People are always worried about what would happen if their computer or tablet ever got a virus. If they had the right protection in the first place, they wouldn’t ever have to be concerned about their devices getting infected. There are plenty of good anti virus programs and security products available, so there is no excuse these days for getting an infected PC. All it takes is some research to learn which ones are really good and high-detection rates and which ones are a waste of time and/or money.
If you feel that you need better protection for your device, or just invested in a new one and want to get started right away with security, then one of the very first things to do is read test results from independent labs (AV-Test, AV-Comparatives, VirusBulletin, Anti-Malware Testing Standards Organization, etc.), which offer an objective analysis of each and every anti-virus and anti-malware program. Only consider buying anti virus programs that have a 99% detection rate.
Reading reviews from other users is always helpful. Read reviews for the products you are interested in. If there are complaints, what are those complaints about? One common thing for people to complain about is speed. If someone claims that a particular program slowed their PC or tablet down too much, keep in mind that it could just be that they have older computer or tablet model. The minimum system requirements to run antivirus software are clearly outlined on each vendor’s website, and if they are not, then avoid that particular brand for its lack of transparency.
Anti Virus Programs Installation
ALWAYS uninstall any current antivirus and anti-malware programs you have on a computer or smartphone / tablet before installing a new one. Unless it’s an updated version of the same software from the same company, there will very likely be conflicts. Two security programs tend to not play nicely together, as they could detect each other’s databases of malware definitions as a threat.
Which features of a computer security program do you need? It really depends on your personal requirements. A few key components that everybody absolutely must have include a real-time scanner, automatic virus updates and program updates, on-the-spot scanner, compressed file scanner (if you work with a lot of zip files), email scanning, and good 24/7 customer support.
There are tons of additional features to consider, like a VPN, password manager, parental control tools, etc. The level of protection you get and the features and tools depend on which license you purchase, the subscription plan you choose, and the number of devices you are allowed to protect with that particular licensing and subscription.
Of all of the anti virus programs and computer security suites to choose from, the one company to start with is Kaspersky. Reviews are almost always positive from home users AND business users. Kaspersky products also have very high detection rates.