What Are The Advantages And Disadvantages Of Antivirus Software

People should be safe on the Internet, but reality shows us something else. Malware attacks are on the rise, and we need software programs to keep our devices secure.Cyber criminals became more skilled, organized and persistent in their spam campaigns. They use new tactics, such as in malicious emails, or to exploit flaws in outdated PCs.Recent studies show that cyber attacks have been on the rise over the last years, and will continue to increase.Source:Findings from another report released this year indicated that the number of almost doubled in the first half of 2017 compared to the first half of 2016, and most likely we’ll see these cyber attacks widely spread in different countries.Source:A successful malware attack has great impact on both users and organizations, causing data loss, financial problems, or disrupting operations.

1. Advantages Of Antivirus Wikipedia
2. What Are The Advantages And Disadvantages Of Antivirus Software 2017

The best way to combat these online threats is to keep your system safe using an antivirus program, antimalware software or both of them.When it comes to choosing security software, many people are usually confused about the two terms – “antivirus” and “antimalware” – failing to understand what the difference between them is.And then come the questions: What is the best option? Which one to choose?In this guide, we focus on helping you understand the difference between antivirus and antimalware programs, showing their pros and cons, and what the best solution that suits every user’s needs is. Antivirus (AV): What is it and how it worksBefore we jump into the waves of antivirus and antimalware, let’s see what is the difference between virus and malware. On the other hand, works as an umbrella term that refers to software that is defined by malicious intent. This type of malware can be: adware, worms, Trojans, ransomware, and viruses.It leads to the conclusion that:a virus is a malware, but a malware is not always a virus.More than that, malware is a more generic term while virus is more specific.Now that we’ve clarified these two terms, let’s try to understand what antivirus programs are and how they can work to secure your personal devices.is a piece of software originally designed to offer protection against computer viruses (as its name suggests).

Given the proliferation of other kinds of malware, antivirus started to provide protection from other computer threats too, such as: Trojans, keyloggers, rootkits, backdoors, phishing attacks or botnets, but limited to the classic ones.Antivirus is often called an anti-malware program, and people tend to use both terms interchangeably, by mistakenly thinking that antivirus programs can address all types of malware, which is not the case. They cannot detect every type of infection, and can’t protect users against advanced forms of malware, like antimalware software does.Finding the right antivirus software isn’t an easy task, but choosing the right one can make a difference and provide protection for your devices. Here are the main features to look for in an antivirus program:. Virus scanning, which is done in the background, and the scanned file or program will only opens once the antivirus program has finished fully scanning the system.

Are there any conflicts between antivirus and antimalware products?An antimalware program is not meant to replace your antivirus, but to be a complementary and essential addition for your maximum online safety. It’s worth reminding that antimalware is 100% compatible with antivirus software, so should work just fine, without any conflicts.Here’s what have to say about this topic:“You’re still going to need antivirus software for legacy types of threats, but zero-day is really the big problem.

“The thing that’s really coming about is whitelisting and blacklisting on the endpoint which is something that will be really helpful in today’s world.” said Scott Crowder, VP and CIO at BMC Software Inc.“ only catches 45% of malware attacks and is “dead”, according to a senior manager at Symantec.Former Firefox developer Robert O’Callahan said on his blog about: “there is negligible evidence that major non-MS AV products give a net improvement in security.Users can’t depend solely by one security solution, as antivirus programs can’t always keep up with Internet and new malware threats. In fact, no security solution can. That is why, with the help of the anti malware solution, you can add extra protection to better fight against newer and advanced malware. What antivirus program should I choose?Deciding about your next antivirus program isn’t always the easiest choice, knowing that there are so many things to consider. Nowadays, most cyber attacks are more automated and increasingly sophisticated, which make them harder to be stopped., unless there are specific algorithms designed for such attacks.

That way, they can’t be avoided, even if you are using all the security measures needed.“My device didn’t get infected” is not an excuse to use, because you can get the infection without noticing it. Malware has different behavior these days, as cybercriminals developing such attacks try to be silent and stay as hidden as possible. 5 of the Most Frequently Asked Questions about antivirus and anti-malware programs1.

