Options For Malware Protection

With new strains of malware being released at a rapid rate, computer users are seeking high and low for the best protection. Making a choice can be difficult as there are so many options available. Should you go with a product that specifically targets viruses or a more sophisticated solution that looks for spyware? Should you install a firewall to keep threats away or purchase an integrated suite that does it all? When considering how many nasty infections are online, a security suite sounds very tempting. Having the luxury of installing a single program and receiving updates from a centralized location carries obvious appeal, one that has made all-in-one anti-malware software a viable solution for many.

In this article, we will discuss some of the anti-malware options available today and help determine which one is right for you:

Combination Tools

In the fight against malware, some users will juggle several different tools. This is something that could lead to compatibility issues that cause your software not to function properly. You can take the time to ask each developer for a list of known conflicts, although this will do nothing when undocumented incompatibilities come into play. To avoid this issue, an integrated suite would definitely be the best choice for malware software.

OS Tools

Windows XP comes with a few built-in anti-virus malware tools, such as a firewall and a low-level anti-virus utility. Unfortunately, these tools are not very reliable against the array of threats being released every day. Vista comes with Windows Defender anti-spyware technology and other utilities that make the system far more secure than XP. However, these tools still do not provide the level of security most businesses require.

Behavior-blocking Software

Anti-malware software with behavior-blocking capability provides some of the best protection available. It uses a more sophisticated approach at detection than simply matching programs against signatures of known infections. Instead, it functions similar to a firewall by monitoring incoming programs for specific executions that show characteristics of malicious code.

Advanced Programs

Anti-malware software often comes with additional features to detect the most recent threats. One approach is known as herd intelligence. This technique leverages the collective data-gathering features of multiple computers to create a system with much improved malware fighting capabilities. Each machine transmits data regarding all incoming programs to a centralized server for automated analysis. Other features include access-control that enables users to stay alert on launch attempts of unknown software, making it a reliable tool for early detection. This type of anti-malware software provides adequate protection at both the user and network level.

Anti-virus Software

With all the abundance of anti-malware software and techniques currently on the market, some are predicting that traditional anti-virus programs will become completely obsolete. However, the technology remains very useful and has been implemented into more advanced solutions. Most anti-virus software is reasonably priced and serves as a good second line of defense against common infections.

Whether it's an all-in-one solution or a number of different tools, having some form of anti-malware software on your computer is essential. Without it, your system is wide open for an attack.

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