Cybercriminals are constantly changing their tactics, which is why you need comprehensive virus protection to protect yourself from the most recent threats. A good antivirus program will scan for, detect and remove viruses, trojans malware, worms, and spyware. Certain antivirus programs offer additional security features such as a virtual personal network with password management and parental controls and phishing protection.
Antivirus software should also guard against keyloggers and rootkits that can record all the information you write on your keyboard- including passwords and credit card numbers. It should also prevent ransomware that can infiltrate your computer and take files hostage until you pay a ransom.
The most reliable antivirus software has a high rate of detection of malware known to be infected, and it consistently scores very well in independent testing labs. A good security suite will also come with other safety options, such as an algorithm-based detection system that identifies the types of behaviors that viruses are known to exhibit. It should also have a firewall, and some programs offer a sandboxing feature that lets you run suspicious programs in a virtual environment where they won’t cause any harm.
A reliable antivirus program updates often, usually every two days. It should work with many devices, such as PCs, Macs, smartphones and smart homes. Pricing for antivirus programs varies with some offering cheap beginning rates. Certain antivirus programs charge per month or annually, while others charge per device. The cost of a program should be based on the number of devices and kinds it protects, the frequency of updates and its user-friendliness, and other safety features.