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Antivirus Software Importance

Updated: Apr 26, 2021


Every day when you turn on the news, you hear about a new antivirus or scam when it comes to your computer and having it secure.

With all the different competing pieces of software on the market, it is hard to decide which one to purchase. Sometimes we ask people in the store, and they do not know what you need. They want to sell you something.


Do you know what a computer virus is?


We hear many different words to describe a virus. Common names for them are a virus, malware, and trojan horse. Some common ones are below:

  • An attacker would copy your accounts and passwords by stealing your every keystroke.

  • The Attacker encrypts all your data and holds it hostage until you pay money to have your files back or released.

  • We all have heard about the attackers that turn on the camera and microphone to steal your data and record you.

  • Taking control of your computer to go into other computers to steal data.

Viruses do what they set out to do, but they also change the operating systems to change, making it harder for you to find the problem.

Some even go as far as reinstalling themselves when you have removed them.





Do you ever wonder how it spread?


Think about the average virus that you can get by going out into the public. Some of the most common ways that viruses can spread would be:

  • Website. When you look at a website, you will find many places for the hacker to put the virus. Images, articles, surveys, and ads. It can be a site made to have all the attacks in them, but others are done after the fact.

  • USB Sticks. Have you ever gone into a place like a conference room or just taken one that was being given away as a freebie? There could be a virus on the device, and when you install it into your computer, you pass on the virus.

  • Have you received an email that you do not know who sent to you, but you open anyway? This is another way that you can get a virus.




So how is Anti-Virus Software going to protect me?


Anti-Virus Software examines all your files and every piece of software installed on the computer or is trying to be installed on the computer. Antivirus software can do this in 2 days.

  • Behavior-based would watch the signatures of what a program is doing and judge whether a piece of information is malicious. Then it would react accordingly.

  • Signature-based is the most common method. The companies are making the list of files. After they find one on the list, they will mark it as malicious.




To install or not to install is the question.


These are the items that you would need to look at when choosing the software that you want to get and use.

  • In most cases, the software you pay for is better than the software you can get for free. But the free is better than not using any software at all.

  • Your software should include behavioral detections and other features that could block you from visiting known malicious websites.

  • Using software from a company that some people have used in the past is better than using software that anyone has not heard of.

  • It would help if you looked at the review and ratings of the software.



What brands and where to find them?


You can find your software in many different places. You can order online, in the mail, or at the local office supply store. Some of the top ones are:

  • Norton

  • Bitdefender

  • BullGuard

  • McAfee

  • Panda




Keeping your information and technology safe


We must remember that as we work from home or children or go to school online, we need to make sure that we have the best Antivirus software.

The use of the software will allow you to feel safe and not worry about using your computer. Purchasing good Anti-Software is a significant investment.


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