Hello dear reader,
This morning I want to briefly highlight some important factors to consider before purchasing an anti-virus software or a complete internet security suite. I am sure this article would prove very useful in your quest for a product that would satisfy your needs:
Here are some of the fundamental factors to check out:
1. Detection Rate: A good security software product should be designed with a high level of detection of malwares and should have very few false alarms (this are harmless software codes detected as malicious codes when trying to execute them or if a storage device that contains them is scanned). Unfortunately some few products I have used to clean some malware infected pen drive, external drive, est. do not even detect infection and threatening malicious softwares in these devices. They mark those devices as clean during the scanning process. One of the ways to choose a good product that would be effective in detection rate is to study Technical Reviews on it detection capability because firms that conduct this test would do a detailed test using samples of different types of malware (worms, virus, trojan est.) and hence the result obtained would be a very valid one.
2. Defensive Mechanism: This has to do with the ability of a security software to perform both online/offline defense for the operating system (os) in use on the computer/workstation (both when the system connects to the internet or when an external storage device is to be connected to it respectively) . Many software products also fail in this regard. Spywares for example are very rampant on the internet and hackers make use of this malicious codes to gain unauthorized access to nodes on the internet. A good security product should have an integrated anti-spyware engine to further fortify the security of the system irrespective of having an inbuilt firewall which principally monitors data packets exchange on from the pcs gateway and the internet and also monitors ips which try to access the the pc.
3. Software Update: Updating an anti-virus software product is very germane to ensure that virus signature of the product is up to date irrespective of the built in heuristics feature of the product. Malicious codes programmers are not resting on the oars, they keep seeking means to outsmart the protection access received from regular os updates ( downloading of os updates in Windows is configured by default to be automatic). They achieve this by pushing new & different forms of malicious program into the world wide web. Hence a good anti-virus vendor should also be on their feet, ensuring that regular and prompt updates are provided for its users. Most of the vendors now provide automatic updates (though some products update would have to be started manually by the user while other products updates starts immediately the internet is accessed).
4. Efficient Technical Support: I consider a real time chat platform as the best support facility a vendor can provide for users of its products.Other support types are through the telephone, email contact or the use of feedback form. You will agree with me that having a prompt feedback to questions, inquiries and solutions to problems encounter is the desire of every user of a product. Though good softwares do not pose so much challenges or difficulties with its usage, having an instant avenue of support to reach vendors builds confidence in the user as far as the product is concerned.
Other factors still exist though, but I consider those mentioned for now as some of the very important and necessary features in the product to be selected from a vendor of an anti-virus or internet security suite solutions.
Hope to get feedback in terms of comments or further questions or clarification based on the information you have received here. Remain empowered intellectually.
Thank you and do stay lifted too.
