Which Antivirus Software Is Right For Me?

Deciding which antivirus software to use is particularly difficult for home computer users, who often don't have the technical expertise to sort the good oil from the marketing hype. No matter which antivirus software you select, you will still need tp ractice "safe computing" to ensure your computer is not infected with a virus.

Computing professionals have usually already formed a view about which antivirus software to use in certain situations, even before those situations arise, and are less often found wandering the net, thinking to themselves, "I know I need some antivirus protection, but which antivirus protection do I need?"

If you are wondering which antivirus software is right for your situation, out of all the available makes and models, it can be difficult to find unbiased advice. Any manufacturer of antivirus software will happily tell you which antivirus program to use - theirs, of course!

While the afficionados will argue about which antivirus program does a better job of detecting malware, or which antivirus software is easier to maintain, or which antivirus software has the best update process, the bottom line for the home computer user is simple. It doesn't so much matter which antivirus software you select in the beginning, as it matters how you deploy it.

No matter which antivirus program - or programs - you choose to run, you will need to download the updates as soon as they are released. New viruses are identified, and new fixes developed, on a daily basis. When you have decided which antivirus software you will use, bookmark their site and/or subscribe to their notification service so that you never miss an update.

Remember, too, that no antivirus program can protect you against worms and viruses that you "track in" with permission. No matter which antivirus program you are running, you must maintain "safe computing" practices - save and scan any files before opening them, and don't download and install .exe files from the internet.

There are many good free antivirus programs available. If you're paranoid run a whole bunch of them - for example the combination of AVG7.5, Zone Alarm, Ad-Aware, Spybot Search and Destroy, A-Squared Anti malware and Anti dialer, Spyware Blaster and Win Defender should give you belt-and-braces coverage.

Why worry about which antivirus to choose? Run them all!

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The Hindu

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