Installing an antivirus program will protect your computer and the operating system from failures and errors, as well as protect it while working on the Internet. There are many antiviruses that vary in functionality. Therefore, it is worth figuring out what types of them exist.
Features of any antivirus package
An antivirus program is a system of algorithms that is designed to eliminate or prevent the activity of malicious programs installed without the user's knowledge. Without exception, all anti-virus programs have a virus signature database that is regularly updated by its publisher. This is necessary so that the antivirus always has up-to-date information about existing threats. Due to their large variety, antiviruses differ from each other in functionality.
Classic antivirus package
This is the most common type of antivirus software. It includes a threat recognition system based either on heuristic analysis (identifying threats even before their activity begins) or on-access analysis (when starting any programs). In addition to analyzing data on a computer, antivirus programs often include additional options and options. These may include a system for isolating program activities from system activities, a security monitor for Internet resources, and a RAM scanner. All this will not work if the anti-virus signature database is out of date. Classic anti-virus packages include such programs as: Avast !, Kaspersky Antivirus, AVG and many others.
Firewall
This is a special category of antivirus programs that specializes in monitoring the Internet activity of all applications installed on the computer. This is necessary in order to protect your computer from Trojans, which are able to find out confidential user data and transfer them to cybercriminals. The absence of a firewall on the computer jeopardizes information about payments, passwords used, site visit history, etc. Examples of firewalls are: Agnitum Outpost Firewall, Kaspersky Firewall, Agava Firewall, etc.
Comprehensive protection against viruses and Trojans
Particularly popular are software systems designed to protect users from both viruses and Internet threats, and all this will occur at the same quality level as if the user were using antivirus and firewall separately. Popular packages of protection against all types of threats to computer activities are: Kaspersky Internet Security, Comodo Internet Security, G-Data Internet Security and many others.
Paid and free antivirus programs
There are now both paid and free antivirus programs. This applies to both classic antiviruses and firewalls and complex protection packages. As a rule, the differences between the paid and free versions are not significant. They may relate to technical support for users, the availability of additional options in programs, etc.
Free antivirus programs and comprehensive packages are: AVG, Avast !, Comodo Internet Security, etc.
Paid are: all products from Kaspersky Lab, Dr. Web, Agnitum Outpost Firewall, etc.
