Let’s look at antivirus software and what it does.
Antivirus Definition
The definition of antivirus software programs travels something like this: A bit of software designed block out viruses and other malware from penetrating your system and endangering your data or the equipment itself.
A good antivirus is a must have. It decreases the times you have to enter your system to clean up the mess caused by a successful malware attack.
Before we go into finding our preferred antivirus, let’s see what exactly makes an antivirus, an antivirus.
How does an antivirus application work?
Aspects you should know about AV before getting one:
Virus scanner and script blocking
Reactive scanning is the bread and butter of an antivirus. It examines any new documents or folder before it is started and sees if it is known malware or if its behavior shows malicious intent.
Behind the scenes is where the work happens, and the monitored folder or program only opens once the antivirus has finished the scan.
Then there is the full plan scan, where the antivirus sees whats going on in here every crevice and cranny of your machine to find malware or any other suspicious software or files.
Some AVs block malicious ActiveX or Java writes from polluting your PC. Plugins based on these technologies can be used to add your PC as part of a botnet, inject code or do drive-by downloads.
What to look for:
Ideally, the scanner must be lightweight and not overload your device while still having the highest identification and blocking rate.
Database of known malware
However, scans cannot be efficient if the program does not know what it is looking to find. That is why every antivirus application comes with a database of known malware and compares each examined folder to the content of the database.
This database is informed from a central information source very frequently, quite often on a daily basis. These updates are one of the reasons why we always recommend for parties to keep their software updated, peculiarly their antivirus.
Updated software extends a long way to protect you on the internet since it severely lessens the possibility of malicious intruders manipulating an unpatched vulnerability in your software.
However, antivirus platforms likewise make use of something known as “heuristic analysis .” It will consider a document to be malware if it behaves like one, even if it is not in its database. For this reason, some AVs falsely group some secure platforms such as Chrome as a virus. The manufacturer calls this a “false positive, ” and it is a criterion used to evaluate an antivirus.
Automatic updates
The best antivirus software can be automatically updated. That is, it keeps its virus database and capabilities up to date. The quicker and most regularly up-to-date information means the better protected you are.
Malware removal
Getting rid of malware can be just as important as stymieing it in the first place. Typically, the cyber security industry characterizes the two roles as being detached. A lot of the free AV’s out there can only detect and block malware, but to remove it if your PC is infected can require a paid upgrade.
So you will most likely have to purchase the full antivirus answer or download a separate segment of software specializing in malware removal.
Extras you should look for
Ransomware protection: Some antiviruses come with ransomware care. You should also backup documents to protect in case of a ransomware attack. With protection, the ransomware will not be able to encrypt the blocked files.
File shredder: The standard “Delete”+” Clear Recycle Bin” won’t remove all traces of the documents from your system. It will remove it from sight. However, these files are available for recovery with a specialized program.
In regular workflows, these invisible records disappear only after being pushed out of their memory spots by brand-new ones. File shredders erase them entirely and leave no trace of them on your system.
Firewall: Some AV’s can filter and scan your internet traffic to spy incoming menaces before they reach your device.
Other aspects to look for: DNS Protection, Password Managers, System Optimization, Phishing protection, Antispam, Browser protection.
How to test antivirus to be sure it works
Sometimes you will run through an extended period where you do not encounter any online menaces. You will question that you even have an antivirus installed.
So how do you measure your antivirus to see if it is still active?
You have to create a” fraudulent virus” that provokes your AV’s action procedures.
What you need to do is to create an antivirus exam document (a text document). A simple notepad report will work.
To do this use a standardized EICAR code. An EICAR code is something recognized by all antivirus developers as a means of testing if their application is active.
Your antivirus should prompt immediately and initiate security and safety protocols to omit the “faked virus .”
If it does not flag the fake virus, then that means your software is inactive/ disabled.
The best antivirus you could use?
With our shopping list of functions in an antivirus, it is time to find out which one you should use.