Why do I need an antivirus program?You need an antivirus program to scan your system and secure it from cyber threats. Since you can’t do that manually, you need a minimum layer of protection, and antivirus can provide you with that and detect suspicious websites and files containing malicious programs.2.

I have antivirus software, why do I need an anti-malware program too?Antivirus can’t detect every type of infection and don’t keep up with the cyber threats that are constantly evolving. You need an antimalware program to boost protection against newer types of malware. We recommend reading this article on why can’t detect second generation malware.3. Is it possible to run an antivirus and an anti-malware program at the same time?Yes, you can, because antimalware programs are complementary to antivirus systems and compatible with them, so they should run at the same time without any problem. If compatibility issues may arise, it should be related to each product’s setup and specifications. You can address them to the IT/support department of each producer to be solved.4. Does antimalware replace antivirus?Theoretically, no, antimalware doesn’t replace antivirus, but it depends on the variety of features provided by software companies. This is subject to debate, but we recommend you to compare the full pack of features and ask for support from producers to better understand what you buy.5.

Am I 100% protected using both antivirus and antimalware software program?There is no guarantee that using both antivirus and antimalware programs on your computer, you’ll be fully protected. You need them both to stay safe and reduces the chances to get infected with malware.This video explains the difference between viruses and malware, and what you need to know when choosing between antivirus and antimalware software programs.ConclusionAlthough malware attacks continue to grow and put users’ online privacy at risk, antivirus programs remain an important tool to help to keep the cyber criminals out of your PC and other devices.

They can offer security protection, but at a limited level, without offering maximum protection against advanced malware attacks. Antimalware gives your antivirus a boost and enhance protection for your devices.Often, technical terms are too difficult to be understood by non-techies, which is not fair. That’s why we tried to make things easier and more approachable with this guide.Bottom line, we need to emphasize that none of these solutions can provide 100% protection against new waves of cyber threats. But you will need them both to keep you safe from viruses and malware, and strongly decrease your chances of getting hacked.Antivirus and antimalware programs complement each other, but they don’t necessarily compete.It goes without saying that i t’s better to be safe than sorry.How do you keep your devices secure? Do you use an antivirus or antimalware program?

How Free Antivirus Compares to Paid AntivirusFind more about pros and cons of free vs paid antivirus.For all Windows users, some measure of security is needed on every computer. Malware, botnets, keyloggers and viruses are daily nuisances and constantly evolving and threatening your personal information.Antivirus software companies have made it their business to provide adequate protection against a plethora of security threats, but there are also plenty of free options, including free basic programs from the same developers that also offer subscription-based packages. On the free side there are some reliable and reputable antivirus programs for Windows machines, such as Avast Free Antivirus, Avira Free Antivirus, AVG AntiVirus Free, Bitdefender Antivirus Free Edition and Norman Malware Cleaner to name a few.There is even Microsoft's namesake Microsoft Security Essentials for Windows Vista and Windows 7 suite. On Windows 8, it's rebranded as Windows Defender and integrated into the system. Both version scan your system for malware and keep a constant vigil on downloaded files. There are many more paid anti-virus programs from well-known names as Bitdefender, McAfee, Norton/Symantec and Kaspersky Lab. In general, paid programs offer additional features, which can be helpful depending on your line of work, browsing habits, security level requirements, etc.For example, Avast's Internet Security package (priced at $49.95 for one PC for one year) has several features that are not present in the company's free version, such as a sophisticated spam filter.

It also monitors particularly sensitive activities, such as online banking or trading to prevent other programs from pulling passwords or account numbers.There are usually two levels of paid-subscription packages. Bitdefender, for example, has a $79.95 package (that supports up to three PCs) called Bitdefender Internet Security.

Their $89.95 Bitdefender Total Security (for three PCs) package, also offers system performance checks and online backup.McAfee's Total Protection package ($89.99 for three PCs) is another example of an all-in-one package, which includes parental controls, online backup, home networking security features and spam filtering. It also allows owners encrypt particularly sensitive files and secure them in case a PC is stolen, making it ideal for laptop users. Benefits of Free Antivirus SoftwareThe biggest benefit of the free antivirus software is in its name - It's free-of-charge. Of course, this comes at its own 'cost', so to speak, but free antivirus programs in general provide a decent level of protection for a variety of systems, networks and programs.

