Understanding Virus Protection in 2021 (and recommended anti-virus software)
In the dynamic digital environment, being aware of online security and virus protection is pivotal. With the increasing number of hidden viruses waiting to be transferred to your computer, if you don’t have an anti-virus software installed, your system is unprotected.
At Little Computer People, the quality of anti-virus is a hot topic within our office. Within our daily operations, we are constantly dealing with virus removal and protection. There are a few websites that provide reliable advice on understanding online security and what to do if your computer is infected. However, be aware that there are so-called “fake sites” and scammers that will pose a threat to your online security.
Here is some of our advice for virus protection:
# Never give your information to anyone that wants access to your computer
Unless you have approached someone to help you with your computer, do not allow anyone who wants access to your computer in. There is a possibility that they are a scammer who may input a virus in your system which will put your personal details at risk. The Australian Government website Scamwatch describes how scammers can install malware on your computer remotely.
# Avoid installing multiple anti-viruses
We have come across many computers with multiple anti-viruses installed, which usually is the cause of the problem they are brought in for. This is because it is very common for different anti-virus software to negatively affect each other’s performance.
# Always keep up with Windows updates
If you don’t update your computer, you will be more vulnerable to getting infected with a virus. Want to check for the latest Windows updates? Head over to the official Microsoft site.
Recommended anti-virus software
For domestic users and small to medium businesses, we recommend Kaspersky and Bitdefender as top of the line anti-virus software. They are optimal for identifying and dealing with threats, and very rarely produce false positive results.
Other good software includes Symantec Anti-virus and Trendmicro which increased in performance over the last six months.
Panda Anti-virus is also a good option if you are looking for a cloud-based antivirus which means that it is located on the cloud, not on your computer.
# Take online security to the next level
Using an encrypted virtual machine backup for your computer allows you to separate any dangerous activity you may encounter from other parts of your system. Although this can be an expensive option, it all comes down to how much you value the data on your computer and how well you manage risk.