New viruses, spyware, trojans, worms and other malware are created every day. The purpose of the viruses have also changed; viruses that used to be annoying pranks have evolved into pernicious threats capable of destroying not only your computer but also steal your information and identity. Nowadays, a computer without anti-virus is not just vulnerable, but probably, is already infected.

The modern antivirus software not only improves your level of protection, they significantly improve resources efficiency and speed of the system in general. You can have the protection without giving up resources. With advanced technology and simple usability, antivirus software is more effective than ever, and does not require constant maintenance from you. Say goodbye to annoying security warnings and slow computers, current antivirus programs offer constant protection.

What to look for in an antivirus program

Protection: The best solutions include traditional antivirus protection against viruses, worms, trojans and spyware, but also should include protection against keyloggers, phishing, email threats and rootkits.

Effectiveness: Antivirus is specifically designed to protect your computer, and if it does not do that well, it has no reason to exist. All that paraphernalia, flashy graphics, etc … can often compensate for the bad performance.

Ease of installation and use: The software security should not be difficult to install, and you should be protected as soon as possible. The best security programs must meet both sophisticated users as well as ordinary computer users who want a security solution that they can install and forget. The software should not require constant maintenance or have annoying interruptions.

Features: A set of well designed and useful resources.

Updates: Security software is only as good as its last update. Viruses are being identified and added to signature databases all the time, so it is important that your antivirus is up to date.

Help and Support: The best software does not require reading a manual in depth, but should always offer additional help and the best manufacturers should always offer support online and by phone.

A balanced antivirus solution is efficient and easy to use. Must combine all the features with a usable interface, and provide the best security and usability without a serious investment in time, money or system resources.
According to the Guia Anti Virus, for 2013 we should expect the following threats to emerge, so make sure your computer antivirus or internet security software is keeping you safe.

- Continued increase in targeted attacks
- Great advancement of “hacktivism”
- More cyber attacks come from countries
- Use of legal tools of surveillance in cyberspace supported by governments
- Attacks targeting cloud infrastructure
- Deterioration of digital privacy
- Problems of online trust and digital authority online will continue
- New malicious attacks for Mac OS X
- The vulnerabilities and exploits will remain the methods most used by cybercriminals
- Attacks to steal data from smartphones and tablet PCs

Joe Conno, Guia Anti Virus