People are surfing the Internet more than ever. With WiFi hotspots popping up everywhere, lower computer purchasing costs, and more user-friendly technology, web browsing is accessible to a wide audience. But a downside to increased usage is increased public exposure to nasty computer viruses. Virus protection is necessary for virtually any computer that is connected to the Internet; knowing more about antivirus software will help you better determine if your PC is properly protected.
Virus Types
Virus protection comes in many varieties because there are several types of viruses. Traditional viruses cause notable software failures. Adware infection is common and also quite obvious, creating pop-up ads on your PC. Spyware is somewhat common, covertly infecting your PC without causing obvious damage. A March, 2009 article from the Associated Press explains that "nowadays, the criminals behind the infections usually want your computer operating" so thieves "can log your keystrokes and steal any passwords or credit-card numbers you enter at Web sites." Trojan viruses hide on a person's computer much like spyware, but they become noticeable when triggered into action. Many niche protection programs exist to deal with each specific type of virus.
Hard Disk Protection
Most antivirus programs have two primary levels of protection, the first of which is hard disk protection. Almost all antivirus programs feature hard disk scanning; in other words, the program scans your computer's files for viruses. This type of protection is useful in neutralizing and eliminating most viruses before they become too harmful, but a major flaw exists: By the time a virus is on your hard disk, it may have already harmed your PC.
Active Web Protection
More comprehensive antivirus programs feature a second level of protection . Advanced virus protection provides real-time scanning of your PC as you surf the web, thereby warning you about problematic websites, preventing infections before they start. Additionally, programs with active Internet protection typically feature e-mail scanners and website advisers. Such web protection is typically managed with filters, and parents also can use these filters to block out sites with inappropriate content from their children's eyes.
Brands
With the increased need for virus protection, several software companies are seeking to cash in on this growing market. Of the plethora of virus protection manufacturers, the most popular comprehensive, paid protection comes from Norton and McAfee. Several free antivirus programs also exist from companies such as Lavasoft and AVG, making these manufacturers popular among web surfers looking to save money. Advanced paid protection is also offered by these two leaders in free protection, but their paid versions are not as popular as Norton and McAfee.
Limitations
Virus protection is designed to automatically detect common types of viruses, looking for key malicious characteristics in files. However, many advanced viruses require special detection parameters that can be obtained only with regular antivirus upgrades. Hackers and virus programmers are always finding ways to get around current antivirus programs, so constant upgrades are needed to ensure maximum performance---this tends to be problematic for users with slow Internet connections.
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