Since consumers and businesses first started connecting their computers to the internet decades ago, antivirus software has been one of the most important segments of the tech industry. It’s become so ubiquitous in fact, that many people assume all antivirus software offers a similar level of protection and features, and they don’t actually pay much attention to the product they’re using.
The type of antivirus software you choose can have significant effects on your ability to successfully stave off malware and protect yourself from threats. There are several crucial features that you should look for in any antivirus solution before implementing it across your system.
Real-time Scanning
While all antivirus software is specifically designed to detect the presence of malware, not all of them detect in the same way. Ineffective products force you to run a manual scan to determine if any systems have been affected, while the best forms of software have dynamic scanning features that are repeatedly checking your computer for the presence of malicious entities. Without this feature, it’s much easier for something to infiltrate your computer and begin causing damage before you even realize it.
Automatic Updates
Updates are vital for all forms of software, but this is especially true when it comes to antivirus. Because new types of malware are constantly being developed, antivirus software needs frequent updates in order to track and contain new threats that didn’t even exist when it was first installed. If you have to install updates manually, you might miss important new protections and expose your system to infection, so always make sure your antivirus software is capable of installing updates automatically and frequently.
Protection for Multiple Apps
Threats exist across the entire spectrum of apps and services that you rely on for your everyday tasks. From email clients to instant messenger platforms and certainly internet browsers, harmful software can sneak into your system from a variety of different sources. Antivirus programs need to protect multiple vulnerable apps from potential dangers, otherwise you’re leaving your hardware dangerously exposed.
Auto-Clean
If the antivirus software immediately detects malicious software, why wouldn’t it delete the code on the spot? Unfortunately, some solutions simply place the malware in a quarantine zone upon detection, waiting for the user to log on and manually delete it. Since there’s no reason to leave potentially harmful software on your system, you should choose a program that utilizes an auto-clean feature to rid itself of viruses.
Fights Against All Types of Malware
Between trojans, bots, spyware, viruses, etc., there are many different types of malware that can harm your computer, and antivirus programs are sometimes designed only to target a specific type of software. It’s better to go with a program that can comprehensively detect all or almost all of the various forms that malware takes.
At Great Lakes Computer, we highly recommend Kaseya Antivirus Software. Kaseya includes these features and more, and it will help ensure that your hardware and network run clean for years to come.
