What Are the Disadvantages of Antivirus?

Whether it is a desktop computer, a laptop, or a terminal in your office, using a PC is part of daily life. Unfortunately, so are computer viruses. Even if you don't download anything from the Internet, don't think you're safe from viruses or spyware. The latest viruses are designed to travel from one computer to another over the Internet, on their own. Therefore, having antivirus software is a must, but you should know its possible disadvantages before deciding on one.

Limited Detection Techniques

There is more than one way to detect a virus, but a major disadvantage for some antivirus programs is that they cannot use all detection techniques. According to the Oracle ThinkQuest educational foundation, virus scanners are the most common method of detection. Scanning means searching your computer for known virus code patterns. This mechanism has an inherent weakness. Any scanner can give a false alarm if the code in a pattern matches part of the code in a normal file. Worse, it might not detect the code for a new virus. To avoid this, the virus database of an antivirus program must be regularly updated.

Another technique is detecting changes made to files, especially executables (*. Exe). Programs that adopt this technique are called cyclic redundancy check (CRC) scanners. However, a CRC scanner can only detect changes if it already has information about what the files on your PC and operating system are supposed to look like. In other words, viruses that are already on your computer before the installation of an antivirus program will not be detected.

The best antivirus software uses both techniques described and complements them with verifiers and heuristic analysis. A verifier program performs an in-depth analysis of any detected virus code, to determine if it is a virus. A heuristic analysis, on the other hand, will detect or confirm the existence of the virus by looking for the symptoms or behavioral characteristics of the virus on your computer. Without these complementary techniques, a virus can escape detection.

They Do Not Fully Protect

Having an antivirus program with multiple detection methods is not enough. To avoid viruses, Microsoft Security recommends placing an Internet firewall as well. A firewall is generally a program that blocks hackers, viruses, and spyware from the Internet before they enter your computer. You can also use hardware - such as a router - to harden the firewall, especially if you use more than one personal computer to access the Internet, or if you have a small network of computers.

Slow Down Your Pc or Network

Installing and running antivirus software can use up a large amount of computer memory and hard drive space, slowing down your PC. StoreTech Systems Inc. mentions that this is true even for protecting servers and a computer network. Depending on how the personnel of an information management (MIS) or information technology (IT) company establishes virus scanning and protection, the scanning process may cause a delay in-network service for individual use of the devices. employees.

Conflicts

Since they are not equally effective, you may be tempted to install more than one antivirus program. Be careful, because as the Symantec site says: these programs can actually conflict with each other and cause them to not work properly. You will need to double-check for potential conflicts before purchasing a secondary program.

Viruses and Worms: What's the Difference?

Viruses, worms, bots, oh my! All of these names sound more like characters in a science fiction novel than different types of malicious software. Despite this, all these types of malware are not at all fictional; What's more, the economic damage they can cause by attacking your data or your equipment is very real.

Although the different types of malicious software (or malware) work differently, they all have the same goal: to install unwanted software on the victim's computer or network for malicious purposes ranging from those that are simply annoying to industrial espionage.

Two of the most common types of malware are viruses and worms. Knowing how they work can help you more quickly limit the damage caused by a malware attack and even prevent infections entirely.

Viruses in Word Documents

Viruses and worms differ in two main respects: in how they spread or 'replicate' and in their level of autonomy. To work, viruses need a file (eg a Word document) or a program (eg that free PDF separator you downloaded) to act as a carrier. And to replicate, they need the intervention of a human being to send them via email, messages, attachments, etc. Viruses cannot replicate themselves.

Worms, however, are capable of replicating themselves, being able to send themselves via email to other computers and networks without the intervention of a human being.

This autonomy of worms makes them more aggressive or contagious, unlike viruses, which can remain dormant on a computer for years, waiting for a user to open an infected file. Using a cinematic analogy, worms would be like a Predator, while viruses would be like an Alien.

How Does a Virus Replicate?

