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<H2>Antivirus software: Stop the hackers in their tracks by improving your
Internet security </H2>
<P><EM>30 July 2010</EM>
<P><STRONG></STRONG> </P>
<P><STRONG>The days when the Internet was the preserve of the personal computer
has now passed. Nowadays, many new types of equipment, such as smartphones,
games consoles, music players and mobile phones all have access to the
Internet.</STRONG><BR><BR>For the consumer, this is fantastic news as it allows
a new depth of use previously unavailable, plus greater flexibility and a world
of information available at your fingertips. For hackers, though, this
represents a great opportunity. It is precisely because of this threat that it
is vital you safeguard your equipment and data with the toughest
possible <A href="http://www.kaspersky.co.uk/kaspersky_anti-virus"
$included="null">antivirus software</A>.<BR><BR>If you are one of the new
generation of smartphone users, then you will be pleased to know that some
top-level developers have already begun to offer a comprehensive package of
security for your mobile device. <BR><BR>Mobile antivirus is now available
for your smartphone and given that this is a relatively new form of technology -
and as such likely to be easier for hackers to expose any flaws within - it
makes great sense to ensure the integrity of your machine and your data by
investing in top quality mobile antivirus software.<BR><BR>Mobile software
operates in exactly the same way as traditional antivirus software does on the
PC or Mac. Considering the cost of a smart phone and the importance of the data
they can contain, spending just a few pounds on improving your phone’s virus
protection makes great sense.<BR><BR>Apple Mac users need not be left out
either. Many companies are now offering bespoke <A
href="http://www.kaspersky.co.uk/kaspersky-anti-virus-for-mac"
$included="null">Mac antivirus</A> software that has been specifically
designed to counter the threats specific to this platform. Not only does the
best software offer instant protection for the Mac user, but also can ensure
that Mac users do not inadvertently transfer malicious files from their computer
to another Mac or even a PC. <BR><BR>This form of software runs
spectacularly well on a Mac, with only a one per cent impact on your CPU
performance, and as you would expect from a leading manufacturer, the software
is rigorously updated to ensure that all new threats are protected against as
quickly as possible.<BR><BR>The majority of antivirus users, however, will no
doubt want software that is designed to protect their PC. Many new PCs come
shipped with the latest edition of Windows, Windows 7. While customers will be
delighted with the latest version of the software, it does present those who
write malicious code with another opportunity to exploit a brand new operating
system.<BR><BR>The answer to this is, of course, to install specifically
designed<A href="http://www.kaspersky.co.uk/windows7" $included="null">Windows 7
antivirus</A> software. Some of the best antivirus companies, such as
Kaspersky, offer these brand new packages which have been specifically designed
to run alongside the brand new operating system and integrate with it to ensure
that you have the best level of protection ever, while still ensuring that your
machine is running as quickly and optimally as possible.<BR><BR>As with all
antivirus software for PCs, there is a dedicated support team that ensures that
your installation is always bang up to date with the latest updates, ensuring
peace of mind against any security threats that may come too late due to new
malicious code being released.<BR><BR>It is also something of a misnomer to call
these packages simply ‘antivirus software’. While the antivirus protection is a
considerable part of the overall package, there is so much more protection
offered by these packages that the term often undersells itself.<BR><BR>For
instance, your phone, Mac or PC virus protection will be significantly enhanced
by using a quality antivirus package, but this package will also protect you
against many other forms of malware, some of which can be particularly
troublesome when they infect a computer. <BR><BR>Computer worms - Trojan
horses, adware and spyware - are some of the more common forms of malware and
each of these can be detected and dealt with by a powerful antivirus program.
Indeed, some antivirus software is now so complex that it can detect when
malicious code is attempting to disable its own software!<BR><BR>Hackers had
targeted antivirus software as their first line of attack in recent times,
hoping to disable the antivirus software to allow them to install their
malicious code, but now antivirus software is bouncing back and is able to
recognise when itself is being attacked by code and stop it in its
tracks!<BR><BR>There are other steps you can take to thwart hackers compromising
your system. The first would be to check the integrity of your wireless network
security. Many of the older wireless networks remain unsecured and do not have
password protection. This means anybody with a wireless adapter in range can use
your wireless network to connect to the Internet. <BR><BR>By upgrading your
connection to include protection, such as a password, you can stop people using
your connection for their own means. Another excellent step to take is to have a
firewall installed and working on your computer. <BR><BR>Windows-based
systems now have their own firewall included and the trend is that almost any
piece of equipment with Internet access as standard will have this form of
protection soon, if it does not have it already.<BR><BR>It is worth remembering
that use of malware is sharply on the rise; according to F-Secure ‘as much
malware was produced in 2007 as in the previous 20 years altogether’. That is a
frightening statistic as it means there are more nuisance threats than ever to
the integrity of the online community.<BR><BR>However, the most tried and
trusted method of thwarting hackers from gaining access or information from your
system is by having renowned, recommended and award-winning antivirus software
installed and updated regularly on your computer or mobile phone.<BR><BR>Not
only does this drastically reduce the threat posed by malware, but gives the
user added peace of mind that they can use the Internet for whatever purpose
they need, both safely and securely.</P></FONT><PRE> </PRE></BODY></HTML>