When it comes to antivirus programs, there are a lot of misconceptions. Most people have ideas about antivirus programs that are untrue and/or plain out misleading. Below you will find several myths and explanations.
1. An anti-virus program is all I need to protect myself.
An anti-virus program is only a small piece of the protection puzzle. Just because you have an AV program does not mean you can do anything you want. Some common causes of infection, even with AV protection is:
- Downloading suspicious programs
- Visiting infected websites
- Opening infected email attachments
- Sharing infected media (USB Drives, Disks, External HDs, Memory Sticks, etc.)
In essence, an AV program cannot stop you from physically and deliberatley getting infected. In order to make sure you are safe, you need to know what risks are out there.
2. I don’t visit websites I don’t know so I don’t need AV protection.
There are always risks. There are at least 2,000 new viruses, phishing sites, malware, spyware, adware, etc. created monthly. Hackers take advantage of security holes in Operating Systems and Programs that access the internet before patches are released. Have you downloaded the latest patches? How do you know? Do you check daily for the latest patches for all of your programs? There are many ways your computer can be compromised. In order to be secure, you need protection, pro-active maintenance, and updates as soon as they become available. Avantech provides all of this and ensures a worry-free computing experience for you.
3. I purchased expensive full-featured AV software, I’m protected all around
No matter how good your AV program may seem, it may not protect you from newly released viruses because a cure has yet to be developed. Most AV companies are pretty quick to release updates to their products but it can take a day or so, leaving your system exposed. Everyone is susceptible during this phase.
4. I have multiple AV software programs installed.
To put it in understandable terms, think about children fighting over which TV show to watch – meanwhile, the show is playing and is just about over with. Having too many applications causes problems when it comes to protecting your computer. There tends to be a struggle between all of the applications that can oftentimes cause one or all of them to crash, leaving you completely susceptible. The threat from viruses is increasing at an alarming rate. So how do you stay protected?
- Proactive Maintenance
- Immediately apply all patches/updates
- Advanced AV Software properly configured
- An IT support team to immediatley respond to an infection or possible infection