Do more antivirus programs mean more viruses are caught?
This really depends on the quality of the antivirus programs that you are using. If you are using several mediocre programs, it may seem as if more viruses are being caught because each one will catch a few but not all viruses.
For example, let’s say that you are using two run-of-the-mill antivirus applications. Each developer maintains a database of virus definitions. These two databases are unique. Database A may recognize a virus that Database B does not. When you scan your system with the first application, let’s imagine that five viruses where detected. When you scan the system using the second application, five more viruses where found. When something like this happens, it looks as if having several antivirus programs makes sense.
Now imagine what might happen if you used one of the leading antivirus programs featuring a massive, continuously growing database. A product that has more definitions should detect the more viruses than products with less extensive databases.
Another factor when using two or more mediocre antivirus programs depends on whether the software developers are regularly updating their databases of virus definitions and if these updates have reached your computer. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, antivirus software is only as good as its latest update. In fact, even if you’re using one of the leading antivirus products on the market, if you haven’t recently updated your local copy with the latest virus definitions, then your computer is at risk and many emerging viruses can sneak in undetected.
If you’re on a budget and must use free antivirus software, then you probably ought to install a second antivirus application to make up for the smaller database size and less frequent updates. However, I recommend investing in a higher quality antivirus solution such as any of the following:
- Norton Antivirus
- Trend Micro PC-Cillin
- ParetoLogic Antivirus Plus
- McAfee Antivirus Plus
- Kaspersky Anti-Virus 7.0
None of these products will break the bank and you’ll get many more features along with peace of mind.
No matter what type of antivirus application you choose, you can take an active role in preventing viruses from infecting your computer. First, go into the antivirus software and make sure that automatic updates are enabled. Next, set up a schedule for automatic virus scans. This is important because viruses can sneak in between updates. Once you have the latest update, the next time the virus scan tool runs, it will detect any viruses that match the new list of virus patterns. These viruses could have been dormant on your PC for some time or they may have arrived in between updates.
Finally, practice safe computing, particularly when it comes to opening e-mail messages since this is one of the most common ways that viruses arrive. If a suspicious message arrives, don’t open it. Even if you trust the sender it doesn’t mean that the e-mail really came from your friend or colleague. Viruses are often programmed to take names out of your address book and spoof them so that it looks like a legitimate sender sent the file to you.
