With the growing usage of Internet as the major source of information, communication, networking and entertainment; there are always some malicious users looking for opportunities to break into the information system with a motive of either harming the target or stealing some precious information. When a layman wants protection against virus, he actually needs protection against Spyware, Trojans, Keyloggers, Adware, and other malicious tools that may prove equally harmful.
To broaden the scope of prevention utilities against such attacks, there are two types of programmes- some fall under the category of standalone antivirus software and some are security suites. Originally, security suites included firewall as an addition to the normal antivirus software, but these days, security programs come with filters and protectors which do not specifically name the feature as firewall but provide better protection than the fully blown security suites.
Following are some of the factors which constitute the criteria for deciding the ideal Antivirus program:
1) Scope of functioning: Most of the security programs boast of 100 percent figure in terms of security but its your role to be informed about the scope of its security. The program should include protection against keyloggers, rootkits, phishing scams and e-mail borne threats apart from viruses, spyware, adware, worms and trojans. The most common channel for entry of viruses is Internet, thus you should do some prior research on the level of online protection that the program provides.
2) Ease of installation and configuration: The program implementation should be quick as the protection may be required very soon after the fresh booting of the computer. You should ensure that there is not much time lag between the beginning of installation and launching of first scan in case of emergency. Strict and full-proof boot time scan should also be a preference.
3) Ease of Use: The program may be full of features but most of the advanced features will be rendered ineffective if the program is not easy to use and handle. The main target for you as a normal user should be to look for a program which has expert level functionality with beginner level control and handling configuration.
Apart from all this, you should look for the level of technical assistance and regularity of updates to the virus engine as new types of threats are regularly surfacing. The Help features and support documentation should be comprehensive enough so as to guide even the most novice users effectively.
To broaden the scope of prevention utilities against such attacks, there are two types of programmes- some fall under the category of standalone antivirus software and some are security suites. Originally, security suites included firewall as an addition to the normal antivirus software, but these days, security programs come with filters and protectors which do not specifically name the feature as firewall but provide better protection than the fully blown security suites.
Following are some of the factors which constitute the criteria for deciding the ideal Antivirus program:
1) Scope of functioning: Most of the security programs boast of 100 percent figure in terms of security but its your role to be informed about the scope of its security. The program should include protection against keyloggers, rootkits, phishing scams and e-mail borne threats apart from viruses, spyware, adware, worms and trojans. The most common channel for entry of viruses is Internet, thus you should do some prior research on the level of online protection that the program provides.
2) Ease of installation and configuration: The program implementation should be quick as the protection may be required very soon after the fresh booting of the computer. You should ensure that there is not much time lag between the beginning of installation and launching of first scan in case of emergency. Strict and full-proof boot time scan should also be a preference.
3) Ease of Use: The program may be full of features but most of the advanced features will be rendered ineffective if the program is not easy to use and handle. The main target for you as a normal user should be to look for a program which has expert level functionality with beginner level control and handling configuration.
Apart from all this, you should look for the level of technical assistance and regularity of updates to the virus engine as new types of threats are regularly surfacing. The Help features and support documentation should be comprehensive enough so as to guide even the most novice users effectively.