Computer viruses are transmitted like biological viruses. For example, a common cold is spread through person-to-person contact. We are the ones who spread cold germs to other people through our sneezes and coughs. If another person breathes in the viruses that we have exhaled, that's it! We just passed the virus to you. Similarly, a human action (the equivalent of coughing or sneezing) is necessary to replicate a virus.

We can replicate computer viruses by sending an infected file to other users in an email message, using instant messaging, etc. Like us, the recipient will open the attachment without knowing that it is infected. Most users open the attachments they receive because they trust the person who sent them. That is, for a virus to be able to replicate, human action and a bit of naivety on the part of another user are necessary.

Social Engineering

The term 'social engineering' refers to the methods used to trick people into spreading malware to other users. Hackers use our own presumptions and overconfidence to mislead us.

For example, when we visit our bank's website, we tend to look first at the most recognizable features: the company name, the logo, and whether or not the page layout looks familiar. All these elements help us to confirm that we are in the right place. Instead of applying more critical criteria, we immediately compare what we see with what we expect. And as soon as we confirm our basic expectations, we click.

Hackers take advantage of this to create malicious copies of legitimate websites and email addresses and steal our credentials and confidential information. In fact, those digital counterfeits don't even have to be perfect copies, just look close enough to match our expectations. That is why it is better not to click on the links received in an email when accessing a website, and instead use the bookmarks of our browser to ensure that we go to the place we want.

How to Protect Yourself

Although viruses and worms are different, the precautions you must take to protect yourself from them are similar.

1) Avoid Opening Messages or Attachments That Come From Unknown Sources

Social engineering is very powerful and takes advantage of our presumptions and overconfidence, but it is possible to combat it by paying more attention to our interactions on the Web. Inspect the emails you receive carefully. Phishing emails often have characteristics that give them away. Most importantly, never open files included in emails received from sources you don't know. If you don't recognize the origin of an email, delete the attached file. Do not be carried away by curiosity or you could pay dearly.

2) Avoid Unsafe Web Pages

Unsafe pages do not encrypt the communications they establish with the browser in the same way as to secure pages. Fortunately, it is quite easy to identify an unsecured web page. The URL that appears in the browser begins with HTTP. Try to visit only pages that start with HTTPS (the 's' stands for 'secure'). There are browser extensions such as HTTPS Everywhere that is very useful for accessing only HTTPS sites.

3) Update Your Operating Systems

Hackers love to discover security holes in operating systems like Windows. It is a game of cat and mouse between them and the software engineers, who continually test, identify, and patch the entry pathways they find in their own software. The result of this effort is security updates. Updates to your operating system are used to apply these patches as soon as they are released, increasing your level of protection. Set your operating system to update automatically.

4) Be Selective With Your Programs

Like operating systems, the apps you install on your devices must also be updated - and for the same reason. And in addition to updating them, you must also decide if you really need them or not. Remember, viruses need carrier files and programs to hide and run. Decide if you really need an app before installing it and, if you already have it, think about whether you use it a lot or not. The more applications you have, the more updates there will be. And the greater the number of updates, the more chances of suffering an infection or security breach.

There are a couple of programs that you should pay special attention to Adobe Flash and Acrobat Reader. Both are top targets for cybercriminals. If you don't use them, it is best to uninstall them.

5) Install Antivirus Protection

The simplest and most effective way to protect yourself from viruses and worms is to install a good antivirus like Protegent360 total security. Antivirus programs don't fall for the traps of social engineering. They are not carried away by their assumptions. They scan all the files you open and all the programs you run for viruses and worms. And good antivirus programs do it in real-time.s

Now you know the differences between viruses and worms, how they spread and where they hide. Be extra cautious the next time you open an email from an unknown source or visit a page that is familiar to you. Following these recommendations and installing an antivirus program is the best way to avoid malware.

What Are Computer Viruses? And How Do You Know That Your Computer is Infected?

If you want to know " what are computer viruses", then you must read this topic carefully, as there are some of the symptoms that your computer will experience when it is infected with a virus, and to know this, you must first know what computer viruses are, but do not worry. Protecting your computer from viruses is no longer difficult, so you can overcome them, but first let us know what viruses are, how they work, and how do we know if we have a virus.

