Anti-Virus Software

Antivirus detects viruses, worms and Trojans as well as infected executable files or  libraries that could be potentially unwanted within your Operating System. Antivirus software normally has  an internal virus database, and therefore it keeps the maximum level of protection when regularly updated.

Spyware - Adware - Rootkits

According to Google, 1 in 1000 Web pages is delivering some kind of malicious code, mainly in the form of exploits delivered by drive-by downloads. That translates to something like 70,000 poisoned pages ready and waiting to infect visitors on any given day.  Google also found that antivirus programs could not detect all of these threats. The best of them detected only 70% of the drive-by downloads.

An exploit is a piece of malware that takes advantage of a newly-announced or otherwise unpatched vulnerability. These vulnerabilities are most often found in operating systems, browsers, and other applications that routinely connect to the web, like media players and PDF readers.  Exploits can be hidden on any kind of web page - recent victims include Alicia Keys' MySpace page and the Major League Baseball (MLB.com) site. They are usually delivered as a drive-by download which - as its name implies - happens invisibly, without your knowledge.

Firewalls

Firewall  rules protect your computer from outside attacks, normally  from the Internet, and control communications on every network port. If the firewall recognizes anintrusion attempt, it normally blocks immediately and does not let the intruder access to your PC.  If your firewall is active, you are are normally protected against hacker attacks and threats from external networks.

Hoax Email Warnings

Hoax virus warnings are normally alerts started by malicious people which are then passed on by their innocent 'victims' who think they are helping by spreading the warning. Please do not forward hoax messages. E-mail systems have been known to fail after multiple users have forwarded false alerts to everybody in their addressbook !

You can use most of the major Anti-virus product vendors websites to establish whether the mail is a hoax or genuine threat.

As the amount of viruses increases, often due to poor education on what viruses are, how they are transmitted and how you can protect yourself, there is a now a real need for running anti-virus software on your system. This not only protects you, but also others who may have access to your machine or who you deal with via email.

The MOST important thing to do, after getting your Anti-Virus solution is to remember to keep it up-to-date !

Updates are often available from the manufacturers websites and the software wil normally have the ability to update itself automtically when you have an connection to the internet available.

HIghtrees Organisation Limited are authorised AVG resellers and can supply you with the most suitable protection for your computer system(s), whether you are a home or business user.

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Review AVG For Home Users