What is the Best Antivirus to use?

What is the best antivirus to use?

I’ve evaluated dozens of antivirus products over the years and have found that many effective antivirus products exist. Each of the leading antivirus application developers such as McAfee, Norton, ParetoLogic, and Trend Micro offer excellent antivirus products including standalone antivirus protection, online antivirus scans, and “all in one” Internet security suites.

However, no matter which antivirus software you install, the protection is only as good as the latest virus definition update. With that in mind, I believe that the so-called “best” antivirus programs are those that meet the following criteria:

An extensive database of virus definitions - This database should be continuously growing with new definitions added frequently as new threats are discovered.

Automatic updates - While the developer may frequently add new antivirus definitions to their database, it doesn’t do any good to your system if you local copy isn’t updated! Manual updates don’t cut it; are you really going to religiously update your antivirus protection on your own?

Real time protection - The sooner your antivirus program detects a virus, the better.

POP3 e-mail and Web mail protection - Because most viruses arrive in e-mail messages, the ability to scan both POP3 and Web e-mail messages is critical. In addition, antivirus protection while in chat rooms and Instant Messaging is desirable.

Ease of use - What happens when the antivirus application detects a virus? Does the software handle quarantining the virus on your behalf or does it give you a list of confusing (and alarming) choices?

Scheduled scans - Can you schedule regular virus scans, including deep scans, to take place when you’re not working?

Two of my favorites are ParetoLogic Anti-Virus Plus, which recently earned five out of five cows on Tucows.com, and Trend Micro PC-cillin Internet Security. These products happen to be “all in one” suites that also protect against other Internet threats such as spyware, malware, spam, phishing, and viruses. Both provide excellent antivirus protection with frequent definition updates - yes, they’re automatic! Best of all, I don’t have to do a thing.

Granted, when you first install either application, you must go in and set up your preferences but once that’s done, the antivirus protection continues without any user intervention required. Detailed logs show me exactly what actions have taken place.

While numerous excellent antivirus products are on the market, the best protection is only as good as the latest virus definition and local update to your software. When selecting an antivirus program for your computer, look for a continuously updated database of virus definitions, automatic updates, real-time protection, e-mail and Web mail scans, ease of use, and scheduled virus scans.

I recommend “all in one” suites that also protect your computer from Internet threats such as spyware, adware, malware, downloading Trojans, spam, and phishing. If you already have anti-spyware protection and simply want an antivirus program, many of these same software developers offer standalone antivirus programs that focus only on protecting your computer from viruses. No matter which antivirus product you choose, if it’s providing you with protection from existing and emerging viruses, then it’s one of the best.