When trying to find the best antivirus product for one’s needs, it is important to take into account several factors. With the security and integrity of your digital identity, financial transactions, and data at stake, it is important to take time to assess each antivirus product.
For those that make extensive use of email, messaging, the Internet, and other online services, it is important to consider a solution that is inclusive of Internet security technologies and software capable of making one’s online activities much safer.
Not all antivirus software provides a reliable and usable solution that can deliver an adequate level of protection against malware. It is thus important to measure a particular antivirus product against the following five criteria:
1. Reliability
Antivirus software can be rendered completely useless if it conflicts with other software running in a given computer no matter how thorough it may be. If such conflicts lead to a temporary suspension or malfunction of the antivirus protection processes, this could lead the computer system vulnerable.
2. Usability
If the everyday operation of the antivirus program requires special skills, most users may find it impractical. Antivirus software that’s awkward to use, requires users to make difficult decisions, or asks complex questions is likely to increase the chances of users disabling it rendering it basically useless.
3. Quality Protection
Antivirus software should be capable of operating in an aggressive and constantly changing environment. Every day new Trojan viruses, worms, computer viruses and other types of malware emerge that are more complex than previous versions and may include new ways of avoiding detection by antivirus programs. The antivirus program should be alive to this fact and be able to provide quality protection.
Quality protection partly depends on the regularity and frequency of updates, effectiveness of malware detection processes, ability to remove infections from a computer, and efficiency in delivering protection to a computer without impacting the performance of the computer significantly.
4. Comprehensive Protection
Antivirus software should be capable of delivering constant protection for all network elements, all file types, and all computer domains that could be potential targets of computer viruses and other types of malware. The software should be capable of detecting malicious code and protect all points of entry in a computer including the Internet, email, FTP and more.
5. Online Reviews
It is important to read reviews of antivirus programs before buying one. One must not be carried away by claims that the maker of the antivirus makes. While there may be inconsistencies in consumer reviews, one can get an idea of the main pros and cons of the software. Online forums are great platforms for asking other users about the software directly.
The Bottom Line
The criteria discussed here should be take into consideration when searching for the best antivirus software. At the end of the day, most antivirus programs will be the same. They are capable of offering decent protection and one can choose the software that meets their needs best. If one does not find what he or she is searching for in a particular antivirus then they can buy 2 or more programs.