Anti-virus solutions cannot be really trusted today for protecting the systems from malwares or spywares. . There are some alternatives available, instead of depending completely on anti-virus software, to protect the system and to achieve your desired level of control on security of the system. In this section user can get to know about such alternatives for antivirus or measures which can be taken to protect the system.
Laptops and desktop systems have become an important part of our lives. Most of the businesses have shifted from manual hardcopies to automated systems. So, it has become mandatory to secure our systems from malware attacks and viruses. However, the use of anti-virus software can be a troublesome experience. There are some alternatives available, instead of depending completely on anti-virus software, to protect the system and to achieve your desired level of control on security of the system.
A reliable online virus scan can be preferred to get your system scanned for malwares and spywares. Keep checking reviews about new Anti-virus software and other tools to compare the performance of your current anti-virus protection. A few online scan providers which can be considered include Trend Micro’s Housecall or PC Pitstop Virus Scan. Another thing that would help in maintaining the system’s security is downloading of files from a trusted source only. Most of the files available over internet have some or the other malwares or spywares which also get downloaded along with it. If the user has knowledge about some specific viruses, then the firewall can also be configured to block such websites or scripts. All versions of windows come with built in firewalls that can be configured to block known threats and scripts. They have built in defense systems used to protect the data in the system. A proper knowledge of the types of viruses and how they spread can really help in this regards.
Cloud AV
Pop-up blockers and controlling other installations
Most of the browsers come with built in pop-up blockers which people generally don’t bother about. But these blockers can be of great help if used properly. Adwares generally come as pop-ups, which are small popup screens that appear automatically while surfing. So it would be always suggested to keep the pop-up blockers on and do not allow any pop-ups until its mandatory for some website. Also, keep a track of all the softwares that are installed on the system. It can be done by making an administrator account so that it all the installations can be controlled. All users of the system can be configured with desired level of authorization to each. There are few software available on internet which people download just for small purpose. These are even free to download but they have many malware or spyware scripts along with them that get installed on the system.
References:
1. K. Shah S. (2012). Exploring reliability of cloud antivirus solutions. 28 April 2012. Retrieved from web. http://web.njit.edu/~sks36/resources/Final_Saurin_Shah.pdf
2. Qattan F. & Thernelius F. (2004). Deficiencies in current software protection mechanisms and alternatives for securing computer integrity. June 2004. Retrieved from web. http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.112.1869&rep=rep1&type=pdf
