What your antivirus software should be doing for you

You know you need to get antivirus software, but do you know what to look for in a good program? To make sure that your computer’s adequately protected, good antivirus software should do the following things.

Updates virus definitions automatically

Antivirus software relies on regular updates of virus definitions (also called virus signatures) to help protect your PC against the latest threats. Without this, antivirus software can quickly become ineffective, leaving your computer vulnerable to whatever new worm or virus comes along.

Updating virus definitions isn’t the same thing as upgrading to a new version of the software. Here, updating means making sure that key parts of the antivirus software, the virus definitions, stay current.

To make sure that your antivirus software is up to date:

· Purchase an annual subscription from your antivirus software manufacturer. If you have a subscription, the antivirus software should automatically update itself when you’re connected to the Internet.

· Verify that the software is up to date. To do this, open your antivirus program and look for the update status. If you still aren't sure, contact your antivirus software provider.

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What does it mean?

virus
Code written with the express intention of replicating itself.

virus definition
Also known as a virus signature. A recognized pattern of unique computer code contained in a virus.

Provides real-time monitoring

Good antivirus protection comes with “on-access,” or “real-time,” monitoring. This means that the program scans files as you download or use them so there is no delay between a virus being detected and getting removed or quarantined. Without this feature, your computer is vulnerable to threats.

Most antivirus products use an icon in the notification area of your Windows taskbar to indicate whether real-time monitoring is enabled. For example, if you’re running Windows Live OneCare, the icon looks like this:

You can usually right-click the icon to view details about your antivirus software settings, or to turn real-time monitoring on or off.

Allows you to scan files on demand

A good antivirus product will let you scan your whole hard disk—or just the files or folders you choose—when you want to see if a virus might be causing a problem with your computer.

Where do I go from here?

You can use the free Windows Live OneCare safety scanner right now to find and fix any viruses on your computer. However, it will not protect your computer against any new virus infections.

For always-on security service, you’ll want to use something like Windows Live OneCare, which provides all of the virus protection described above, plus a two-way firewall and monthly tune-ups for routine maintenance and optimal PC performance.