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Under the surface, antivirus programs are basically the same!
No matter which program you buy, you're investing in antivirus software that includes a scanner engine and a year's worth of signature-file updates. You need the updates to identify the latest viruses and worms, and most antivirus programs now automatically download the updates behind the scenes, so you don't have to worry about it. The engines themselves match patterns -- that is, they look at files on your hard drive and compare them to the signature files you just downloaded. If there's a match, the suspect file goes into quarantine, a protected folder on your hard drive where it can't hurt your system (again, this too has been automated so that you hardly even notice this process). Lately, antivirus programs have added heuristics -- the ability to sense a new virus or worm before a signature file has been downloaded based on malicious behaviour. Also, most antivirus software will check both incoming and outgoing email messages for signs of infection.
The differences, then, lie in the nuances of these applications. How much of your system resources do they hog? How fast or how often does the vendor release its signature-file updates? And what additional features does the software offer?
It pays to shop around and really do your homework when deciding which anti virus software to use for you and your business
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