Choosing protection for your PC computer can be a gruesome task. There are enough tools for it and it can confuse anyone. In this regard, one should have a fundamental knowledge of how antivirus software operate, their essential features, and why they are needed.
online reports such as the review of TotalAV or of any other brand among the most popular Choosing protection for your PC computer can be a gruesome task. There are enough tools for it and it can confuse anyone. In this regard, one should have a fundamental knowledge of how antivirus software operate, their essential features, and why they are needed.
A quick route to this much-needed information would be through leveraging popular antivirus ones (Bitdefender, Avast, Norton, and Kaspersky).
Nevertheless, this text will give an overview of how you can choose the best antivirus solution and describe which factors to consider.
Table of Contents
Why Do You Need Antivirus against Malware
Malware is an ellipsis for Malicious Software, which are a variety of programs that are developed to gain unauthorized entry into user networks. Their attack impacts computer performance and may result in theft and loss of essential data. Some of the known malware are viruses, spyware, ransomware, and adware, etc.
However, there are antivirus programs, the programs that are developed to fight against malware. Although their efficiency varies, they are designed to counter cybercriminal tactics, e.g., phishing scams. Excellent antivirus software will prevent attacks from being successful.
How Antiviruses Operate
Antiviruses offer real-time protection against malware found on the internet. They regularly scan computer files for viruses and block malicious scripts from getting access. Under scans, any new program or media is examined to verify that it’s clean. All these processes may occur in the background. The user may not notice unless the antivirus raises an alarm of a potential threat.
Other than the background and quick scans, antiviruses are also designed to carry out full system scans. With the full-system scan, the program is scheduled to run a thorough scan throughout the computer. This type of scan should bust any hidden or suspicious files.
Features to Look for in A Security Software
Software aimed at the prevention of cyber threats differs significantly due to the approaches, functions, engines, and options. Thus, every user should know what to look for. In this regard, there are features to consider.
Lightweight program
Perfect antivirus software guards a computer against malicious attacks without dragging its performance. For this to be possible, it has to be lightweight but with high malware detection rates.
Malware database
Ideal antiviruses come with a database of common malware. This helps the antivirus software to quickly identify any unwanted programs and codes that enter the computer. To ensure that no malware escapes, the list of malware is updated regularly. This is why users are implored to keep their antivirus protection database up-to-date.
Automatic updates
Good security software can update itself automatically. This helps to keep an up-to-date malware database and to remove any vulnerabilities. Although users can do that manually, automatic updates are more effective since they occur timely and can occur much more frequently.
Heuristics feature
Most high-end antivirus programs use a special feature known as “heuristics analysis.” With this feature, the antivirus program will consider a file to be a threat deriving from its behavior, even if it’s absent in the malware database.
Malware removal
Finding an antivirus product that can remove malware is as good as getting one that blocks the malware. Either feature will work correctly.
What Else to Look For in an Outstanding Antivirus Program
When choosing antivirus software, it’s essential to have one with the following features:
File shredder – apparently, deleting stuff from the recycle bin isn’t the best way to get rid of files. When you delete them, they are only made invisible for you to see. Various programs can be used to recover them. File shredders will permanently delete unwanted files from your device.
Ransomware protection– ransomware is on the rise, and getting an antivirus program with ransomware protection is recommended. Ransomware protection minimizes the chances of ransomware locking your data.
Other features: password managers, phishing protection, system optimization, browser protection, etc.
Furthermore, please note that it’s not advisable to use more than one antivirus program on your computer. This greatly causes conflict between the two programs and affects the performance of your computer.
The general rule is, only one standard antivirus software should be allowed to operate.
Where to Get Further Information on Best Antiviruses
Third-party reviews and user comments. As was mentioned earlier, reviews can significantly help a user learn about antivirus software’s efficiency. And also, comments and comparisons by other users who had an experience with the antiviruses may be enlightening.
Security forums. There are plenty of forums online that focus on cybersecurity solutions. On these forums, you can find trustworthy reviews and also learn from the frequently asked questions.
Reputation Check via software labs. There is a variety of security software on the market, and it is hard to pick one. For your device to be adequately protected, it’s essential to find an effective antivirus from a reputable brand. Sources for checking the reputation may be independent testing labs like AV-Test or Virus Bulletin.
Conduct a free trial. Most antivirus programs come with a free trial. A free trial is the best way a user can learn about the product.
In the free trial, a user can check whether:
- It’s not heavy for their computer (the antivirus should not affect the device performance);
- It has automatic updates;
- It blocks and removes malware when the device has been attacked;
- It comes with phishing and ransomware protection;
Usually, a free trial run is given for one month. This is a sufficient period to learn everything that can be learned about the antivirus software. If the antivirus does not meet expectations, the user can uninstall it and continue looking for the best.
Bottom Line
Several methods of how to find the best program have been highlighted in this post. However, you should keep in mind that having an outstanding antivirus program may sometimes not be enough. Your habits on the computer also count. It’s important to avoid opening links in spammed emails, keep the device operating system updated, and to avoid opening odd websites on the internet.
When a device is protected by the best antivirus program on the market, many bad situations can be prevented from happening. The user won’t have to lose any sensitive information, banking passwords, etc.
