Choosing An AntiVirus Solution

There are a lot of factors to take into account when you’re trying to select the best antivirus solution for your needs. With the security of your data, digital identity and financial transactions at stake, it’s worthwhile investing some time in assessing each antivirus product.Furthermore, if you make extensive use of the Internet, email, messaging and other web services, it’s important to consider a solution that includes Internet security software and technologies that can make your online activities much safer.Criteria to help you get the best virus protection:Unfortunately, not all antivirus products provide a reliable, usable solution that delivers an adequate level of protection against malware. When measured against the following criteria, even the market’s top 10 antivirus solutions may achieve very different scores:

• ReliabilityEven the most thorough antivirus solution can prove to be absolutely useless if it conflicts with other software that’s running in your computer. If these conflicts lead to a malfunction or temporary suspension in the antivirus protection processes, that could leave you vulnerable.
• UsabilityIf the day-to-day operation of an antivirus solution requires special skills, it may be impractical for many users. Any antivirus product that is awkward to use, asks the user complex questions or needs the user to make difficult decisions is likely to increase the chances of ‘operator errors’. In some cases, if the antivirus software is too difficult to run, the user may simply disable it.
• Comprehensive ProtectionAn antivirus solution should deliver constant protection for all computer domains, all types of files and all network elements that could be subject to attack by a computer virus or other malware. The program should be able to detect malicious code and also protect all channels or entry points to the computer — including email, the Internet, FTP and more.
• Quality of ProtectionAntivirus solutions need to be able to operate in an aggressive environment that is constantly changing with new computer viruses, worms and Trojan viruses that can be much more complex than previously known malware and may include new ways of avoiding the actions of antivirus programs.

Quality of protection partly depends on the following:

• Effectiveness of malware detection processes
• Frequency and regularity of updates
• Ability to remove infections from the computer
• Efficiency in delivering computer protection – without significant impact on the computer’s performance

Common thoughts that run through your mind:

1. It will never happen to me.
2. I won’t click on anything I don’t recognize.
3. Only uneducated computer users get viruses.
4. I don’t need to pay for antivirus software.
5. Free antivirus is better and cheaper than premium one.

Do any of these statements sound familiar? As we’re all aware, we live in an ever-changing world in regards to technology. Ask yourself: do you keep up with the latest cyber-security threats and viruses? If not, don’t worry -- it's my job to stay updated. I personally recommend using a robust antivirus that will keep your computer protected from the latest viruses and cyber-security threats.You may be thinking that a free antivirus is a good, cost-effective solution. Unfortunately, it isn’t. Think for a moment: what motivation does a company have for offering a good, free antivirus product? Many of the companies that offer free antivirus products also offer a paid version. Which version do you think is the most up-to-date? Which version do you think is the most efficient at keeping your computer safe? The paid version. Many free antivirus software include advertisements. Many times these advertisements are often the cause of infections in the first place!By purchasing a good antivirus upfront, you are essentially achieving a baseline protection and system hardening. Let's say you disregard my advice and use a free antivirus; if you become infected, the cost to clean the virus has cost you at least 1.5 times the amount the paid antivirus would have cost on the front end.Our Tech Experts Managed Antivirus solution provides comprehensive security for your computers. Contact us now at (734) 457-5000 for more information.(Image Source: iCLIPART)