Antivirus Software

Antivirus Software

When you buy a new computer, chances are that antivirus software will already be installed on it for you. However, you can also buy the software yourself to protect your computer from being infected with viruses and worms that will destroy the information you have stored on the hard drive. These viruses can delete files, cause damage to the computer itself and extract files from your computer that you would rather keep private.

Whatever antivirus software you decide to use, you must update it on a regular basis. You can download free trial versions from particular Internet sites if you are not sure which one you want to use. You don’t even have to visit a computer software retail outlet to make any purchase, as all the different software is available for sale from the parent sites.

If you want to check to see if there is antivirus software installed on your computer, all you have to do is check the programs list on your start menu to which programs are on your computer. Just because it is there, it doesn’t mean that it is actually working if you haven’t turned it on or updated it. For example, if you use Norton Antivirus Software, you will often receive a trial version, and then you have to purchase a subscription from the company. A pop up box will inform you when your subscription runs out and will ask you whether or not you want to renew the subscription.

If you do have antivirus software installed on your computer and want to use the software from another company, you have to uninstall the first antivirus software before you do the new installation. This is because two antivirus software programs will not operate together on the same computer. If you leave the older version on the hard drive, you could cause serious damage to your system.

If the antivirus software on your computer is out of date, your system is open to all sorts of infections by viruses and worms. The software protects your computer much as you protect yourself against disease. Computer viruses are germs that infiltrate your computer in the same way as germs make your body feel sick. Once they get into the system they tend to multiply and attack the functions of the computer. They get into your computer through email messages, programs downloaded from the Internet, or through file sharing programs. Antivirus software detects the possible infiltration of the virus and sets up filters for potentially infected files. When the software detects that a virus is present it will destroy it, but it will usually inform you that the virus is present and give you the option of destroying it yourself. The programs are connected to the Internet to detect the presence of viruses and you do not have to do anything to get them to work once you have the software up and running.

There are literally thousands of viruses and worms created every day. Computer hackers are coming up with the viruses to worm their way into your computer and possible get valuable information about your business or your finances. Many people are doing their taxes on the Internet as well as their banking. Therefore it is necessary to have some sort of antivirus software protection on the computer.

There is fierce competition in the field of antivirus software. Some of the well-known companies that produce this type of program are McAfee, Norton and Symantec. However, there are many more reputable companies that also produce the software you need. McAfee was one of the first companies to recognize the potential danger for computer users and was the first to come up with the antivirus software packages. Since then many companies have developed their own programs. No matter which one you choose the program will set up a filter for all possible sorts of viruses to which your system may become exposed.