There’s a million viruses on the internet, and more get added each day. It’s why anti-viruses are updated so frequently. But quick updation is not the only classification that makes an Anti-virus a good option.
There are a load of criteria to consider before buying an Antivirus. Nobody expects you to find it easy.
However, knowing the opinions on the top websites and well known reviewers can help you get more knowledge about any products you wish to buy, which helps amateur buyers and first time customers from being conned into a poor deal.
There’s quite a lot of information to wrap your head around before taking out your wallet to pay for an antivirus everyone and their mothers recommend to you.
Review websites operate in a paradigm that presupposes that you, the reader, already know a bit about all these terms. If that’s not the case, don’t fret. The 3 websites we recommend for Anti-Virus Software reviews are given at the end. But let us first help you through some of the jargon.
Decoding anti-virus jargon: An Easy Guide through techspeak to figure out your software
Encrytion
A term that is especially in vogue these days is Encryption. A frequent question asked about antiviruses is whether or not they can detect and counter encrypted viruses, in addition to the degrees of encryption they can manage. What the term means is to codify a piece of information, or data like with malware.
Encryption works several ways, but the common method involved is to replace pieces of data with a specific and predefined alternative that can be used to break the code, or decrypt the data.
A common virus can be picked up by an alert antivirus pretty much every time, but if you encrypt it, many antiviruses fail to recognise it. Encrypt it a second time, and yet more software may fail. An antivirus that detects the virus or malware with most degrees of encryption is the most successful, and more recommended over others in terms of functionality.
Malware
A malware is any piece of software that harms your system and prevents it from functioning in the short term or (at least directly) in the long term. It is a generic umbrella term for programs that pose security risks to users and their PCs. Malware may not necessarily be just about stopping the computer from working or holding it ransom.
Many malware are focussed on getting personal information out of a user by hacking their online accounts, tracking passwords or typed content, or conveying location and other specifics about the device that the user may not have consented to.
Trojan Horse
Remember the scene from the Iliad where the Greeks offer a giant wooden horse to the city of Troy that they’re currently sieging, as a sign of respect, which the Trojans decide to bring inside the otherwise impenetrable fort? Yeah. Just like how that wooden horse had Greek soldiers waiting inside to rip apart the city in the middle of the night, these Trojan horses too are more than what they seem.
They aren’t malignant themselves, and they usually will not interfere with your computer on their own. But they’re always active in the background, tracking your activity on the machine, and they collect this information to send to the maker who usually has unscrupulous intentions. Trojan horses are often used in attempts at identity theft, and may also be employed in attempts at phishing and other crimes that might not be exclusively in the cyber domain.
Fingerprints / Signature
How does an anti-virus identify a malware? It can’t wait for the program to run on the PC. So most anti-virus software (if not all) are based on tracking specific bits of information that are more common to be present in a malware than on an innocent program. With the millions of viruses that populate the internet, this forms a big directory of signatures.
Take it as a database of criminals with the police. This is why it is recommended to keep your anti-virus updated. An anti-virus update is less common to bring you changes in design and layout, but all of them update this fingerprint directory to include the signatures of the latest viruses, which keeps your computer protected against these as well.
Spyware
A software used to spy on you or your device, as the name suggests. Spyware is more common than many assume. Like Malware, Spyware too can be employed in a variety of ways. You can have a copy of your data being packed off to a hacker or criminal, which can give him information about not just your whereabouts and activities but also crucial information like your bank details, passwords and social media access.
The more common use of spyware, however, turns out to be from software companies eager for some market research without having to spend much for it. Possibility of the latter might be made apparent by going through the terms and conditions that come with software but even then, you might be at risk. Thus the importance accorded to anti-virus programs.
Worm
Think of a worm as an actual worm, like a maggot. Worms replicate rapidly and can clog your system’s memory, making your system useless. They’re often deemed similar to virus, and many are confused why we have separate terms for them in computer security. Here’s a thumb rule; if you got infested for no fault of yours (no infected files, no unscrupulous email attachments), it was probably a worm.
If you had to be tricked into it, like through an innocent seeming game you installed or a video file you downloaded, it was probably a virus. Worms scan for new victims by themselves, and make their way into devices that connect with infected devices like through the WiFi, Bluetooth or via USB.
They can travel to a few devices at times before finally becoming detectable, by which time it is usually too late for a lot of devices. This is why it is always recommended to have an anti-virus on all your devices.
Password Sniffer
These are software planted into target devices that sniff out passwords. They might be used not just for social media, but also track bank account details.
Some are even designed to stay inactive till a page with a password field comes up. You can foil them by using virtual keyboards. Better yet, get a virtual keyboard that randomises keys every time you run it.
Now that we have those covered, let’s talk about 3 sites to turn to when you want reliable reviews for anti-virus software.
3 Best sites to get reliable anti-virus software reviews:
- CNET
CNET is generally regarded as pretty reliable for every tech article they publish, and they have some really crisp reviews on their website, which go into detail while never going off-track. They also have informative video reviews you can catch on YouTube.
CNET’s anti-virus reviews fulfil your expectations. They are rigorous, the data has sources mentioned, and the tone is pretty comfortable. It certainly helps. - TechSupportAlert
What’s salient about TechSupportAlert is how traditional it is designed. It comes off as no-nonsense, and their writing style certainly helps.
Use this website for a comprehensive list of features with pros and cons for every reviewed product, a quick synopsis and a rating that makes options unbelievably easy to compare. - AV-Comparatives
The USP of AV-Comparatives is the data and the graphs and the fact that the website is singularly dedicated to testing anti-virus software. The information they offer is scientifically rigorous and well sourced. In fact, its graphs and statistics are cited by many other reviewers when making comaprisons.
There are other websites too, like PC Mag or TopTen Reviews. These three are unbeatable though. Which website do you like?
The post is written by Tiffany Mlecroy from 2kreviews.com.
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