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Antivirus ProgramsWhat is a Computer Virus?A computer virus is a program that spreads by generating copies of itself. When a computer virus spreads it usually “infects” other files causing damage to the infected files and possibly to the operating system. When you connect a computer to the internet you increase the risk of virus infestation tenfold. Thousands of websites propagate viruses on the internet and when you access a website that is infected by a virus the virus passes onto your computer's hard disk. Similarly when you open an infected email attachment your computer's hard disk will get infected. To make matters worse some viruses get stored in the address book and are automatically transmitted to all the people in your address book via email. A computer virus can also be spread through floppy drives, CDs, DVDs, USB drives and also by connecting your laptop, PC or handheld device to a wired or wireless LAN. What are Antivirus Programs?Installing an antivirus program is very important for any computer user and indispensable for any computer with internet and email access. Most antivirus programs scan your PC for known viruses in real time. When a known virus is found on your PC the antivirus program takes action or else the user is usually required to choose what to do with the infected files. The action required usually includes one of the following: • Deleting the files, registry entries and any other components that have been infected by the virus. • Cleaning the files that have been infected by the virus. • Moving the infected files to a temporary location known as the quarantine. Most antivirus programs also scan email attachments before being downloaded and saved to the hard drive. In this way, email worms are stopped before actually infecting your computer's hard drive. Apart from scanning for viruses in real time, antivirus programs give you the option to scan your PC for viruses manually. Unfortunately many are those who keep years of work on their computer and do not protect their computer with anti virus software. A computer virus can render programs and the operating system unusable or even wipe out the hard drive. When this happens all personal, professional or legal information stored on the computer might be lost. Installing an antivirus program can only take a few minutes but it can save your life's work! Should I Install a Free Antivirus Program?While some antivirus programs comes at a hefty price, there are free antivirus programs available on the market. These free programs should protect your PC from all forms of viruses and many of these free antivirus programs also scan for viruses in real time. If an antivirus program does not scan for viruses in real time then it is probably not worth considering. However companies that offer free antivirus programs do so at risk to the consumer. If you use your computer for entertainment or educational purposes and cannot afford a paid antivirus program, then a free antivirus program should suite your needs. Still however you should take into consideration the reputation and reliability of the company that develops this antivirus program. If your computer contains important personal, confidential, business or financial data then it is usually recommended to subscribe to a paid antivirus program. What are the Benefits of Paid Antivirus Programs?Fee antivirus programs can come at a price. And the price is being unsure as to the quality and effectiveness of the antivirus program. Many reputable computer and software manufacturers offer a variety of antivirus programs available for purchase. Because of their standing in the industry and the fact that you are paying for the software, the quality of the antivirus products is assured. Manufacturers of this sort have a constant interest in standing behind their products and designing software that will effectively protect and serve their customers. Why do I Need to Update Virus Definitions Regularly?Installing an antivirus program is not enough. Not all viruses are the same and different viruses behave differently. To be effective an antivirus program needs to be updated regularly so as to be "informed" about any new viruses. An antivirus program that has not been updated in a year is 95% ineffective. Why? Because in that year thousands of new viruses might have been invented and so the antivirus product would not be able to detect these new viruses. Most antivirus programs update automatically when a new version comes out, provided the computer has internet access. Others need to be updated manually from the antivirus program itself. It is important to note that many of the major computer manufacturers preinstall trial subscriptions of antivirus programs on new PCs. These trial versions include Symantec Antivirus, McAfee Antivirus and others. Unfortunately many people do not realize that when the trial period expires these antivirus programs become ineffective. The trial period is usually between 3 to 12 months and when it expires you have to pay a new subscription to keep receiving regular antivirus updates. Apart from updating virus definitions it is also recommended to scan your PC for viruses every few days. You should also not download suspicious files or visit suspicious websites. Although in many cases there is a cure for files infected with viruses, prevention is better than cure. What Antivirus Program Should I Install?There are several excellent antivirus programs in the market. Which one to install is a matter of personal taste, however you cannot go wrong with these antivirus programs: Free Antivirus Programs:avast! 4 Home Edition Paid Antivirus Programs:
McAfee I have read many negative comments on Symantec Antivirus 2007 (previously known as Norton Antivirus), so even though I use it at work and even though it is the most popular antivirus program I cannot really recommend it. Is running an Antivirus Program Enough?Running only an antivirus program is not enough. Most antivirus programs are not capable of detecting and removing spyware and adware. Therefore you also need to install an antispyware program (see Antispyware Programs article). It is also recommended to install a firewall to help combat unauthorized access to your PC. Most important of all is backup software (see Backup Programs article). If you are keeping important data on your computer (be it personal, confidential, business or financial) backing up your files is an indispensable thing to do. No type of software can protect you against hardware failures an when a hard disk fails only the backup can come to your rescue. Defragmenters Backup Programs Registry Cleaners Firewalls Antispyware Programs
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