Tips for Choosing Anti-virus Software

Anti-virus software is software designed and used to detect, remove or prevent malware such as Trojan horses, worms and computer viruses. Some also prevent and remove adware and spyware. The software does this by searching for known patterns of code and data. If the file doesn't fit acceptable parameters, it's considered a danger to your computer's security and is removed or quarantined.

It's important to make sure you choose the right type of anti-virus software to make sure your computer is properly protected. Here are some tips to make sure you're making the right choice.

Types of Updates of Offered and the Frequency of Them

You need to choose software that is updated often. This is important because new viruses are being created daily if not hourly and your software needs to know what to look for if it's going to do its job and protect your computer. Choose a program that allows for you to set up automatic updates several times a day. This way you're guaranteed to have the latest version even if you haven't had time to manually update the virus definitions. Even with automatic updates, you can periodically choose to manually update especially right before doing anything where you need to access personal or sensitive information you don't want anyone else to access.

The virus software should check for updates every time you go online because this is one of the times when you're most vulnerable to an attack even while just visiting a website.

Automatic Email Scanning

Good antivirus software will automatically scan all incoming and outgoing emails. Many viruses are transferred by email without the user knowing.

Additional Features Tailored to Your Needs

Some virus software programs have specific features that can be activated to meet your needs. For example, if you use your computer for a lot of social networking (instant messaging and chat rooms), you should choose a program with specific protection for these types of applications.

Technical Support

You don't want to spend good money on a virus software program with no support if the program suddenly appears to not be doing its job. There are different types of technical support from a call center, to live chat service to email. See what's available with the software you're considering purchasing and decide if it meets your preferred needs for technical support.

User Friendly

Most anti-virus software is easy to use so being user-friendly may not be too big of an issue. If you're new to computers, though, it may be especially important for you to choose a program that doesn't confuse you. All the software programs promise to be easy to use, but you'll need to decide if setting up its applications works with your level of computer knowledge. Many programs will give you a free 14 to 30 day trial to help you with your decision.

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