How to Choose Antivirus Software

Antivirus software is the main line of defense against the Trojans and worms lie in wait on the Web, ready to attack our computers and wreak havoc on our hard drives. How you use your computer determines your security needs, but every user should have some level of a firewall and virus scanner installed.

What Antivirus Software Does
Before you can really look for the features you need in antivirus software, you should understand what each feature can and cannot do. Good antivirus software will protect you from the following:

• E-mail attachments that are infected with a virus of any kind
• Corrupt Web sites that try to infect your computer when you visit them
• Internet worm viruses that roam around looking for unprotected computers
• Spyware that can be installed with a downloaded attachment or program, or are installed from a worm
• Viruses that spread through your computer using features in your software and documents

Without the protection of antivirus software, you're vulnerable to identity theft, fraud, data loss, programs failing to run and the ever-irritating slow computer syndrome. When you use anitvirus software, your e-mails are automatically scanned for viruses, files are monitored when opened or created to make sure they're clean and your computer is periodically scanned to make sure there are no viruses.

Even the best antivirus software can't protect you from everything. It can't protect you from a hacker trying to break into your computer over the Internet, and it can't keep spam from filling up your inbox. Antivirus software is also worthless if you turn it off or don't keep it updated.

Hackers are constantly creating new ways to send viruses and altering existing viruses to get around antivirus software. For this reason, you should look for antivirus software that provides ongoing updates through automatic downloads to be sure that your system is secure. Even if you pay an annual fee for this service, it's less expensive than identity theft or data loss that can result from antivirus software that is out of date.

Security Suites
Most antivirus software companies offer a standalone program that will only install a virus-scanning package on your computer. This software will look specifically for viruses in all their varieties, is generally easy to update and will keep your computer running well and relatively safely. If your Web use is limited to e-mail and well-known, trusted Web sites, a simple antivirus software package provides good security.

In addition to the stand-alone program, many companies are now offering antivirus software suites that bundle firewalls, spam filtering and anti-spyware tools into the total package. If you use instant messengers or peer-to-peer file sharing services, an antivirus software suite is a better choice, because it protects you from hackers who try to access your computer directly. The biggest advantage to an antivirus software suite is that it gives you a single point of control for those rare occasions when you need to disable virus protection or your firewall, such as when you're installing software updates.

In some cases, however, the extra functions in a suite aren't nearly as good as the antivirus software itself. More advanced users who are willing to put in a bit of research time will be much happier choosing standalone antivirus software and building a custom security system with additional elements from companies that have chosen firewalls or spam filtering as their primary focus.

Choosing Antivirus Software
If there's a single thing that keeps most people from purchasing antivirus software, it's the fact that there are so many options available. With an overwhelming buffet of options to choose from, how are you supposed to know what you're even looking for?

Break it down into basic choices that help you along.

Price-Pay for the best antivirus software that you can afford; there are cheaper (and free) options out there, but they never equal the flexibility and updates provided by the premium software.

Reviews-Look for independent reviews of antivirus software on the Web written by people who aren't affiliated with the software company in any way.

Ease of use-The best antivirus software Web sites offer screenshots and often full installation guides. To get the most out of your purchase, it should be extremely easy to set up and use.

Technical support-Make sure that any antivirus software you're considering offers multiple support options, including e-mail and a toll-free help line. FAQ and support documents are fringe benefits, but they should never be the sole form of support.

When you have narrowed your antivirus software choices down, test drive some free evaluation copies. The best demo versions are full-version copies that will expire in a set amount of time but allow you to use every feature available, including updates. This helps you determine for yourself how well the software works at keeping viruses off your computer, and how easy it is to use.

While evaluating antivirus software, only use one antivirus program at a time. Fully uninstall the antivirus software you've been using before installing anything new to prevent conflicts and crashes. Remember that you don't have to use the antivirus program that came with your computer, but if you decide to keep it, make sure that you purchase the software before the trial period is up so that you keep it up to date.