Smart Use of Antivirus Protection Software

Any technology professional responsible for securing workstations, office networks and servers knows full well that the problem of viruses, Trojans, spyware, adware and all other forms of malware infections is only getting worse. Just to give you a rough estimate, malware expenses in a recent annual worldwide malware report showed that malware expenses increased by $10 billion over a 10-year span. In fact, Google Research has suggested that almost one in every 10 websites is infected with some form of drive-by malware. Even well known and seemingly safe websites have been known to compromise visitors systems and help propagate certain viruses. In order to minimize virus, spyware and malware exposure, it is necessary that users follow security practices. Antivirus protection software is one of the main ways that users can adopt control the spread of malware.

One caution however when it comes to antivirus protection software is that free is not always the best. While many computer users simply search and download free antivirus protection online, these typically do not provide adequate protection from the ever=growing list of threats. Installing a professional business-grade antivirus that is updated frequently will provide timely protection against the ever-growing and quickly emerging vulnerabilities. In addition to keeping you timely protected, Business-grade antivirus protection software also offers a wider range protection from threats such as root kits as well as enabling additional protective features such as custom scans. You want this form of protection? Then you better go for business-grade premium antivirus protection software.

A 2009 survey done my AVG revealed that most of the serious computer threats are secretive, fast-moving and short-lived. As many as 100,000 300,000 websites are infected everyday by these forms of malware. In order to protect from infection, it is important that any antivirus protection software be up-to-date. This includes ensuring that the antivirus license has not expired and that it is able to automatically update to keep current and continue offering protection from recent threats. Unfortunately, even the best antivirus protection software will still miss some threats and enter the system. The sheer number and volume of potential threats is simply too great and will sooner or later outsmart even the best protected system. In other cases, users inadvertently instruct the antivirus program to allow a seemingly harmless application to install or go through thereby compromising the system. Regardless of the source of the infection, performing daily scans of the systems entire hard drive adds an extra layer of protection. When you perform daily scans, you are able to detect, isolate and remove infections that initially escaped your antivirus protection software.

Reliable safe antivirus protection software ought to have a browser plug-in that help to protect against drive-by infections, phishing attacks and similar exploits. In other cases, an antivirus program may also provide what is called link protection. This is where all links that are clicked are checked against databases to ensure no known bad pages have been clicked. Always ensure that these plug-ins are enabled as is true of automatic pop-up blockers. When you surf smart, then your antivirus protection software will likewise offer you smart protection.