Anti Virus Security Guidelines

If you are using any of the most popular AV (antivirus) software programs, including Norton AntiVirus, McAfee VirusScan, AVG Antivirus, BitDefender, Kaspersky Anti-Virus, F-Secure Anti-Virus, or Trend Micro PC-cillin, and you haven’t already run into problems, chances are, at least statistically speaking, you will soon enough. For most computer users, AV software is the first line of defense from viruses that rampage about, seeking to destroy data or simply make life miserable. AV software detects, identifies, and eliminates computer viruses and other malware that proliferate on the Internet. Life is good when your AV software is working and up-to-date. But when your AV software conflicts with other programs or refuses to remove or isolate a detected culprit, you’ll be tempted to disable the software because it’s not doing the job it was intended to do. AV software can also eat up precious system resources and make your computer lag like a snail, when you want it to work now.

AV software usually works behind the scenes, so there aren’t any obvious signs reporting everything that is happening while the software is doing its job. This is a good thing, because it lets you sit back, relax, and watch your AV software do the job you paid it to do. Virus Updates Windows makes it fairly easy for you to identify the type of AV software your computer is using. The best place to go if you are using Windows XP Home Edition, including Service Pack 2 (if you are still using Service Pack 1, it’s a good idea to run your Windows Update to download Service Pack 2), is the Windows Security Center. The Security Center detects and lists currently installed AV software (including third-party software). TheSecurity Center also works behind the scenes, constantly checking the state of your AV software. To get to the Windows Security Center, click Start and Control Panel. Click the Security Center icon (in the Classic or Category view). The Windows Security Center dialog box opens. Notice the three security essentials: Firewall, Automatic Updates, and Virus Protection. To best protect your computer, Microsoft recommends all three of these security essentials remain on. Click the Virus Protection selection to expand a description of the AV software running on your computer.While the Windows Security Center can detect most types of antivirus software, it does not detect all antivirus types, as some antivirus programs do not report their status to Windows. If you are sure that your computer is running AV software and the Security Center is not detecting it, check with the AV software manufacturer to see if the software is supported. If the software is supported, you may need to uninstall and reinstall your AV software and update Windows to allow Windows to report your AV software properly. The Security Center isn’t the only place to find out what type of AV software you are using. Click Start and All Programs (or Programs if Windows is using the classic Start menu). In the list of programs, look for the word “antivirus.” (Refer to the first paragraph of this article for the names of some common AV software names.) One other way to find out what antivirus program you’re running is to hover your mouse pointer over the icons in the Taskbar’s System Tray area (the area in the bottom right of your screen that includes the system clock) and wait a brief moment for a yellow description box to appear. The box should include the word “antivirus.” Once you’ve found the antivirus program, right-click the icon, and a Properties menu appears. The menu should include choices to open the AV software or to activate the program options. AV software from most major vendors will download and apply updates, also known as virus definition files, on a regular basis. These updates are necessary to protect your computer from new threats that evolve on the World Wide Web.

Most computer manufacturers include a trial version of AV software on a new computer. And if you like the software you are using, you can renew (on an annual subscription basis) the software when the trial period expires. Identifying Problems Even if you have antivirus software installed on your PC, it doesn’t always mean it is functioning properly or getting regular updates from the Internet. The Windows Security Center makes it easy for you to verify that your AV software is functioning as it should be. To verify that your AV software is functioning properly, click Start and Control Panel. Click Security Center (in the Classic or Category view). TheWindows Security Center dialog box opens. Check the Virus Protection category. If it’s shaded blue and includes a green light and the word ON, your AV software is reporting that it is up-to-date and that virus scanning is on. The Security Center will also report the name of the software your computer is running. If the Virus Protection category is shaded red, your virus protection is turned off. If this is the case on your computer, click the Recommendations button and follow the on-screen instructions. You can either turn on your installed AV software or obtain another antivirus program. If the status in the Security Center indicates that the antivirus program on your computer needs attention, but you know that it is installed and functioning correctly, you can override the Security Center’s monitoring by clicking the Recommendations button in the Virus Protection section (should be shaded red). Click the checkbox marked I Have An Antivirus Program That I’ll Monitor Myself. If you choose this option, be advised that Windows will not send any alerts indicating that the AV software is out of date. If you prefer to have Windows alert you (or not alert you) about your antivirus program, you can also modify the Alert Settings in the Windows Security Center. If you modify these settings, you are either telling Windows to stop alerting you altogether about the status of your AV software or you want Windows to alert you if your computer is at risk. To modify the Alert Settings, in the Resources section on the left side of the Security Center dialog box, click the last link in the list titled Change The Way The Security Center Alerts Me. Click the Virus Protection checkbox to have Windows alert you if your computer may be at risk because of your AV software settings. Uncheck the checkbox if you do not want Windows to alert you about your AV software. Common Problems & Solutions There are literally dozens of problems that can happen to AV software, and most are specific to the program you have installed. We’ve identified a few of the more general problems and outlined their solutions.