To keep your computer protected against viruses and other malware, it is essential you regularly update your antivirus and antimalware.
Updates are no fun, especially if you have to wait while it’s getting updated. Many updates require you to close all applications, meaning that no work can be done on your computer while your antivirus and antimalware programs are getting updated.
On top of that, you need to have a good internet connection, or updates will take ages to complete and you may need to shut down or restart your system. If that’s not enough disruption to your online work, your computer may be just a tad bit slower than usual.
But having some sort of security is better than no security at all. Why take a chance of having your computer riddled with viruses that you can’t get barely anything done?
Why Do You Need To Update Your Antivirus and Antimalware
Cyber threats constantly evolve with each passing day, with hackers and malicious users trying to devise new ways to get access to confidential data stored in your computers. But that is why there are constant updates that are regularly available. This is to make sure that your computer security is always updated to prevent those hackers and malware from gaining access, and to keep you and your system protected from cyber threats.
These cyber threats can be released by hackers, companies or even the government. If you update your antivirus and antimalware regularly, your antivirus program won’t need to make a guess whether a certain action or program is a virus or not. With updates, it will know.
And knowledge is key to better protection.
How Often Should You Update Your Antimalware and Antivirus Programs
As there are countless viruses circling the cyber world every hour of every day, it is more important, now than ever before to keep your computers safe from harm, by preventing newer cyber threats from gaining entry to your systems.
Updating your antivirus software should be an automatic process so that updates can happen without you having to initiate them constantly. Usually updates don’t take very long as it is simply updates your database on the newest viruses, so this means that you don’t have to spend big bucks on getting the latest antivirus technology.
You should set it to automatic updates, and it should check for updates on a regular basis, preferably on a daily basis, which should be your default setting for most security suites.
If you are suspicious of certain program behaviours and think your computer could be infected, you can run an antivirus scan or update immediately to check if there are any cyber threats or malware lurking in your computer.
Your updates can also happen at a time that is convenient for you, if you set it that way. So, this way your updates won’t happen during work hours, or entertainment time. Perhaps it can update itself at night so that your day is not disrupted.
Should Updates Be On A Daily Or Weekly Basis
If you are basic active home internet user, you are safe with getting weekly updates. Most home owners will be safe with updates being done once a week, or once a fortnight.
However, if you constantly work online, and you have a lot of emails that come your way due to work, you are bound to get your fair share of spam. All of us have a boat load of spam that consistently finds its way to our inboxes. Fortunately, our email service providers do manage to know to a certain extent what spam is, so we are spared of getting the bulk of all spam mail in our primary inbox.
However, with spam mails comes unwanted tag along tools that could carry an infectious virus with them. If there is a well known virus or malware on the prowl, be sure to update your programs before checking your mails.
If you are in a business or company, change your settings so that updates are done on a daily basis, instead of a weekly one, as a lot of viruses tend to be released over the weekend, giving them two days to spread without check, before the work week rolls in and the IT departments can detect the unwanted programs.
Keeping your antivirus and antimalware updated regularly will keep your computers free from infectious programs that could potentially corrupt your system, while also making sure that your computer’s performance continues to function without hiccups.