Vocabulary Practice: Antivirus Software

Read the text again and complete the task.

Surfing the web without any protection is dangerous. Even if you are careful, you are still at risk. How is that possible? For instance, you might open an email from a friend with an infected attachment or you might accidentally click on a link that takes you to a corrupt website. To avoid such situations it is a good idea to have antivirus software on you device as it is one of the best defenses against malware and spyware.

AV software uses a database with virus definitions to detect, block, and remove viruses or security threats. To check if there are any viruses on your device you need to run a scan. If the AV program finds threats, they are removed or quarantined.

There are many AV programs available on the market. Firstly, you have to decide whether you want to pay for the software or not. Many products are free, some come with a 30-day trial period which gives you the chance to test the software before actually buying it. Read some reviews and then select a product that has high scores for threat detection. Avoid AV programs with high CPU usage as they significantly slow down your device.

New viruses appear every day. It Is important to choose an antivirus program that offers real-time protection. If you want a product that only scans for viruses, buy a standalone AV program. If you want comprehensive protection which includes a firewall, email and browser protection plus file backup get a suite.