http://www.paretologic.com/images/choosing_your_antivirus_software.jpgWhen it comes to choosing your own anti-virus product, it is important to choose an effective solution that will protect you from a variety of threats. Below are some characteristics of quality products that you should look for:
Automatic Virus Updates: There are always new threats emerging. To continue to keep you protected, your anti-virus solution must provide ongoing database updates.
More Than Just Viruses: While viruses are certainly a major problem, you also need to be protected against spyware, adware and other malicious code. A program that can protect you from a variety of threats is far more valuable.
Real-time Blocking: There is no sense in letting threats reside on your PC even for a few hours. Real-time blocking provides you with active protection against threats that are attempting to download onto your PC. Depending on the settings you choose, it will automatically block identified threats or give you the choice to allow or stop the download.
Filled With Features: Some software will get the basic job done for you, but a product offering a well-rounded set of features will provide much better protection. For example, you should look for products that can deal with threats located in scripts and that can also remove rootkits, which try to cover the tracks of dangerous malware. The more advanced anti-virus products even have the option of blocking access to websites that are well-known to contain malware.
Scheduled Scans: It can be hard keep to a computer maintenance routine. Good programs allow you to schedule scans to provide hassle-free protection.
Easy-to-Use: The makers of the software should be the computer geeks, not you. You should be able to use it effectively regardless of your computer ability.
Help At Hand: While the program should be intuitive and easy for you to operate, it is also good to know help is available when needed. A good company will have a website available to answer frequently asked questions. It also should have a way for you to make contact regarding more specific concerns.
Keep these characteristics in mind, and you should have no problem finding an anti-virus product to effectively keep your PC safe and secure.