A look at purchasing computer protection

One question I keep having to answer as an IT professional is that of antiviruses. People tend to do their computer protection shopping once a year or so, and the myriad of options mystifies them.

What is an Internet Security Suite and how does it differ from an antivirus? What is a Total Security Suite? Which should you buy? Today, these questions get answered.

Antivirus

For those of you who experienced life in the early 90s, antiviruses absolutely rocked. They recognized virus signatures when scanning the computer, and cleaned the hard disk of these viruses, worms and Trojan Horses. It was unthinkable to access the contents of a floppy disk without first scanning it using anti-virus software.

Floppy disks.

And then the internet happened, floppy disks became obsolete, and the game changed forever.

These days, antivirus software does pretty much the same thing, but unless the user intends to stay off the internet, that just isn't adequate anymore. The number of new threats grows annually, and even with the self-updating capabilities of antivirus software these days, much of the security threats tend to come from the internet, not USB drives.

Internet Security Suite

An Internet Security Suite includes the functionality of antivirus software, with the added bonus of protecting the user against internet threats (both security and privacy) such as spyware, phishing and spam. This is absolutely vital because the internet has pretty much taken over most computer usage. There is an added advantage if you have children - an Internet Security Suite may also feature Parental Controls.

Internet protection.

The cost is higher than that of antivirus software, but typically not by much. The cost in terms of processing power is noticeable unless you have a really good machine.

Total Security Suite

This is the one option that confuses the heck out of many users. What is "total" security if an Internet Security Suite already encompasses antivirus software? A Total Security Suite includes all the functionality of an Internet Security Suite (and by association, antivirus software).

This option actually includes new layers of protection, such as VPN subscription, file encryption and so on. Like Internet Security Suites, protection is implemented in the form of a firewall.

Now that's a firewall.

The cost is higher than that of an Internet Security Suite, along with required processing power. This slows down your machine substantially. Unless you are absolutely invested in not being spied upon by your Government and actually have something significant to hide, it might not be worth the price.

Protect yourself!

Whatever you ultimately purchase, it all depends on your context and what you are trying to protect. A few extra dollars is a worthwhile investment for peace of mind.

Fiarewaell for now!
T___T