Antivirus Software for Free Download
How to choose antivirus software for free download
Everyone loves a bargain and free can be the biggest bargain of all - but only if it’s good. When it comes to antivirus software for free download, your options range from the truly horrendous to the really great. Here’s what you need to know to choose the right antivirus software for free download.
You need to be sure it’s updated regularly
Here’s what happens with a lot of projects, especially ones on the internet. A person or organization starts it with great intentions and then, for whatever reason, gives it up. They may gradually lose interest (or money) or they may just walk away, but, for whatever reason, the project gets mothballed.
In a lot of cases, this doesn’t really matter. If the existing content is good, people can keep enjoying it. With antivirus software it matters a lot because new viruses are being created all the time as are other forms of malicious software. This means that antivirus software has to be kept updated very regularly if it is to continue to be effective.
Ideally it should work via the cloud
In the old days, when you chose antivirus software for free download, you also had to commit to downloading and installing the (hopefully) regular updates for it. Now, however, you really want antivirus software which is updated in the cloud. There are three main reasons for this.
Firstly it cuts down the time needed for the updates to become effective. This may sound like a trivial detail and on an individual level perhaps it is, but when you multiply each little bit of time saved by the numerous updates required, it soon becomes clear what a difference it can make.
Secondly, it makes sure that the updates are applied properly. The company behind the antivirus takes care of everything. There is no possibility of the user forgetting or not applying the updates properly.
Thirdly, it means the hard work is done by the security company’s servers rather than the host computers. In the old days, databases of virus definitions were fairly small. Up until the internet started going mainstream, there were only a handful of viruses in existence. These days there are believed to be about 100,000, plus other forms of malicious software such as spyware, adware and ransomware. That’s already a lot for standard PCs to manage, it’s even a chunk for premium PCs and Macs. Over time, these databases are only going to expand, so it makes sense for them to be in the cloud.
You want it to have a sandbox
Not only is there a whole lot more malware out there than there used to be, but it’s a whole lot more complex than it used to be. This means you want it to be treated in a sandbox, which is essentially a quarantine area. That way, if it springs any nasty surprises, they’ll be kept contained and won’t cause any problems with your computer as a whole.
You want it to have an integrated firewall
Firewalls are often marketed as "browsing protection", which is essentially what they do. They check your internet traffic in both directions. They look at incoming traffic for any signs that someone is testing your computer for weaknesses. They look at outgoing traffic for any signs that you are about to do something dangerous, such as visit a malicious website or download a questionable file.
You’d like it to be able to block adverts
For the most part, adverts are still more of an inconvenience than a security issue. They are, however, increasingly being used as a way to transmit viruses. In fact, the strategy is becoming so common that it now has a name, malvertising. For the most part, malvertising currently relies on users being tricked into clicking on links. There is, however, at least one recorded instance of a virus being triggered just by an advert being shown on screen. This was during an attack on Spotify. Because of this, it’s safer just to block all adverts. You can always support your favorite content creators in other ways.
You need it to be backed by a reputable brand
There are all kinds of reasons why you need antivirus software for free download to be backed by a reputable brand. First of all, a significant percentage of the "free antivirus" products you find are actually malware in disguise. Even if they’re not, antivirus software needs to be both well-written and continually-updated if it’s to provide effective protection. Comodo is one of the leading names in digital security and you can go to this page right now to download Comodo antivirus for your computer.
Comodo Antivirus Resources
