Antivirus software is software that can find and delete viruses and other forms of malware from your computer.
A virus, sometimes known as malware, is designed to destroy your computers, laptops, and the data they contain. (source)
Malware can infect your devices if you visit a malicious website, open an email attachment from an unknown sender, use an infected USB drive, or even visit a spam email address.
If installed on a computer or laptop, malware can steal information, encrypt it, so it is unreadable, or even delete it.
As a result, it’s crucial that you always use such software and that you keep it updated to safeguard your information and hardware.
How Exactly Do Anti-Malware Tools Do Their Thing?
This software can protect your device from malware by identifying and isolating any harmful programs before they can do any harm.
In order to keep up with the ever-evolving threat posed by viruses and other malicious software, modern antivirus systems automatically update themselves.
What anti-malware software do you recommend I use?
Windows and macOS both ship with antivirus software pre-installed, and it is entirely free to use. Make sure this in-built antivirus is activated for immediate protection.
It’s not uncommon for a trial version of a different antivirus product to be preinstalled on new computers (such as McAfee, Norton, and Avast). Keep in mind that:
- You’ll need to pay (or register) to keep using it once the trial period ends.
- Using a different antivirus product doesn’t always complement the built-in antivirus software and may even render it useless.
- You may need to investigate the many items on the market before settling on the best option for your needs.
Tell Me How To Make Use Of My Antivirus Software?
- Ensure your computer is clean of all known viruses before installing (or activating) your antivirus software by doing a comprehensive system scan.
- Set your antivirus program to scan any new files immediately. These should include those obtained from a USB drive, external hard drive, SD card, or similar device.
- Adjust your settings to update your anti-virus software automatically.
To what extent do my mobile device and smartphone require antivirus software?
If you stick to trusted sources like Google Play, the answer is no.
It’s a good idea to enable automatic updates for your apps, tablet, or smartphone.