Antivirus software protects your computer from phishing scams, malware, and other malicious files which steal information or slow down your computer. These programs search for threats and eliminate them if identified. Certain programs also include additional security features, like a fire wall that can help protect against attacks on networks. Some are free while others require a subscription fee to offer complete security.
When choosing antivirus software you should look for a program that uses few system resources so that it does not slow down your computer during scans for viruses or other tasks. You can use the search function of the program to search for reviews from users. This will let you know whether the program is efficient and does not consume too much memory and space on your hard drive or other resources.
The best antivirus software will identify viruses reliably and quickly. They can employ a variety of techniques, including specific detection, which scans for known viruses; general detection, which identifies various types of malware and heuristic analysis, that analyzes the behavior of the user to find suspicious patterns. Once the virus has been detected it will be isolated by the program the affected program or file from other programs and files, block access, and delete it. Some programs will show an alert that indicates that the threat has been detected or removed.
If you’re looking for the most secure antivirus program should consider one that has additional security features, such as firewalls, cloud-based scanner, parental controls, and ransomware defense. Other features include a no-cost trial or money-back guarantee, compatibility with various devices regular updates, and customer support.