Anti Virus Software – Help Your Computer Stay Protected

Keep Your Computer Safe from Malware

Most people assume that if they have some anti-virus software installed, their computer is safe and protected. Good software however, is only as good as it’s user. If you don’t keep your anti virus software updated, your system is vulnerable. If your anti virus software is fairly current, it should update frequently – my free software downloads and installs new definitions every day.

Sadly there are more than just viruses at loose on the web today. Malware, in the form of spyware, rootkits, trojans and more can infect your system, causing more problems. Here’s a quick explanation of some flavors of malware:

• Viruses are parasitic programs that install themselves and are attached to another program. They always replicate, but are not able to run independently.
• Trojans get their name from the ancient Greek horse of legend, because they appear to be legitimate software or updates.
• Worms are viruses that do not require a host program; these run constantly.
• Spyware is about pop up ads, browser search hijackings and affiliate link stealing. These can steal your personal data.
• Rootkits are all about concealing and defending malware. This kind of troublemaker hides itself and other malware, and tries to block your removal attempts.

I routinely include at least a second kind of scan for any “sick” computers – many times a good, second anti-malware scan will reveal (and solve) the cause of the problem.

Just as no one is perfect (well, I’m sure not, I can’t speak for you), no anti virus software is perfect. Using more than one kind of program to scan and clean your system can keep your computer running better.

And if you’re curious, I use Avira anti virus and MalwareBytes anti malware on my personal system – both have excellent free versions. What do you prefer, and why?

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