Antivirus

According to the latest statistics, one in every one thousand websites is infected with a malicious virus that can cause serious harm to your computer.

In this state of affairs, it is unheard of for any current computer system, be it private or company owned, to function without an antivirus system.

Arguably, paid antivirus programs that you purchase directly from the dealer and authenticate as well as personalize for your use are more efficient than free antivirus systems that you can get online. This is because branded and paid antivirus programs usually come equipped with a few choice benefits that you don’t normally get with free programs.

Probably the most useful benefit of a standard commercial antivirus program is that it comes with a built in spyware monitor as well, meaning that you are not only safe from viruses, but that your computer is also free of the spybots that spammers and other sources can introduce into your system through cookies and other channels.

In addition, you also usually get the benefit of a round the clock support service, so that you can call the company helpline at any hour if your computer seems unstable and you suspect a virus attack. Remember, do not make the mistake of assuming that your system’s built in firewall is an antivirus program.

Firewalls offer basic protection only, and may not be equipped to identify or repair the damage done by viruses.

Most antivirus software offers what is commonly known as real time protection for your computer. This means that as long as your computer is ‘awake’, your antivirus program monitors your online traffic to ensure that no viruses get into your system.

Every antivirus program requires regular updates, usually on a daily basis. Keep in mind that your antivirus program is virtually useless without these updates, since new viruses are born every day and your antivirus software needs to be updated frequently if it is to catch the latest bugs.

Also recommended is a daily scan that allows your antivirus software to scan your hard drives for potentially unsafe elements. While a daily scan certainly decreases the chances of your hard drive crashing from a virus assault, it can also be a nuisance while it lasts since it slows down your operating system considerably, making it practically impossible to work on anything that requires a lot of memory while the scanning function is in progress.

One way to get past this inconvenience is to schedule your daily scan to coincidence with your lunch break or perhaps set it for early in the morning or late in the night, when you’re unlikely to require your system for an hour or so.

You can also set it to automatically shut down your system when the scan is complete, so that you don’t have to sit yawning by the computer waiting for the scan to run its course. However, the scan may require a response from you if a dangerous element is found, so it is advisable to be in the vicinity of your system and preferably wide awake while the scanning is on.