There is a wide range of antivirus software on the market, each of which has different features and benefits when installed on your device.
Whether you use your PC occasionally or, even more so, for business purposes, it is impossible to do without good protection. A PC without antivirus software will be able to surf without problems for a few minutes before being infected by malicious programmes.
Basic versions of antivirus software offer a basic level of protection for your device, helping to protect it from the most common viruses, blocking dangerous applications and files, and reporting the presence of suspicious websites. In this way, it helps keep your PC safe.
Many entry-level solutions have numerous functionalities, but their use can be complicated. Others have a user interface that makes them easy to use, but, on the other hand, do not offer much functionality.
On the other hand, adopting antivirus software that offers a high level of protection provides more advanced protection than the basic level, as the latter offer protection against the most common viruses, while advanced level antivirus software provides even more protection. Some of the high-end protection software uses 'system watching' components, which ensure the detection of unknown malware and computer viruses.
In addition, high-end antivirus software generally allows you to protect all your devices (PCs, Macs, smartphones, and tablets), whereas basic options usually only provide protection for one type of device.
In essence, antivirus software that offers a high level of protection protects your computer proactively, rather than simply reactively.
The best antivirus software that offers a high level of protection are:
Why it is important to always have an up-to-date antivirus on your computer.
The task of antivirus and antispyware software is to detect and block malicious software such as viruses and spyware, which represent the worst threat to the information stored on our PCs.
The task of antivirus and antispyware software is to search within the files contained in our computer for those elements or 'digital signatures' that may point to the presence of malicious software that has already been identified.
The term identified is motivated by the fact that these software have their own database of currently circulating viruses, on which the defence they provide us is based.
It follows that it is essential, for protection to be effective, that this database is constantly updated, because otherwise some malicious application might slip through.
As normal users, our defence is to install antivirus and antispyware software, with real-time protection and automatic updates activated. In addition, we recommend daily quick scans, which are usually performed automatically at a pre-set time.
Check that the automatic antivirus update is activated.
All antivirus systems are different and have their own standard procedure for setting the automatic update.
However, the procedure is very similar for all systems.
Below is the procedure for Kaspersky as an example:
Kaspersky
To configure automatic download and installation of Kaspersky Endpoint Security updates on client devices:
In the console tree, select the Tasks folder.
Create an Update task in one of the following ways:
By selecting Create → Task from the shortcut menu of the Tasks folder in the console tree.
Click the Create Task button in the Tasks folder workspace.
The New Task Wizard will start.
In the Select task type wizard window, select Kaspersky Endpoint Security as the task type, select Update as the task sub-type, and then click Next.
Follow the remaining instructions in the wizard.
When the wizard finishes, an update task for Kaspersky Endpoint Security will be created. The created task is displayed in the task list in the Tasks folder.
In the Tasks folder workspace, select a created update task.
Select Properties in the task's shortcut menu.
Select the Settings section in the task's properties window.
In the Settings section, you can define the settings for the update task in local or offline mode:
Local mode update settings: a connection is established between the device and Administration Server.
Offline mode update settings: No connection is established between Kaspersky Security Center and the device (e.g. when the device has no Internet connection).
Click the Settings button to select the source of updates.
Select the Download application module updates check box to download and install software module updates in addition to application databases.
If the check box is selected, Kaspersky Endpoint Security notifies you of available software module updates and includes the software module updates in the update package while the update task is running. Configure the use of update modules:
Install critical and approved updates. If updates are available for software modules, Kaspersky Endpoint Security automatically installs them with a Critical status. The remaining updates will be installed after being approved by the administrator.
To approve software updates
(a) In the console tree, open the Software Updates folder.
b) In the update properties window, in the Update Approval field of the General section, set the value Approved.
The default value is Undefined.
If you configure the properties of an update for Kaspersky Lab applications that cannot be uninstalled, and in the Update approval field you set the value Rejected, Kaspersky Security Center will not uninstall the update from devices where it was previously installed.
If an update for Kaspersky Lab applications cannot be uninstalled, this property is displayed in the Update properties window, in the Installation requirements section of the General tab.
Only install approved updates. If updates are available for software modules, Kaspersky Endpoint Security will install them once their installation has been approved. They will be installed locally via the application interface or through Kaspersky Security Center.
If updating software modules requires viewing and accepting the terms of the End User License Agreement, the application installs the updates after the terms of the License Agreement have been accepted by the user.
Select the Copy updates to folder check box to have the downloaded updates saved to the folder specified by clicking the Browse button.
Click OK.