What Are Computer Viruses?

A very important question, a virus is a small program that is programmed with the purpose of damaging the computer (by causing errors in your device, 

Moving from one computer to another, and also copies itself inside your computer, and interferes with the computer's operating system, and these viruses are programmed by professional programmers for reasons that may be related to causing damage and damage to computers or because he has a desire to harm others, and it may also be to achieve Financial gain.

How Do I Know if My Device is Infected or Not?

If your computer is infected, you will notice that there are strange things happening in the device, such as unknown error messages will appear, and other programs do not work correctly and others do not work at all, for example, your anti-virus program may stop working so this means that the virus He has disabled it, and with all of that you will notice very slow down in your computer, and also when you browse the Internet you will notice that the pages you choose do not work properly, and you may be redirected to other pages, and you may also notice that your device is sending messages to your friends list without Your knowledge, in general, if you notice strange things happening in your computer and realize that you have lost control of your computer, know that your computer is infected.

What is the Effect of Viruses on My Computer?

Some people expect that viruses only affect system files and

software only !!

This is not true, as some viruses have been programmed to destroy your hardware or wipe, so you should know that there are viruses that may destroy your entire computer! To be clearer, the entire computer is controlled by a group of programs, and if this virus was only for controlling and changing the settings in a program such as the BIOS,  this means that the motherboard will expire!

Therefore, the effect of viruses on the computer may be normal or unusual depending on its type, there is a virus that only annoys you, and there are others that destroy programs and files inside your device only, and there are others that destroy parts of the hardware, and there are others that destroy your device completely

What Should I Do if My Device is Infected?

The first thing that you should do is to perform a scan of your entire device using a powerful antivirus program. If you want to use a paid antivirus program, I advise you to use Protegent360 after the scanning process, I prefer that you re-install a copy Windows In order to get rid of these viruses and their effects completely,

What Types of Files May Be Infected?

Let's face it, downloading from the internet is not easy! Any file you download may contain Vero, so you should download only from trusted sites. As for files that may be infected with viruses, they are 

1 - Exe files, of course, this type of files may be infected, so when downloading files in .exe format You must be confident of the sites you download the file from,  and in general, if you want to avoid viruses in general and spyware files in particular, avoid completely downloading a .exe file with an area less than 1 MB or at least check it

2 - Zip or Rar files The zip may contain .exe files that may also contain a virus.

3 - File format Scr is a file Escrin Sevres It is also not safe and you should be tested first.

4 - File format Doc rose files are also not safe, you should be tested before use, you may also contain a virus.

Do You Need Antivirus Software for Your Computer?

"That email may be dangerous to open !?" In recent years, it has become less of a big topic, but malicious programs such as viruses are still targeting our PCs. Therefore, I would like to introduce the basics of the virus that I would like to confirm again, its danger, and what countermeasures are available.

Why You Need Antivirus on Your Computer

I think that there are many people who say that smartphones have become widespread these days and the opportunities to use personal computers have decreased. However, I would like to pay attention to the anti-virus software for personal computers.

Especially in the case of Windows, if you neglect to take antivirus software, the risk of your computer becoming infected with a virus increases. Also, even if you intend to install virus software, be careful if the virus software is old and has expired.

From the following items, we will introduce antivirus software for personal computers from the basics.

What Happens if I Don't Take Antivirus Software on My Computer?

If you neglect to take software such as "I will not be infected with a virus anyway", the possibility that your computer will be infected with a virus from suspicious spam emails, websites, applications, etc. will increase.

What are the symptoms if I get infected with a virus?

Examples of viral symptoms

When your computer is infected with a virus, the following symptoms may appear.

And personal computers of the program is rewritten, it is will not start

continued movement and high load of the program, the personal computer is physically failing would

the file is deleted, be destroyed

without permission e-mail a large amount sent from the - your account be

and personal information is flowing out

voyeur from PCs built-in camera and microphone is eavesdropping

In this way, when infected with a virus, not only can the computer be damaged, but in the worst case, a large number of spam emails are sent, personal information and contacts contained in the computer, and stored files are leaked. There is an increased risk of inconvenience not only to yourself but also to those around you.