In some cases users have to deal with recurring pop-ups and other forms of advertising that push the paid version of the antivirus but this seems like a small price to pay for the truly good programs that rid your PC of malware and viruses.Free virus protection software is a convenient way to try out the product before committing to it. The same goes for a number of features that are only supported in the paid version of an antivirus.It is important to know that, in general, your computer will only run one anti-virus system at a time. Every time you switch to a different package, you need to uninstall the previous system to prevent software clashes. Benefits of Paid Antivirus SoftwarePaid antivirus packages have a number of advantages over their free counterparts, one of which is the fact that they offer more comprehensive cover and protection. Additional elements, such as anti-spyware, a firewall solution, e-mail scanner, etc. Are usually present aside from the basic malware suite. While both free and paid antivirus solutions update simultaneously, and automatically using the latest virus information - paid versions benefit from more support channels.

Advantages Of Antivirus Wikipedia

Users usually get live support in the form of e-mail, chat and phone while free programs rely mostly on forums and FAQs. Multi user licenses are often available for paid antivirus, covering all your IT without the need for purchasing separate software.Paid virus protection systems include useful extra features, such as backup and recovery tools in the event that your PC crashes; as well as performance enhancement utilities that ensure that your laptop or PC are running at their most efficient. Disadvantages of Paid Antivirus SoftwareThere are also disadvantages to opting for paid virus protection. The cost, above everything else, is a recurring expense with some packages costing as much as 70 to 80 dollars. On top of that updates frequently cost extra dollars after the initial period which may come in the form of a yearly subscription, which starts to add up over time.The majority of paid virus protection systems are very advanced pieces of software and have a myriad of features. While you automatically get all of these extras upon buying the product, but it is debatable whether you will ever use them. Essentially, this means that you will end up paying for a selection of features that you neither need nor want.The final, potential disadvantage is speed.

Complex antivirus systems require a considerable amount of memory and processing power, which slows your system down. This is why it's important to check the software's compatibility with your PC before purchasing. Types of Free and Paid AntivirusThere are four basic levels of antivirus products: free, paid, suites, and 'premium' suites.

Logically, the latter are the ones that offer the most additional features, such as identity theft protection, firewalls, parental controls, and system performance tools and are also the most expensive.Free antivirus software provides a bare minimum level of protection. It scans for malware, and often has the option for automatic scans, too. Some free apps have additional protection tools such as a browser add-on that checks for bad links or a built-in firewall.

What Are The Advantages And Disadvantages Of Antivirus Software 2017

However, this is the exception and not the rule for free antivirus products. Some free apps offer behavioural malware detection, which is the standard on paid products.Paid antivirus software bridges the gap between the basic freebies and the feature-packed security suites. It offers more comprehensive security tools (such as parental controls and identity theft protection) and more flexibility but has fewer additional features than the more advanced suites.One of the biggest drawbacks of free antivirus products remains the lack of technical support. Most companies offer some sort of phone support for paying customers, which his absent for the free version of their product.

An exception is Avast with its e-mail support for its free customers as most others provide only a knowledge base or forum where users can go for help.Another disadvantage in free antivirus products is the frequent forms of advertisement for the company's paid product that try to get users to upgrade. Avast Free Antivirus has an upgrade link in the upper-right corner of the main window, and Avira AntiVir Personal occasionally displays an ad for their paid antivirus software.When it comes to malware signature updates there is some level of uniformity between paid and free antivirus products as far as signature updates are concerned.

As a general rule, companies view their free predicts as intended for average users, and that their paid antivirus for more advanced users.In the end of the day, free products do give you some flexibility and they don't tie you down with annual subscriptions for software you are not sure you want to need. You can augment a free tool's basic security with countless security utilities and there is a large number of mix-and-match combinations with other free tools, browser add-ons, VPN services and programs you can choose from to tailor your protection suite to fit your needs without spending a single dollar. Of course, this requires some level of knowledge and may be more complicated in the long run.