Do I Need Antivirus Software?

You need antivirus if you want to keep your computer and data safe.

Yes is the short answer to that question. Currently no operating system such as Microsoft Windows or Apple OS X include antivirus software. They do however have software that can help protect you against spyware pop-ups and resource sapping malware. Windows firewall and windows update will also help protect you from certain types of virus and malware.

However, none of the windows software is designed to protect you against viruses in the same way as a dedicated antivirus package. Dedicated antivirus will help to protect be routinely scanning every file on you computer for signatures of known viruses. If a virus is detected then the antivirus will give you the option to remove the file or even better still remove or quarantine the file. In reality you don't want any virus or potential virus even getting onto your computer in the first place. This is where a feature known as 'Real Time Scanning' can come in useful. This feature will scan files as you access them or download them from the internet and indicate if they have a potential virus or malware component to them. They will then be able to prevent the files from being accessed on your computer.

Antivirus suites are a step above the basic antivirus software in terms of features. Suites such as those provided by McAfee and Symantec provide antivirus in addition to extra features which help keep you safe on the internet. Some provide indicator links in your web browser to let you know if the website you are about to visit has known malware or virus risks associated with. Others provide you with parental controls, e-mail scanning, and even secure file deletion.

If you are unsure as to whether you need to install antivirus just give us a call on (01) 4475966 or check out our antivirus installation page. You can also contact us via our contact page.