Types of antivirus software
Spyware:
Spyware is installed on your computer without your knowledge and can disrupt your system with unsolicited pop-up windows and even literally ‘spy’ on your computer activity, secretly sending your private information to criminals.
Good anti-spyware software is designed to both remove any spyware it detects on your computer and prevent any further spyware from becoming installed.
It should work in two main ways, providing real-time protection from spyware infection, whilst also allowing you to perform regular system scans, preferably as part of an ongoing automatic security schedule.
The line between anti-spyware and anti-virus software has blurred over the years but it’s worth noting that, while many anti-virus products now also include spyware protection, most dedicated anti-spyware programs don’t usually protect against viruses.
Antivirus programs:
Most antivirus programs would be better described as ‘anti-malware’, since they are often designed to protect against worms, Trojans and most other types of malicious software as well as viruses.
Some even protect against spyware, but it doesn’t hurt to have a separate anti-spyware program installed, too.
Most anti-virus programs identify malware by comparing signatures to a built-in database of known malicious software types. This database needs to be kept up to date in order to ensure protection, which is why it’s vital to download updates as soon as they’re available. Some anti-virus programs also use techniques called ‘heuristic detection' and ‘sandboxing’ to help identify new types of malware as they appear.
Browser security:
A web browser is the program used to view pages on the internet, such as Internet Explorer, Safari, Firefox, Opera and Google Chrome.
It’s possible for malware, hackers and other cyber criminals to exploit weaknesses in web browsers. As such, you need to make sure that you’re using the very latest version of your chosen browser and that you keep it up to date.
The web browsers mentioned above also include a number of other security features, such as pop-up blockers and phishing detectors, which can warn you if a website appears to be a fraud. These tools should be turned on by default, but you can usually check by looking under the relevant section of the Tools, Options or Settings menu.
Firewall:
Your firewall is your first line of defence against hackers and other types of unauthorised access to your PC from over a network or the internet.
A firewall works in the background all the time monitoring traffic to (and, in some cases, from) your computer. The firewall blocks certain ports and only allow specific programs and services to communicate with your PC.
Parental controls:
These are programs that allow you to limit and, in some cases, monitor specific people’s computer use. Usually this means parents (or grandparents) restricting the number of hours their children can use the PC, blocking the use of certain programs (including blocking games by their age rating) and limiting internet access to known safe sites in order to prevent children from being exposed to anything unsuitable online.
Windows 7 and Vista PCs and Apple Mac computers both come with some basic parental control features and there are other paid-for (such as Net Nanny) and free (such as K9 Web Protection) alternatives.
Phishing protection:
Phishing scams usually take the shape of a two-pronged attack that starts with a fake email posing as if it is from a genuine source, such as your bank, that then points you towards an equally fake website in order to con you into parting with vital private information, such as your credit card number.
Protecting from them takes a similarly two-pronged effort, with anti-spam software (see below) filtering out unsolicited emails and web browser security features (see above) protecting against known fraudulent sites.
Spam filter:
Also known as anti-spam software, these utilities act like a sieve, letting through legitimate email messages but blocking unwanted or unsolicited mail from reaching your inbox.
Ask your internet service provider about spam filtering – you may find that your ISP is already employing spam protection on its servers. It’s still a good idea to have your own spam protection on board too.
Spyware is installed on your computer without your knowledge and can disrupt your system with unsolicited pop-up windows and even literally ‘spy’ on your computer activity, secretly sending your private information to criminals.
Good anti-spyware software is designed to both remove any spyware it detects on your computer and prevent any further spyware from becoming installed.
It should work in two main ways, providing real-time protection from spyware infection, whilst also allowing you to perform regular system scans, preferably as part of an ongoing automatic security schedule.
The line between anti-spyware and anti-virus software has blurred over the years but it’s worth noting that, while many anti-virus products now also include spyware protection, most dedicated anti-spyware programs don’t usually protect against viruses.
Antivirus programs:
Most antivirus programs would be better described as ‘anti-malware’, since they are often designed to protect against worms, Trojans and most other types of malicious software as well as viruses.
Some even protect against spyware, but it doesn’t hurt to have a separate anti-spyware program installed, too.
Most anti-virus programs identify malware by comparing signatures to a built-in database of known malicious software types. This database needs to be kept up to date in order to ensure protection, which is why it’s vital to download updates as soon as they’re available. Some anti-virus programs also use techniques called ‘heuristic detection' and ‘sandboxing’ to help identify new types of malware as they appear.
Browser security:
A web browser is the program used to view pages on the internet, such as Internet Explorer, Safari, Firefox, Opera and Google Chrome.
It’s possible for malware, hackers and other cyber criminals to exploit weaknesses in web browsers. As such, you need to make sure that you’re using the very latest version of your chosen browser and that you keep it up to date.
The web browsers mentioned above also include a number of other security features, such as pop-up blockers and phishing detectors, which can warn you if a website appears to be a fraud. These tools should be turned on by default, but you can usually check by looking under the relevant section of the Tools, Options or Settings menu.
Firewall:
Your firewall is your first line of defence against hackers and other types of unauthorised access to your PC from over a network or the internet.
A firewall works in the background all the time monitoring traffic to (and, in some cases, from) your computer. The firewall blocks certain ports and only allow specific programs and services to communicate with your PC.
Parental controls:
These are programs that allow you to limit and, in some cases, monitor specific people’s computer use. Usually this means parents (or grandparents) restricting the number of hours their children can use the PC, blocking the use of certain programs (including blocking games by their age rating) and limiting internet access to known safe sites in order to prevent children from being exposed to anything unsuitable online.
Windows 7 and Vista PCs and Apple Mac computers both come with some basic parental control features and there are other paid-for (such as Net Nanny) and free (such as K9 Web Protection) alternatives.
Phishing protection:
Phishing scams usually take the shape of a two-pronged attack that starts with a fake email posing as if it is from a genuine source, such as your bank, that then points you towards an equally fake website in order to con you into parting with vital private information, such as your credit card number.
Protecting from them takes a similarly two-pronged effort, with anti-spam software (see below) filtering out unsolicited emails and web browser security features (see above) protecting against known fraudulent sites.
Spam filter:
Also known as anti-spam software, these utilities act like a sieve, letting through legitimate email messages but blocking unwanted or unsolicited mail from reaching your inbox.
Ask your internet service provider about spam filtering – you may find that your ISP is already employing spam protection on its servers. It’s still a good idea to have your own spam protection on board too.
