Will an Antispyware Program do the Same Thing as an Antivirus Program?
Spyware has overtaken viruses as the greatest online threat to our privacy …
Fact: Almost all of us have Spyware and Adware on our PCs.
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People often ask whether they should use both antivirus and antispyware software
The answer, in short, is: absolutely. Almost invariably, antispyware programs do not provide the same kind of adequate protection from viruses, malware, trojans and downloaders as antivirus programs do, and even worse, they provide a false sense of security that can lead users to develop bad browsing habits.
So what is the difference
Antispyware software is specifically designed to protect your personal information and keep your computer free from programs, plug-ins, toolbars and cookies that can record, store and transmit sensitive data about you and your browsing habits to a third party. These spyware programs aren’t technically viruses; they don’t infect your computer, hijack your internet connection or use your computer to spawn copies of themselves. Although these types of programs occasionally work alongside with, and are complementary to viruses, trying to treat an underlying virus infection with antispyware software is a lot like trying to treat a brain tumor with Tylenol.
Antivirus software, on the other hand, often doesn’t scan for security risks like cookies that record browser habits or dubious tracking programs that piggyback on legitimate installations. Antivirus programs specifically scan for a list of known viruses, trojans, and various other threats that are known to proliferate across the internet, and often scan for new, previously unknown viruses using a method of pattern analysis called heuristics.
Should you get a Security Suite?
Many makers of antivirus and antispyware software often bundle them together with a firewall and market the package as a full-blown (and somewhat expensive) “internet security suite.” Often this degree of protection is unnecessary, but that isn’t to say that antivirus and antispyware software shouldn’t be used together.
PCtools offers well rounded protection
I’ve been using PCtools solutions for several months now. One layer of protection (antivirus) keeps users safe from malicious programs that could potentially destroy the user’s system and infect friends’ computers, while the second layer of protection (antispyware) helps to secure users’ personal data - so they can sleep at night knowing that sensitive data like bank account, credit card and social security numbers aren’t getting into anyone else’s hands.
Direct Download links for Products mentioned in this article
PCtools Spyware Doctor
PCtools Spyware Doctor with Antivirus
PCtools Internet Security Suite 2009
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