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Antivirus software: Stop the hackers in their tracks by improving your Internet security

30 July 2010

ADVERTORIAL

The days when the Internet was the preserve of the personal computer has now passed. Nowadays, many new types of equipment, such as smartphones, games consoles, music players and mobile phones all have access to the Internet.

For the consumer, this is fantastic news as it allows a new depth of use previously unavailable, plus greater flexibility and a world of information available at your fingertips. For hackers, though, this represents a great opportunity. It is precisely because of this threat that it is vital you safeguard your equipment and data with the toughest possible antivirus software.

If you are one of the new generation of smartphone users, then you will be pleased to know that some top-level developers have already begun to offer a comprehensive package of security for your mobile device. 

Mobile antivirus is now available for your smartphone and given that this is a relatively new form of technology - and as such likely to be easier for hackers to expose any flaws within - it makes great sense to ensure the integrity of your machine and your data by investing in top quality mobile antivirus software.

Mobile software operates in exactly the same way as traditional antivirus software does on the PC or Mac. Considering the cost of a smart phone and the importance of the data they can contain, spending just a few pounds on improving your phone’s virus protection makes great sense.

Apple Mac users need not be left out either. Many companies are now offering bespoke Mac antivirus software that has been specifically designed to counter the threats specific to this platform. Not only does the best software offer instant protection for the Mac user, but also can ensure that Mac users do not inadvertently transfer malicious files from their computer to another Mac or even a PC. 

This form of software runs spectacularly well on a Mac, with only a one per cent impact on your CPU performance, and as you would expect from a leading manufacturer, the software is rigorously updated to ensure that all new threats are protected against as quickly as possible.

The majority of antivirus users, however, will no doubt want software that is designed to protect their PC. Many new PCs come shipped with the latest edition of Windows, Windows 7. While customers will be delighted with the latest version of the software, it does present those who write malicious code with another opportunity to exploit a brand new operating system.

The answer to this is, of course, to install specifically designedWindows 7 antivirus software. Some of the best antivirus companies, such as Kaspersky, offer these brand new packages which have been specifically designed to run alongside the brand new operating system and integrate with it to ensure that you have the best level of protection ever, while still ensuring that your machine is running as quickly and optimally as possible.

As with all antivirus software for PCs, there is a dedicated support team that ensures that your installation is always bang up to date with the latest updates, ensuring peace of mind against any security threats that may come too late due to new malicious code being released.

It is also something of a misnomer to call these packages simply ‘antivirus software’. While the antivirus protection is a considerable part of the overall package, there is so much more protection offered by these packages that the term often undersells itself.

For instance, your phone, Mac or PC virus protection will be significantly enhanced by using a quality antivirus package, but this package will also protect you against many other forms of malware, some of which can be particularly troublesome when they infect a computer. 

Computer worms - Trojan horses, adware and spyware - are some of the more common forms of malware and each of these can be detected and dealt with by a powerful antivirus program. Indeed, some antivirus software is now so complex that it can detect when malicious code is attempting to disable its own software!

Hackers had targeted antivirus software as their first line of attack in recent times, hoping to disable the antivirus software to allow them to install their malicious code, but now antivirus software is bouncing back and is able to recognise when itself is being attacked by code and stop it in its tracks!

There are other steps you can take to thwart hackers compromising your system. The first would be to check the integrity of your wireless network security. Many of the older wireless networks remain unsecured and do not have password protection. This means anybody with a wireless adapter in range can use your wireless network to connect to the Internet. 

By upgrading your connection to include protection, such as a password, you can stop people using your connection for their own means. Another excellent step to take is to have a firewall installed and working on your computer. 

Windows-based systems now have their own firewall included and the trend is that almost any piece of equipment with Internet access as standard will have this form of protection soon, if it does not have it already.

It is worth remembering that use of malware is sharply on the rise; according to F-Secure ‘as much malware was produced in 2007 as in the previous 20 years altogether’. That is a frightening statistic as it means there are more nuisance threats than ever to the integrity of the online community.

However, the most tried and trusted method of thwarting hackers from gaining access or information from your system is by having renowned, recommended and award-winning antivirus software installed and updated regularly on your computer or mobile phone.

Not only does this drastically reduce the threat posed by malware, but gives the user added peace of mind that they can use the Internet for whatever purpose they need, both safely and securely.

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