What Kind of Virus is There?

Programs that do bad things to your computer are generally collectively called "viruses", but the exact generic name is "malware". This "malware" includes "viruses" and several other types of programs.

Virus

A malicious program that copies its own program and spreads from computer to computer is called a "(computer) virus" in the natural world because of its function. Some programs are mischievous and do not cause much harm, while others are malicious programs that destroy hardware such as personal computers and programs.

Most viruses are sent in a "file" format, so the best bet is not to open suspicious files.

Worm

Worms are a type of virus, but they copy themselves and spread or move from the contact list on your computer without requiring any user intervention.

Therefore, worms have higher spreading power than other viruses, and also put a heavy load on PCs and servers.

Trojan

Trojan horses are not strictly viruses, but malicious programs that pretend to be image files or applications. It disguises itself as a normal application and accesses the internal information of the personal computer to take over the personal computer, leak personal information, destroy the program, and so on. It is also a countermeasure not to use suspicious data or apps found on the net.

What Kind of Virus is There?

So far, we have explained the dangers of viruses and the types of viruses. So what can you do to prevent virus infection? Here are some points to note.

Update OS/Software

The first important thing to recognize when taking antivirus software is that there is no perfect antivirus software.

Therefore, antivirus software is always "cat and mouse with the latest virus".

Therefore, it is important to keep the OS and software up to date. In many cases, OS and software updates include improvements to "program (or security) vulnerabilities" such as bugs, bugs, and design mistakes that can introduce risks such as viruses.

Most importantly, keep your OS and software up to date.

Do not leave expired security software on your computer

If you install security software that includes antivirus, it is not always safe. Security software that monitors files and programs on your computer may stop either operation so as not to conflict with other security software and cause problems.

For example, the security software "Windows Security" that comes standard with Windows does not normally work when using other security software.

Therefore, if you leave the expired security software unattended, it will be in a state where effective antivirus software is not taken and it is very dangerous. Update your security software to the latest version, or uninstall (remove) it to enable "Windows Security".

Do not read suspicious emails

Many viruses are spread by spam emails. "I don't recognize the sender's address" "Somehow the text is unnatural" ... When such a suspicious email arrives, it is natural not to open it and open the attached file, but it is recommended not to browse it. ..

Do not browse suspicious sites

Like spam emails, malicious programs are often distributed through suspicious sites such as illegal download sites. Be careful not to browse such sites.

Check the URL

Beware of phishing sites that spoof famous sites as well as suspicious sites. Even if the design looks exactly like the real thing, there are many clever tricks such as one character difference when looking at the URL. If you feel even a little suspicious, make it a habit to check the URL word for word.

Introduce security software

If you want to take stronger anti-virus software, we recommend installing "security software" that monitors whether malicious programs such as viruses have been mixed into your computer, and if found, reports or removes them.

・ Software type

In recent years, free security programs have been included in the OS, such as "Windows Security", but if you want to take stronger measures, why not consider introducing paid software?

・ How to choose software

When buying antivirus software, consider all of the devices you want to keep protected and the family members who use these devices. Think about your budget, too, and select software that is right for your needs at a cost that represents a worthwhile investment into the protection of your digital life. Solutions exist at various price points for quality antivirus software

Do Cloud Services Need Antivirus | Cloud Antivirus

Recently, cloud services have become familiar, haven't they?

Previously, I saved my documents on my PC and operated emails, websites, databases, etc. on my own server. Now that cloud services have become commonplace, all of these features are being replaced by cloud servers.

However, in order to introduce a new product, you need to understand the risks well.

First, I will explain the main risks of using the cloud.

so we often hear concerns about "cloud services". Antivirus is especially common. Services over the network inevitably carry the risk of viruses and unauthorized access, which are threats on the Internet.

So, this time, I would like to talk about antivirus measures that are of concern when using cloud services.

