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What is
a computer virus and antivirus software?
Antivirus software is the countermeasure program used to "inoculate"
computer viruses. Computer viruses are programs that mimic the
attributes of their real-world counterparts. Computer viruses
replicate, cause damage to an otherwise healthy system, and can spread
from host to host. Like real-world viruses, a computer virus needs a
host, a means of transportation. In the digital world this can be in
e-mail, other programs, or media (cd/floppy/tape). There is one caveat
however - computer viruses need to be activated. Much the same way that
carcinogens in our bodies won’t give us cancer unless they are
activated, computer viruses need to be activated as well, usually via a
click or open command.
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How does antivirus
software work?
Antivirus software works in two ways. The first and the staple of the
industry is based on signature files. When a computer virus is
reported, the virus is examined and a signature file is created for
inoculating the virus. This inoculation is added to the antivirus
software database (.dat file) and is used when scanning computers to
identify and destroy viruses. Unfortunately this is a reactive process
so someone has to be the guinea pig and get infected. The other more
progressive way of identifying viruses is called heuristics. This
method will be the future of the industry and is basically the only
hope we have in eliminating computer viruses. Heuristics monitor all
activity on your computer and if a program is "acting" like a virus,
then a red flag is raised and it is destroyed or contained and
reported. The biggest hurdle for advancement in this area is the
difficulty of determining what constitutes virus-like activity. For
instance, replication is a common attribute of virus activity, but
there can also be valid replication, like in program association.
During program association, programs check to see whether or not they
are the default. If they are not and you want them to be, then the
program will change all of the files, which is akin to replication.
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Why do I need
antivirus software?
Computer viruses are the most common threat in the digital world right
now. If you don't have antivirus software, you will eventually get a
virus and probably lose data that you have had on your computer for
years. If you have antivirus software, not only can you save your data,
but you’ll save yourself the migraine you'll get when you
discover the havoc wreaked upon your computer by a virus, which could
be as bad as an infection in your boot record or BIOS, rendering your
computer completely useless. antivirus software is worth every penny,
giving you peace of mind and insurance against certain trouble.
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What should I look for when
purchasing antivirus software?
There are
many different vendors of antivirus software, and you are
probably wondering which one is the best. There is
unfortunately no simple answer to that question. Whatever
solution you choose for your computer, make sure of the
following specifications:
- The software can
automatically update itself
- The vendor
provides updated virus definitions regularly
- The software can
integrate into your email program
- Virus scans can be
scheduled to run automatically
- The software has a
proven track record
- The vendor
releases timely and accurate information about new
viruses
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Antivirus
software recommendations
If you are unsure as to
which product to purchase you can look at the reviews
section or I personally prefer AVG.
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