Basically, a computer virus is a program which has an ability of cloning itself. They have very similar characteristics with biological viruses. For instance, computer viruses can spread very fast but this time by taking advantage of unprotected PCs and unsecured networks.

Today, there are various antivirus programs developed to prevent computer systems from being compromised. Such programs work by scanning files and continuously monitoring the entire computer in case there are malicious pieces of code or suspicious activities. Antivirus software also eradicates viruses before causing further problems. Unfortunately, the number of new viruses tend to increase year by year. Some antivirus companies are even getting of hundreds of new samples a day. That means one of their problems is to keep their virus databases updated so their software can recognize files infected by the latest viruses. Of course, virus programmers will always be one step ahead in this war.

The problem did not stop there. Not only the number of viruses is increasing, but computer viruses also get smarter. New viruses are designed to be undetected by antivirus programs. Stealth and polymorphic viruses can make antivirus programs, especially the outdated ones, fail to detect. Furthermore, there are even viruses which can disable some antivirus programs. This will leave your PC unprotected. Although such viruses may not cause serious damage, your PC will be wide open to further attacks. However, although antivirus software can not work perfectly to protect your PC from all threats, their presence is still very important. For instance, with the increasing number of computer viruses created, some vendors have implemented technologies to detect and block unknown viruses. The advancement of antivirus software has to keep pace with current virus threats. Good antivirus vendors provide virus protection through ongoing support and updates. When a virus breaks out, such good vendors provide the solutions very quickly, often within hours.

New generations of viruses are able to attack through multiple entry points, from email, web browsers to file servers. That is why many popular antivirus programs are bundled with other security programs such as firewall and content filtering. A more comprehensive security system will help you protect all aspects of your PC. The main feature of an antivirus program is to detect the presence of viruses in a computer. Although some programs may not be able to disinfect an infected file, at least they are able to delete the file and prevent the contamination of the entire computer system. Clearly, although it has some limitations, an antivirus software is essential to protect your computer system from viruses and other malicious programs. While traditional antivirus programs might have become useless today, modern antivirus have a big role in securing computer systems from viruses and other threats.

An antivirus software may not be able to protect all aspects of your PC, but it still one of the most important software for every PC user. Just choose the one which is created by a reputable company. This will ensure that you will get ongoing supports and updates.



By: Cooper Hill

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There’s an influx of antivirus software in the internet these days. Antivirus software are everywhere in the internet. Article about them are also common. The problem with having too much of one thing is that you will have a hard time selecting the good from the bad. To come up with a list of possible choices one has to compare antivirus software. Comparing is not easy, considering the number of antivirus to compare. Many website are there to help with comparison but they only compare a few. They focus their comparison to selected antivirus that are already there for many years. How about those antivirus software that have just recently started but may also have the ability to perform well? They don’t have the chance to be tested and be proven competitive with the popular ones.

Popularity

There should be a means to compare antivirus software not based on popularity but with their ability to thwart virus attacks. I have read articles that compare antivirus software and they are impressive. They test antivirus software based on how they detect known virus. Many antivirus software fared very well. Others did not do well because they were not able to detect new virus. The problem is that they limit their comparison to a chosen few. What about those that are left out? How will they be given a chance?

Who says So?

There are also those who compare antivirus software based on what the company that made them has to say about their product. I don’t know if this is reliable enough. There are people who claim to have done something but if you ask them to do it they can’t. There are just too many people who tell lies this days. I don’t say that all of them are liars but who would know the difference between an honest company from a lying one. They all write pretty good things about their products. Who would say bad things about something they themselves made?

Who’s Initiative?

The initiative to compare antivirus software should come from people other that those who made it or have any vested interest about it. The objective of the comparison should be to help people in choosing the right antivirus and not to promote one. People would love to know the truth about antivirus. There are already so much antivirus out there. It’s already difficult to know all of them. Another product profile may turn buyers off. What people need is honest, comprehensive, fair and accurate comparison of antivirus software based on performance and ability to protect computers from virus attacks.

It may take a long time before anyone can compare antivirus software comprehensively. That would be very difficult to do considering that there are so much of these products in the market today. There are also many things to consider. A definite plan should be established first before the factual, realistic and unbiased way to compare antivirus software is realized.

For now to determine which antivirus software is right for you should visit http://www.antivirusreviews.ws for honest Antivirus Software Reviews



By: Anu

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With so many antivirus softwares competing in the market, all with similar features and protections, it might be hard to choose the right one to protect your computer. In this article, we will take a close look at the new CA Antivirus 2008 software. CA stands for Computer Associate, a company whose products have been widely used in business corporations for security and antivirus protections. We will examine the CA Antivirus in terms of its features, interface, performance, and support.

The CA Antivirus features only anti-virus protection, with no anti-spyware, no firewall, no anti-spam, etc. The license supports up to 3 PCs. The coding is tighter, hence taking shorter time to scan from their previous version. It also has real-time scanning, automatic email scanning.

The interface of CA Antivirus is simple and non-flashy, which is its strong point. The interface is easy to navigate, responds instantly without the need to look through all the fancy graphics that some other antivirus programs have. You have all the tools you need to make a full PC scan, activate real-time scanning, and select your settings, etc.

Performance is what sets CA Antivirus apart from the competition. While features and solid protection are essential for an antivirus program. Our reason for getting an antivirus program in the first place is to protect our computers so that they can run and operate smoothly. “Smoothly” is the magic word here and many antivirus softwares fail simply because they consume too much of the computer’s resources when real-time scanning is activated. CA Antivirus, however, has been praised for its performance even when alongside highly demanding applications, such as online games.

It is unfortunate the CA Antivirus fall short on the Support category. The help file provided does not go deep into the details. There is no manual and the CA Antivirus website does not have an online forum nor online chat support. This might make it difficult to antivirus novice to learn about and fix problems related to a virus or the program itself.

All in all, CA Antivirus 2008 remains a strong choice in the antivirus world. Though it lacks the technical support that some of the other antivirus programs provide, its combination of simplicity, performance, and affordable pricing makes it a viable choice for PC users looking for virus protection.



By: Jeff Anderson

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