Attack on the Cloud

A problem these days is cyber attacks on servers. Not only cloud services but also corporate systems can be targeted by cyberattacks, but attack methods such as concentrating a large amount of access to paralyze communication and stealing information are used.

Although it is a risk that cannot be dealt with at the user level, cloud service vendors are taking various measures. Since the countermeasures of each vendor are published, please use it as a judgment standard at the time of introduction.

Not only cyber attacks but also disaster responses are properly taken by vendors. Similarly, countermeasures are open to the public, so please check when considering.

Viruses and Malware

A virus is a type of malware (malicious program) that can be executed and damaged without the user's knowledge.

Whether it is a cloud service or not, there is a risk that the virus will infect your local PC through email, websites, etc.

Many companies have installed cloud antivirus software depending on the infection route and the type of virus for cloud services, it also scans the data stored on the server.

Human Error

There are cases where account information is leaked due to improper management of account information or loss of a device, or data on the cloud is leaked due to incorrect file-sharing settings. There are measures such as strengthening account authority management, detecting abnormal access and suspending the account, and monitoring confidential information with DLP.

Exchange Online Protection (EOP)

Email is one of the gateways to malware intrusion. In some cases, the malware itself is attached to the email, but in other cases, spam emails can be used to promote access to the malware or become a gateway to phishing scams.

Exchange Online Protection (EOP) is equipped with spam filters, safe senders and rejected lists, IP addressing, content filters, etc., and has a quarantine function to detect and prevent unauthorized access.

Advanced Threat Protection (ATP)

Free antivirus software refers to a list of known viruses and detects matching programs like viruses, but it was difficult to deal with new viruses. Advanced Threat Protection (ATP) is an email filtering service that supports unknown viruses.

What is Pharming and How to Protect From It?

Pharming is a malicious type of internet fraud that subverts the very foundations of the network. By manipulating web traffic, pharming attackers try to trick their targets into providing valuable personal information. As pharming is very sneaky, many victims only discover that they have been duped when it is too late. This article will cover what pharming is, how it works, and, most importantly, what you can do to prevent it from happening to you.

What is Pharming?

Pharming is when a criminal hacker (or "pharmer") directs an internet user to a fake, rather than legitimate, website. These "spoofed" sites can capture the victim's confidential information, including usernames, passwords, and credit card data, or install malware on their computers. Pharmers generally focus on financial sector websites, such as banks, online payment platforms, or other e-commerce destinations, usually with identity theft as their ultimate goal.

Pharming attacks are effective because they trick victims and their computers. The pharmer tricks the victim's computer into sending him to his website, not where he should go. This works like this:

When navigating to a website, users enter the website's URL, which is converted by a DNS server to a numeric IP address. Confused? Calm. Think of the DNS server as a phone book, where the URL is the name of a website and the IP address is the telephone number of the website. Pharmers can edit the list and change the phone numbers that belong to the chosen website.

Pharming, in terms of computers, compromises internet traffic at the DNS level, sending the user to a fake website created by the hacker.

Scroll down for more information on how pharming works.

Pharming vs Phishing

So, what is the difference between pharming and phishing? These two strokes are similar, but not exactly the same. Phishing, as the name implies, uses bait: hackers send e-mails or other official-looking communications that invite victims to visit fake websites and enter their personal information.

Pharming ignores the bait and sends victims to the fake site without their knowledge or consent. Because victims are typing in URLs, instead of clicking links in a suspicious email, they are less likely to detect fraud. It is a more subtle fraud when compared to more obvious phishing techniques.

How to Protect Yourself Against Pharming

Fortunately, there are proven strategies you can practice to protect against pharming attacks. In addition to these pharming security tips, it's never a bad idea to review the basics of internet security in the digital age.

Choose a trusted internet service provider (ISP) - Most major ISPs will automatically filter out fake pharmer redirects, preventing you from accessing their website. The newer ISPs may seem tempting with attractive offers and very high speeds, but make sure they are as dedicated to your security as the more established providers.

