Date: 8 Feb 2010 Comments: 0

Antivirus Internet Security Software is used to defend against internet threats such as viruses, Trojans, spyware and more recently phishing scams. Antivirus software detects and removes these types of threats which are commonly grouped together using the term ‘malware’.

Several levels of protection are usually combined within the better antivirus firewall software products. Traditional signature-based scanning consists of searching for known threats. This is achieved scanning files for malicious pieces of code that are known to cause problems to the computer. This is quite effective for combating malware that is known to the antivirus vendors however, it is possible for a computer to become infected with threats that are yet to be discovered, commonly called ‘zero-day threats’.

To fight against zero-day threats, proactive advanced heuristic scanning such as ESET NOD32’s ThreatSense technology can be used. Intrusion prevention technologies are becoming common within the next generation of antivirus internet security software with the aim of defending against unknown threats.

Security gurus quote that if you are connected to the internet using a Microsoft Windows based operating system without antivirus security software installed, you are probably going to be infected with malware in less than 60 minutes. When you think about it like this, using a premiere brand of antivirus internet security software product should become one of your top priorities.

With such a large choice of antivirus security products available on the market today, how do you choose antivirus software that best meets your needs? Simple, you start by asking yourself a set of questions:

• Do you simply require antivirus protection or do you need additional protection such as antispam, anti spyware and application control?
• Do you require a firewall?
• Do you require file encryption?
• Do you need to control which websites your children have access to?
• Are you a harcore gamer?
• What are your computer specifications?
• How much money do you want to pay?
• Will you need technical support?

Once you are able to answer these questions, you can begin to research which product will best meet your needs. Product reviews, forums and user statements provide a great starting point. AV-Comparatives, PC Pro, and Consumer Reports are a few good sites that offer forums and research on the best software currently available.

There is a large choice of antivirus internet security software products available on the market. Spend some time selecting antivirus software that’s right for you and best fits your needs.