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What is
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 the Norton products.
Norton
Antivirus 2003 Professional Download - Only $9.95
Norton
Internet Security 2003 Download - Only $19.95
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