Antivirus software is a kind of utility utilized for filtering and expelling infections from your PC.
While many sorts of antivirus (or “against infection”) programs exist, their main role is to shield PCs from infections and evacuate any infections that are found. Most Antivirus software incorporates both programmed and manual checking abilities.
Most Antivirus software incorporates both programmed and manual filtering abilities. The programmed output may check records that are downloaded from the Internet, plates that are embedded into the PC, and documents that are made by programming installers.
The programmed sweep may likewise examine the whole hard drive all the time. The manual sweep choice enables you to check singular documents or your whole framework at whatever point you feel it is essential. Since new infections are always being made by PC programs, antivirus programs must keep a refreshed database of infection sorts.
This database incorporates a rundown of “infection definitions” that the antivirus programming references when filtering records. Since new infections are every now and again dispersed, it is vital to keep your product’s infection database state-of-the-art.
Luckily, most antivirus programs naturally refresh the infection database all the time. While Antivirus programming is fundamentally intended to secure PCs against infections, numerous antivirus programs now ensure against different sorts of malware, for example, spyware, adware, and rootkits also.
Antivirus programming may likewise be packaged with firewall highlights, which anticipates unapproved access to your PC. Utilities that incorporate both antivirus and firewall capacities are normally marked “Web Security” programming or something comparative.
While Antivirus software is accessible for Windows, Macintosh, and Unix stages, most antivirus programming is sold for Windows frameworks. This is on account of most infections that are focused on Windows PCs and thusly infection security is particularly imperative for Windows clients.
On the off chance that you are a Windows client, it is keen to have no less than one antivirus program introduced on your PC. Cases of basic antivirus programs incorporate Norton Antivirus, Kaspersky Anti-Virus, and ZoneAlarm Antivirus.
Understanding The Most Popular Antivirus
This is the last part of Understanding Antivirus software series of articles. In part 1, we described antivirus software and its common task while in part 2, we tackled how antivirus programs work. In this article, we will describe the most popular and best antivirus programs to date.
Not all antivirus programs are offering the same features but their function is the same: To protect your computer against malware attacks and to remove any infection if any.
The best antivirus programs should be passed the certification system, the features should work without tweaking the system in Windows especially if your system has met the system requirements and will provide protection not only to common viruses but the most type of malware.
Best Antivirus software
Below are the best antivirus programs to date which you should consider using to protect Windows computer and your data:
AntiVir by Avira is a light-weight Antivirus software offering fast detection of malware in the wild and multiple daily definitions update. It supports netbooks and is compatible with Windows 2000, XP, Vista, and Windows 7. The free edition of AntiVir is lacking important protection- defense against known rogues and malicious URLs.
Such web protection is only available to paid customers of AntiVir. Free AntiVir will only protect your browsing if the site you have visited websites has malicious content or when you download a known rogue or malware instead of blocking the rogue malware sites.
AntiVir Premium edition is offering more features and protection. Uninstalling AntiVir has given some end-users a problem but I recommend using AppRemover or Revo Uninstaller instead of using the manual uninstall guide by the vendor.
The widely recommended antivirus Antivirus software in many discussion forums is NOD32 by ESET. That is if the end-user is looking for a paid antivirus solution. NOD32’s basic and advanced user interface satisfied will satisfy beginners and advanced users.
Its sophisticated heuristic detection capability has proven to detect faster than others could. You can install NOD32 on Windows 2000, XP, Vista and Windows 7.
The antivirus by Kaspersky is popular because of its fast detection for Trojan Horses. Most malware and rogue are distributed using the Trojan downloader which makes Kaspersky antivirus able to perform well. You can install Kaspersky AV in Windows 7, Vista and XP.
Symantec’s Antivirus software has received the 2009 Product of the Year award by AV-Comparatives.org. Existing users of Norton have seen a good performance of the new version, 2010.
The program’s installer includes a toolbar with Ask.com Search Assistant which is odd for antivirus companies to partner with a company that has questionable reputation due to adware and spyware business by IAC/Ask.
Still, Norton Antivirus continues to attract new subscribers for it is installed as OEM in new computers and/or existing users who take advantage of the free upgrade to every new version of the program. Norton AV supports XP, Vista, and Windows 7. The program is offering common protection by antivirus programs with identity protection and network mapping.
The boot-time scanner, Network Shield, and e-mail scanner in Avast have attracted end-users. The detection capability of Alwil Avast! is very good and you can install the program on any edition of Windows. The installer of Avast is bundled with the Google Chrome browser that is not necessary to continue using the antivirus program.
Avast is available as freeware and paid editions. The free edition is lacking script blocker, push updates, the enhanced user interface, repairing of executable infected files, and anti-virus task creation. The current UI of Avast is not attractive but Alwil, the maker of Avast, is planning to release a better UI in the upcoming v5.
- VIPRE
Sunbelt’s VIPRE Antivirus software has attracted business and end-users for its nice UI, good support, unlimited home site license, and above-average malware detection capability. VIPRE supports Windows 2000, XP, Vista, Server 2003/2008, and Windows 7.
The neat user interface, ease of use, LinkScanner feature, and e-mail scanner will make you decide to keep the antivirus program by AVG Technologies. The program is compatible only with Windows 7, Vista and XP.
The installer includes AVG Security Toolbar by Yahoo which is not necessary to install or to be protected. AVG Free does not have advanced rootkit protection, instant messaging protection, the option to use Game Mode, and access to faster update servers. You can have all these if you will subscribe to AVG Pro. The malware protection capability of AVG is average only.
BitDefender Free has attracted end-users that have protection by another antivirus program because the free edition of BitDefender only provides an on-demand scanner, malware removal with the option to quarantine and schedule a scan.
To enjoy real-time protection and other useful features of this particular antivirus program, you will need to use the paid edition. You can install BitDefender in XP, Vista and Windows 7. The free edition also supports Windows 2000.
BitDefender’s malware detection is above average but you have to make sure to change the default setting of the program by configuring to send any copy to quarantine before allowing the antivirus to handle any threats.
- Microsoft Security Essentials
Microsoft is not a new kid on the block when it comes to providing antivirus solution. They’ve offered to the public a free anti-spyware since 2005 and Windows Live OneCare, antivirus program since 2007. Microsoft Security Essentials offers real-time protection, e-mail attachments scanner and some common but basic features of antivirus.
It is light-weight and is updated multiple times a day to protect against new malware and its variants. The free antivirus of Microsoft will run in Windows 7, Vista and XP only as long as the Windows system has passed the Windows Genuine Validation (WGA).
Panda’s Cloud Antivirus software, a free cloud-based antivirus program gained popularity last year by offering real-time protection, and on-demand scanner and quarantine features. The free edition of Panda antivirus is lacking many common protections that other AV solutions provider and the malware detection capability is average only.
For full protection, the paid edition of Panda antivirus is available. Panda AV supports Windows 7, Vista, and XP. Like any tool to use, an antivirus program is not the only solution to use to secure your computer. You have to maintain Windows or any operating system by keeping it up-to-date and by adding additional security tools like firewalls and system backup software.
Extra layers of protection are a must nowadays, so install-on-demand scanner or regularly scan using an online virus scan. If you would like to read reviews of the most popular antivirus programs, check them out here in Bright Hub.
