularly, and at no cost? You want the answer to be "YES".

There are a few major players in the field that you should know about in order to make an informed decision about which antivirus software solution to buy and use. There are Norton Antivirus, Trend Micro's PC-cillin, and McAfee Antivirus. Sophos and Grisoft’s AVG are also very god choices. All of the top antivirus solutions will provide each of the eight points above (and more).

There are quite a few smaller players on the market as well. In many cases they are quite good. However, most of the smaller players in this market don't have the resources (yet) to keep up with constantly changing virus threats. For now I would recommend staying away from them. Not because they are poor products, but simply because they aren't able to consistently provide each of the eight requirements above.

The first few days after a new virus appears are often when it can do the most damage. The sooner you get an update the better. The big 3 will provide automatic updates to new threats usually within days of a new virus being found. Sophos and AVG are similar. Smaller players may take several days to provide updates, which are often not automatic.

This should be enough basic information to help you on your way to choosing a good antivirus software. If you’d like to learn more first, there is plenty to read at http://www.antivirus-report.com/antivirus-software.html

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Antivirus Software - Protecting Your Computer's Data

When you buy a new computer you must protect your investment from malicious software programs such as viruses, worms, spyware, and trojans.  These programs can cause serious damage to your computer system by erasing data or providing your sensitive data to criminals. You can help protect your personal computer by installing antivirus software to remove and prevent nasty viruses and spyware.

There are various antivirus programs available on the market and while they all do the same job, there are several things to keep in mind when choosing a program.

First you will want to consider the ease of use of the software.  The average computer user is not tech savvy so you will want your antivirus software to be very user friendly.  Look for features such as easy configuration as well as scanning your system on demand.  The software should also automatically check for updates.

A good antivirus program will also be able to remove dangerous viruses, trojans, and worms and prevent new ones from infecting your computer.  If the program cannot completely remove these viruses, it should at the minimum be able to keep the virus from spreading.

It is also important to ask if the software is a system hog.  Many antivirus programs can use up a lot of your computer's resources slowing down your system.  This can cause problems if you plan on running your antivirus software in the background while you continue to work.  There are many good programs available that use resources more effectively.  They run unnoticed in the background while you continue to work normally.

Some antivirus programs do include spyware prevention but in order to be fully protected, you may opt for purchasing separate spyware software as well.  A separate spyware program can help ensure that your computer is safe from spyware issues that a combo program may not be equipped to catch.

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