Free virus protection

Viruses attack computers in different ways. There are signs your computer is infected, which, if spotted quickly, can stop the proliferation of the virus. Stay safe by being wary of certain websites, and bolster your system with antivirus software. For email-based threats, mail.com provides built-in tools that protect your computer.

'Avira Antivirus for Mac is overall a great option, offering clean and simple scanning to protect your computer' 'Avira Free Antivirus guards against malware without putting a strain on your Mac.' 'Avira strikes a nice balance between ease of use and quick access to advanced utilities'.
Bitdefender Antivirus Free Edition is a free antivirus software especially designed to protect Windows computers. Need protection on more operating systems? Bitdefender Total Security offers cross-platform protection that covers Windows PCs, Macs, Smartphones and Tablets running Android or iOS for up to 10 devices.

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Antivirus software explained

Antivirus software is your first line of defense against the numerous external threats associated with online activity. Used to prevent, detect, and remove malicious software that may affect both the operation of your computer and put your data at risk from unsolicited access, antivirus programs are important utilities for anyone who uses the Internet. Crucially, antivirus software acts as a type of check-point for any information that comes in or out of your computer, constantly scanning files and programs for potential risk. Free virus protection is provided to mail.com users as standard – so you can minimize online dangers.

In order to keep up with the many varied and constantly evolving threats, antivirus software must be continually developed. This means that the best antivirus programs can identify and then neutralize the latest viruses and malware. These include Trojans, browser hijackers, rootkits, ransomware, BHOs (Browser Helper Objects), worms, adware, fraud tools and spyware amongst many others. Additionally, some antivirus software will also protect the user from spam, phishing, and botnet DDoS attacks.

What is a virus scan

A virus scan is a process performed by your antivirus software in order to identify and subsequently eradicate viruses and other malicious software from your computer or device.

When implemented on a regular basis, a virus scan helps to keep your machine free of the potentially destructive elements your computer may be exposed to during its usage.
In fact, any machine connected to the Internet should factor-in routine virus scans in order to ensure the continued security of your data.
Virus scanning is particularly important when it comes to email, since it is very susceptible to external threats.

How to identify a virus

Virus and malware identification falls into five main categories, all of which have become more sophisticated as both the hardware and software used has evolved. Unfortunately, there is no single algorithm or software application that can perfectly detect all possible threats. However, a combination of these methods can achieve a good detection rate.

Signature Based Detection – a method that compares files using a database of known threats. This is the most common approach currently used.
Heuristic Based Detection – generally combined with signature based detection, this method identifies common characteristics within malware code.
Behavioral Based Detection – similar to heuristic based detection, this technique identifies a behavioral fingerprint as the threat begins its malicious action.
Sandbox Detection – an approach that executes malware programs in a virtual environment to determine whether the code is malicious.
Data Mining Techniques – among the latest methods, this kind of detection uses machine learning algorithms to classify the behavior of a threat.

Antivirus software helps to keep you safe even when malware is the last thing on your mind – working continuously to maintain the highest levels of online security. Assuming everything is working as it should, then you will barely notice your antivirus software is operational. However, as soon as a potential issue is flagged, then a good antivirus program will notify you immediately and direct you to the correct course of action in order to keep your computer safe.

Common symptoms of a virus

Viruses manifest themselves as a range of issues within your computer and device. In fact, strange behavior exhibited by your machines is most often attributed to some kind of malware. Things to look out for include:

Slow system or machine crashes
Slow internet connection or unable to connect
Programs or applications are missing or self-starting
Peripheral hardware not working or self-starting
Being locked out of your machine
Pop-up adds or other intrusive advertisements

What is spyware?

Spyware is a generic name and can be divided into four categories: system monitors, Trojans, adware and tracking cookies.

The main purpose of spyware is to monitor Internet users’ activity and relay this information. It can also be used to change the browser configurations and deliver unsolicited advertisements. In a fifth category, keyloggers record each key pressed on the keyboard. This is often deliberately installed by the administrator of a shared or public computer to monitor the users of a single system.

What is a trojan - Trojans explained

A Trojan is a type of malware or virus that masquerades as a useful, interesting, or routine program in order to encourage the user to download or install it.

Also known as a Trojan horse—from the mythological wooden horse synonymous with Greek subterfuge—this type of malware has been around since the early 1980s, becoming increasingly prevalent as the opportunities for downloading software online have grown. In fact, Trojans are now among the most common and dangerous types of malware currently in existence, posing a threat to both computers and mobile devices.

There are many different types of Trojan and each effects varying types of threat or payload.

Most commonly they are spread by users unwittingly, appearing in the form of an email attachment or as drive-by-downloads that prey on the user’s ignorance of the respective payload.
Unlike standard computer viruses and worms, they do not generally self-propagate. This characteristic makes them particularly difficult to detect.
What’s more, it allows them to act as a backdoor by contacting a controller that allows unauthorized access to your computer. This also makes them extremely successful and subsequently extremely common – accounting for an estimated 83 percent of malware detections worldwide.

Safety starts with your operating system

Unfortunately, malware and viruses affect us all at some point and your vulnerability to external threats begins from the bottom up. Sadly, not all operating systems are created equal. After Linux, Mac OS is the most resilient to viruses and malware, with Windows OS the most vulnerable. In the mobile sector, Android is easily the most susceptible to attack, with Apple’s iOS being the most secure. However, whatever your operating system or device, it is important to take the necessary steps to remain protected at all times.

In some cases, this means a comprehensive suite of antivirus tools and utilities that protect numerous aspects of your computer’s operating system and hardware, in others, you may simply need an adblocker and email antivirus scanner in order to remain secure. Whichever option you decide to use, ensure you have the r

Free Antivirus Protection For Mac