Is Free Antivirus enough?
Antivirus is a kind of software used to prevent, scan, detect and delete viruses from a computer. Once installed, most antivirus software runs automatically in the background to provide real-time protection against virus attacks.
Comprehensive virus protection programs help protect your files and hardware from malware such as worms, Trojan horses and spyware, and may also offer additional protection such as customizable firewalls and website blocking.
Antivirus programs and computer protection software
Antivirus programs and computer protection software are designed to evaluate data such as web pages, files, software and applications to help find and eradicate malware as quickly as possible.
Common Features of Pay-For Antivirus
When you pay for antivirus, what you’re buying are extra features that attempt to protect you against more than just viruses. Usually, these more robust solutions don’t even call themselves “antivirus”, instead going with labels like “internet security suite”, because fighting viruses is only one part of what they actually do.
The Best Antivirus Solution For You
Ultimately, it comes down to your needs and your budget. If the extra features seem worth it, then don’t hesitate to get one. It won’t be money wasted. But also keep in mind that even some free antivirus programs offer some of the advanced features, too. You’ll just have to do your own research and find out if they’re enough for you.
Being the aspiring security professional that I am, I would recommend taking the leap and getting a more complete security package than “free” can offer. It’s not necessary of course, but I don’t think you can ever be too careful online.
If you’re interested in upgrading, here’s a list of my recommended pay-for solutions to get you started. My personal favorites begin on the top.
- Bitdefender
- Kaspersky
- F-Secure
- Symantec Norton
- ESET
- Trend Micro
- Avast!
Antivirus software is a class of program designed to prevent, detect and remove malware infections on individual computing devices, networks and IT systems.
Antivirus software, originally designed to detect and remove viruses from computers, can also protect against a wide variety of threats, including other types of malicious software, such as keyloggers, browser hijackers, Trojan horses, worms, rootkits, spyware, adware, botnets and ransomware.
Antivirus software typically runs as a background process, scanning computers, servers or mobile devices to detect and restrict the spread of malware. Many antivirus software programs include real-time threat detection and protection to guard against potential vulnerabilities as they happen, as well as system scans that monitor device and system files looking for possible risks.
Antivirus software usually performs these basic functions:
Scanning directories or specific files for known malicious patterns indicating the presence of malicious software;
Allowing users to schedule scans so they run automatically;
Allowing users to initiate new scans at any time; and
Removing any malicious software it detects. Some Top antivirus 2020 softwares programs do this automatically in the background, while others notify users of infections and ask them if they want to clean the files.
In order to scan systems comprehensively, antivirus software must generally be given privileged access to the entire system. This makes antivirus software itself a common target for attackers, and researchers have discovered remote code execution and other serious vulnerabilities in antivirus software products in recent years.
Comments
Post a Comment