Anti-virus software is an extremely vital part of the life of our computers. But many of us don’t even know what this software is or why it is so important to have. Keep reading to find out what it is, why we need it, and how to choose what is best for you!
Anti-virus software is a program that is designed to prevent, search for, detect, and remove software viruses, and other malicious software like worms, trojans, adware, and more. This is important because left undetected and taken care of these things will wreak havoc on your device. Many people will install this software when they get a new device, but fail to keep it updated. Malware is constantly being created and without the protection and updating of your anti-virus software your computer will be susceptible to an infinite amount of malware.
When it comes to choosing an anti-virus and company to use the options are nearly limitless. These are the basic functions of ant-virus software.
1) Scan specific files for any malware
2) Allow you to schedule your scans automatically so you don’t have to think about doing it routinely
3) Allow you to scan a specific file of your computer or drive at any time
4) Remove any malicious code detected. Some programs will automatically take care of the problem while other programs will notify you of the detection found and ask if you want to take care of the problem.
5) Show you the overall health of your computer
The importance of having anti-virus software is to be proactive in taking care of your computer. We know that backing up our information is of high importance, but you never know when a virus can hit. The risk of losing all your date and spending a lot of money getting your computer cleaned is not worth going without anti-virus software. Not to mention the time it will take to clean as well as the potential risk of losing everything you have on your computer. Some viruses and malware can even gain access to your personal information as well which can cause its own set of problems and headaches.
Anti-virus software is not fool proof. The most recent study states that there are nearly one million new malware threats that are released every single day. This is the exact reason why companies are constantly asking you to update your software as they create the software to combat these new threats.
So now that we know a little bit of the what and why, let’s talk about the how.
How do I choose which anti-virus software to use?
Just like most of life there is a plethora of choices. Anti-virus is no different. When choosing your software it is just like anything else, research, research, research. Only you can decide which is best for you. There are some companies that make free anti-virus software which could work great for you, free doesn’t necessarily mean that it isn’t as good as a paid software. It is best to choose one that you feel strongly that the company can serve you and your needs adequately. Take some time to invest in good research and understanding of what you need. You can never be too cautious.
And don’t forget…UPDATE!