LYCOS RETRIEVER 
Antivirus: Computers
built 655 days ago
The main component of an antivirus program is the scanning engine, which sifts through files on your computer, searching for evidence of a virus. In the past, antivirus engines used one of two common methods of detecting a virus. Some used a heuristic engine that detected virus structures and activities; others used a database of known viruses as a comparison. Each method had its advantages and disadvantages. Antivirus engines that used the heuristic method were believed to be capable of responding to any type of virus attack, even viruses that were new and as yet unknown to the security community; they were ... likely to sound an alarm even when no virus was actually present. Antivirus engines that used a database of viruses were less likely to produce false positives, but they were unable to identify new viruses until the antivirus developer provided an update for the database.
Source:
AVG Free Edition is the well-known antivirus protection tool. AVG Free is available free of charge to home users for the life of the product. Rapid virus database updates are available for the lifetime of the product, thereby providing the high level of detection capability that millions of users around the world trust to protect their computers. AVG Free is easy to use and will not slow your system down (low system resource requirements. Highlights include automatic update functionality, the AVG Resident Shield, which provides real-time protection as files are opened and programs are run, free Virus Database Updates for the lifetime of the product, and AVG Virus Vault for safe handling of infected files.
Source:
At this point, major American computer magazines and specialty websites have abandoned independent antivirus performance testing. Instead, they rely on one or more of the third-party test labs for gauging effectiveness. To the extent that those labs publish their findings on the Internet, consumers can do that themselves. Also, the manufacturers' websites always tout which labs have certified their products (but be aware that some tout previous certifications as if they were current). Those test labs are now the best sources for comparing the relative effectiveness of antivirus programs.
Source:
A growing trend in the antivirus market is online virus detection. You set your browser to the antivirus company's specified web page, and it will remotely scan your computer for viruses. There's no need to install an antivirus program, or have it actively running on your computer. Some ISPs (Internet Service Providers) include an online scanning service as part of their service.
Source:
Out-of-date antivirus software means ineffective antivirus software. Antivirus software relies on regular updates to help protect against the latest threats. If you aren't subscribed to these updates, your computer may be vulnerable to attacks by malicious software. Here are some tips for making sure your antivirus software stays current:
Source:
Dictionary-based antivirus software typically examines files when the computer's operating system creates, opens, closes or e-mails them. In this way it can detect a known virus immediately upon receipt. Note too that a System Administrator can typically schedule the antivirus software to examine (scan) all files on the computer's hard disk on a regular basis.
Source:
MORE ABOUT
Computers