Antivirus Software – What to Look For in a Security Suite
Cybercriminals are constantly changing their tactics. You need comprehensive virus protection in order to be protected from latest threats. A good antivirus program will search for, detect and remove viruses, trojans as well as worms, spyware and trojans. Some antivirus programs come with additional security features like a virtual personal network password management, parental controls and protection against phishing.
Antivirus software must also protect against rootkits and keyloggers, which can secretly record everything you type on your keyboard- including passwords and credit card numbers. It should also guard against ransomware, which can infiltrate your PC and keep files hostage unless you pay a ransom.
The most effective antivirus software will have a high rate of detection for known malware and consistently high scores in independent labs for testing. A robust security suite also comes with additional safety features such as a detection system based on heuristics that searches for the types of behavior that viruses are known to exhibit. It should also include an anti-virus system, and some programs offer a sandboxing feature which allows you to run suspicious applications in a virtual environment that will not cause damage.
A good antivirus program is updated frequently, usually once or twice per day. It should be compatible with many devices, such as PCs, Macs, smartphones and smart homes. Certain antivirus programs offer cheap introductory prices. Certain antivirus programs cost monthly or annually, whereas others charge per device. The price of an antivirus program needs to be reflected in the amount and types of devices it safeguards and the frequency of updates and how simple it is to use, and what additional security features it has.