Check your URLs for typos - After navigating to a website, wait for it to load and review the URL again. Pharmers often disguise their websites with little spelling tricks, including changed letters or letter replacements: for example, "aug.com" instead of "avg.com".

Look for URLs that start with HTTPS - If you see HTTPS, it means that all traffic between the site and you are encrypted, so it cannot be intercepted by a third party. Sites with this enhanced level of security automatically change their URL from HTTP to HTTPS, stating that their data is secure. This tip is especially important when making a financial transaction or exchange.

Stay away from questionable sites - Use common sense when browsing the internet. Stick to sites you can trust and stay away from anything that looks suspicious.

Evaluate sites before doing anything - If a trusted site doesn't look like the usual, you may be in a pharmer's version. Click on it a little and check that all pages are present and recognized. Many pharmers will not bother to include terms of service or privacy policies.

Avoid links and files from unknown sources - Be careful when downloading files and think twice before clicking on strange links. It is much more difficult for you to be tricked by pharmers if they are unable to install the malware on your computer.

Avoid e-commerce deals with by-products - If an electronic shopping discount sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Many pharmers will try to attract you at prices 10% to 20% lower than any product offered by legitimate stores. Check the price on competing sites before making a purchase.

Trust your antivirus software - Pay attention when your browser or antivirus software alerts you about browsing to a specific website. Even if you have used this site before, a warning can be an indication that it has been infected since your last visit. And speaking of antivirus ...

Protect yourself with powerful antivirus software from a trusted provider - the Protegent360 antivirus software protect your computer from malware and unwanted redirects pharming, especially when you accidentally stumble on an unsecured site. Attackers love to adjust their pharming strategies, and Protegent360 is constantly updated to ensure protection against new threats.

The Impact of Antivirus Protection on Computer Performance

AV-Test has verified whether effective protection against threats for Windows devices must mean deterioration of their performance.

Antivirus Stress Test

The latest results from a unique long-term comprehensive test will help dispel the doubts of many computer users. This time, the specialists of the German center are trying to decide whether the effectiveness of protection must mean a decrease in the efficiency of the devices.

The study lasted 14 months (from January 2014 to the end of February 2015) and was conducted in 7 stages. Complicated procedures made it possible to evaluate 23 products participating in the test in as many as 35 areas. The speed of operation and the impact on performance were analyzed on devices with Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 operating systems.

Realistic Study

To ensure the most realistic conditions, the test was conducted during the activities performed by all computer users every day - downloading files from the Internet, browsing web pages, installing applications, launching applications, and copying files. The results and speed of operation of computers with active protection of the tested programs were compared to the performance of a device on which no anti-virus application was installed and running. In each of the five areas of the study, during all 7 stages, the analyzed packages were awarded points from 1 to 5 - the greater their number, the more they affected the computer's performance degradation.

Performance Test Results

This time, Kaspersky Internet Security turned out to be the test winner and the anti-virus package that has the least impact on the operation of the protected device during everyday use. This program scored an almost perfect average of 5.1 points. during all stages of the test, which indicates an unnoticeable load on the computer by this software. It was followed by Bitdefender Internet Security (average 5.3 points) and Qihoo 360 Internet Security (5.7 points).

The next 6 tested products also achieved quite satisfactory results, scoring from 6.1 to 7.9 load points. Among them were, among others Trend Micro Internet Security, Norton Security, or F-Secure Internet Security.

It is also worth noting that none of the packages participating in this comprehensive study even came close to the worst possible result of 25 points. Threat Track Vipre Internet Security, which was last in the entire test, averaged 13.9 points.

Performance Isn't Everything

The test results clearly show that the right antivirus software does not have to cause bothersome slowdowns in the operation of the computer. Of course, each of them requires the use of little resources (like any other running application), but usually, their use may be completely unnoticeable to the user. So it's a good idea to compare the results of this unique performance test with the threat detection and blocking studies to choose the most appropriate program for your own use. It turns out that the leaders of this study guarantee a minimal impact on performance with an excellent level of protection.