Antivirus software is more important than ever before, but what features should you be looking for?
As we spend more and more of our lives online a good antivirus programme becomes extremely important. Unfortunately, not all of them are created equal. Unless they have certain features installed they may not be able to provide the level of protection you need. Here are a few key features you should look for to ensure it’s up to the task.
Auto cleaning
If you’ve detected a dangerous file you might assume a program would remove it on the spot. Unfortunately, that’s not always the case. Antiviruses often just place the file in quarantine and wait for you to log on and delete it manually yourself. As a result, files which you assume have been removed are still sitting on your computer. Choose a program with auto cleaning to ensure all files vanish as soon as they are detected.
Real time scanning
Running defences for your computer is a full-time occupation, especially if you spend large amounts of time logged on. Choose a programme which is continually scanning for viruses rather than simply performing a check whenever you power up.
Email scanning
Some antivirus programmes only scan the web pages you visit, but emails are an increasingly dangerous source of infection. Even if you think you’re savvy enough to spot a malicious email it pays to have defence in place. Scammers are becoming more sophisticated by the day. Emails are becoming more convincing with the ability to mimic your bank or a well-known company.
Protects against all kinds of threats
Threats against your computer come in many forms, from bots to trojan horses, spyware, viruses and much more. Unfortunately, there is no guarantee your program will be able to fight against them all. Make sure they can identify and remove every conceivable threat you’re likely to face.
Updates
Cyber security is a rapidly evolving space – so much so that an antivirus program will quickly be out of data. They work by compiling a directory of all known threats, but as cyber criminals are continually evolving their attack, antiviruses get out of date automatically. Most of the best providers will be updating that directory every day and updating the software on your computer. However, you should always check this is included before making your decision.
Customer support
Many of the cheaper and free to use programmes come without customer support, but this is a much under-rated feature. We are not all experts at computers and things can happen with software which you may not understand. Antiviruses can sometimes experience glitches or affect other pieces of software on your computer. When that happens, it’s nice to have someone on hand who can resolve any issues you’re having.
More advances features
Many antiviruses come with varying packages offering different levels of support. The more expensive they are the more protection they offer. Some of the features they might offer include:
- Web cam defence: It’s not a nice thought, but cyber criminals can hack into your web cam, which means your computer may be spying on you without your knowledge. A web cam blocker will ensure nobody can use it without your permission.
- File encryption: If you have important files on your computer it’s useful to have these encrypted in case you lose it or it’s stolen.
- Data shredder: Deleting a file doesn’t always remove it from your computer – it just hides it from view. If you sell it on, someone might be able to retrieve it. A data shredder destroys these files completely.
- Multiple apps: Some viruses will not scan across the many different apps on your computer. Advanced options will scan emails, instant messages, social media and much more.
- Smart Firewalls: The chances are you have multiple devices connected to your home network – tablets, smartphones, laptops and your desktop PC. However, each of these create vulnerabilities which traditional firewalls are not set up to cope with. Smart firewalls analyse your network activity in real time to identify any threats. They’re a more appropriate solution for the connected age.
These are just some of the advanced features you might expect to see in a premium package. However, you may not need all of them which would mean you’re paying over the odds for more protection than you need.
You should look at your usage and decide how vulnerable you are, how much sensitive information you store on your computer and how seriously an antivirus might affect your system. A more sophisticated option, for example, is more likely to take up space and may slow your performance.
You should do your research carefully before making a decision. Marketing departments tend to make all sorts of bold claims about their products, which do not necessarily stand up to scrutiny. Read reviews and find out what each one offers and how it performs before making your selection.