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When it comes to security software, there are so many options out there that it’s often hard for most people to know what they need and what features they should be looking for.
That’s where we come in. We’ve created this guide, so you don’t have to guess anymore. You’ll find information about the types of security software that are available, what their features do for you, and provide advice on how to get the right protection for your particular needs.
Security Software: Program Vs. Suite
Anti-Malware Program
It’s a program that you download to your computer that works against malware. Some of these tools offering real-time protections others will help to fix your computer even if you are already infected.
These programs are either free or paid. Some paid programs require a yearly subscription fee while others have a one-time download cost.
Anti-malware programs are easy to find online. If you have a computer that’s running Windows 10, it comes with a program already installed for you: Windows Defender.
However, we recommend adding additional security even if you do have Windows Defender in place to cover possible blind spots.
Fortunately, many free anti-malware programs that work just as well as most paid programs.
See Related Article: Top 10 Best Free Antivirus
Anti-Malware Suite
Any software that is offering a security suite is providing you with more than just malware protection. These likewise can be found in both free and paid versions.
Often, security suites will offer malware protections as a free option, and then provide a full security suite if you upgrade to their paid program.
Security suites may include additional premium components such as firewalls, parental control, anti-spam protection, backup software, a file shredder, spam filtering, and browser alerts when you’re on a suspicious site.
Internet Security Suite Features
These extras can often be found as standalone programs that you can download, but you can also find them in many security suites.
If you find yourself in need of a number of these features, it usually makes more sense to find a free or paid security suite that offers all of them in one package rather than getting all the programs separately.
Spam Filter
A spam filter works with your email program to keep spam emails out of your inbox. Spam is often harmless advertising, but could also contain dangerous malware, so keeping it out of your inbox is the best way to deal with it.
File Shredder
A file shredder is necessary to have if you need to remove sensitive information from your computer routinely. Just deleting a file is often not enough, as there are electronic traces of it left behind, so to avoid someone accessing these deleted files, you need to use a file shredder.
Anti-Phishing Toolbar
Many malicious phishing sites and emails look and act like legitimate companies which is how people can be tricked into giving up their sensitive information. Anti-phishing toolbars work from your browser to check sites before you hand over your confidential information.
IM Protection
This protects you against malware that may be delivered during instant messages, so it’s great to have if you frequently use any instant messaging programs or websites to talk with people.
Firewall
Firewalls guard the ports that your computer uses to access the internet and makes sure that only the ports that need to be used are being used. If malware is attempting to use an unauthorized port, it blocks it and prevents it from being downloaded onto your computer.
Parental Control
This is excellent for people with kids as it helps you block access to various websites. By blocking sites that are unsuitable for children or that contain a lot of malware, you can protect not only your children but also your computer.
Privacy Filter
Privacy filters are designed to let you know when you’re about to provide personal information to a website. This allows you to take a moment and check if the website you’re using is legitimate or a phishing site that has bad intentions for your information.
File Backup
Backing up your data is an important part of protecting yourself from malware attacks. This way, if an attack does happen, your files will be safe. During a severe virus attack, you may need to wipe your computer clean so having file backup will ensure that you don’t lose any information.
Security Software Shopping Tips:
Know What You Need
Before you get roped into spending hundreds of dollars every year on security software, check to see if there’s a free option that will work just as well for you.
For most homes, a free security program is enough as long as you’re surfing safely. So if you don’t click links in strange emails or download from untrustworthy websites, you should be fine with a free program.
On the other hand, if you’re running a business, you need to make sure that you have the best security you can afford in place to protect your business from cyber crimes which can be devastating, especially for a small business.
Know What Your Computer Needs
Keep in mind that different computers have different security vulnerabilities. This varies greatly between Apple computers and PCs. Macs are typically less affected by viruses, but can still pass a virus to a PC.
Age has a smaller impact on your computer’s vulnerability, but one worth noting. Be sure when shopping for security options you make sure that you check the system requirements to make sure your computer has what it needs to run it.
Know What Your Computer Can Handle
If your computer is already running a little slow, choosing an anti-malware program that’s going to use a lot of your system’s memory is going to slow your computer down to a crawl, maybe even to the point of it being unusable.
Most newer computers can handle the additional strain of a solid anti-malware program, but if you’re worried about this, we recommend looking for a cloud-based antivirus solution that runs most of their scans on their servers so your computer can keep running normally.
Know Where to Download Software
You need to be careful when downloading security software, because there are a number of programs out there that masquerade as legitimate security software programs, but are actually preparing to get in and do some serious damage to your system. Because of this danger, make sure you trust the site you’re downloading security software from before you click that download button. We make sure that all of our links are safe, making our site a great resource for safe links to security software programs.
Because of this danger, make sure you trust the site you’re downloading security software from before you click that download button. We make sure that all of our links are safe, making our site a great resource for safe links to security software programs.
If you have any questions about security software, please let us know and we would be more than happy to help answer any additional questions you may have and to help you choose the security software that’s best for you, whether it’s for your home or your business.
