The most reliable antivirus software provides solid protection against malware and several cybersecurity defenses in addition to excellent performance across all operating systems. It is also recommended to use less of the computer’s resources so that it doesn’t slow down or even crash it.
Traditional antivirus programs searched for viruses by looking at the files as they were written to disk on an electronic device or downloaded via the internet. If a file was suspicious, the software would block or delete it, stopping the spread of malware. This software was great at fighting viruses that were common but as the number of new malware threats grew quickly over the past decade, legacy antivirus tools had a difficult time identifying new threats and prevent them from doing damage.
Antivirus replacements, also often referred to EDR (Enterprise Endpoint Detection and Response) solutions, employ the full range of security tools to identify and stop everything from common malware to novel attacks that have never been observed before. This approach has proven to be more efficient than traditional antivirus programs which rely on signature-based detection.
You must make use of your computer and possess an adequate level of common sense before you decide if you need an antivirus program. If you browse fishy websites or download pirated software and aren’t using any other method of security, a good antivirus tool is a must. If you’re a user of a Mac that only uses the app store and ensures your security is high you may be able to get by without one. However, every user ought to at least think about getting an antivirus tool to protect against attacks from phishing.
