What is security software? Security Software is a program or set of programs that are installed on a computer system to help protect against computer intrusion and unauthorized access to resources on a computer.

There are a number of different programs that can be used to protect your computer, smartphone and other tech-devices. Some of these include

• Anti Virus Software
• Internet Security Software
• Firewall Software
• Virtual Private Network (VPN) software
• Anti-Malware software
• Reliable backup software – to protect your files
• Plus a heap of other software and tools

reference : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_security_software

When choosing security software you need to consider what sort of protection you want, how strict you want the protection to be and how much you would like to spend on securing your computer and tech devices. You might only use your computer for light internet access and email but ensuring that your device is secure is vital.

1. Hackers
Hackers are attacking computer, smartphones and other internet connected devices everyday. These hackers are extremely skilled and do a great job of keeping their activities on your devices hidden.

2. Unwanted Software
Software that has been downloaded from the internet is not always safe. Some software may seem legitimate but has hidden software attached which can infect your device.

3. Ransomware
Ransomware has become more and more serious since 2010. Basically an unauthorised program on your computer holds all of your data at ransom. There is no way to recover from this.

4. Personal Data
One thing a lot of people don’t consider is how much personal data they have on their devices. Photos, addresses, Emails. All of these things can be stolen without you even knowing.

Anti Virus Software

Anti Virus Software is a term that is used quite loosely in terms of security. Many people consider Ant Virus software to be an adequate solution to protecting their computer, smart phone and other tech devices. The issue is that Antivirus software only protects you from traditional viruses. There are dozens of free Antivirus programs available today. Some of these do an adequate job of protecting you when a computer virus strikes but, for the most part these are not going to be enough to keep you protected.

Pros

Cons

Internet Security Software

Internet Security software is stronger than a typical Antivirus software. Generally an Internet Security suite will have an Antivirus component as well as an Email scanner, internet browsing shield and a firewall. Some packages also include the ability to block children from access certain sites.  There are a few reasons that people opt not to go with a full Internet Security suite. The main one being that it can be quite intensive on the computer memory and processor.

Pros

 Full protection against viruses

 Includes Email spam protection

 Strong web shield when browsing online

Cons

 Uses a lot of computer resources

 Can slow down computer dramatically

 Doesn’t protect against ransomware

Secure Backup Software

Securing your device with an Antivirus, Internet Security or Anti Malware program is the most important part of keeping your device safe. But what happens if something still gets in to your system?

This is where a secure backup software steps in. No matter how good your security software is there is always a chance that something or someone could gain unauthorised access to your computer.

Having a secure backup plan in place is one way to ensure that even if something like this happens you are able to keep your important information secure.

Plus, don’t assume that a hard drive or other hardware component won’t malfunction.

Pros

 Full protection against viruses

 Includes Email spam protection

 Strong web shield when browsing online

Cons

 Not an Antivirus program

 Only a precautionary solution

 Can be difficult to setup initially

Firewall Devices For Home Internet

With so many devices connected to the internet in our homes, it can be hard to protect every device from online threats. Not to mention that it can be hard to install security software on every device and keep it up to date.

But what is there was another way? What if there was a way to manage security on all of your connected devices from a single platform?

A home firewall device can do that and more. These devices have increased in popularity and decreased in price over that last few years. Meaning that you can get great protection for all of your internet connected devices for a small cost.

Pros

 Full protection against viruses

 Includes Email spam protection

 Strong web shield when browsing online

Cons

 Not an Antivirus program

 Only a precautionary solution

 Can be difficult to setup initially

To help make the best decision in your computer security needs, you should consider first, what it is that you want to protect.

If you are working with sensitive documents and important, personal information you will need to ensure you have a full internet security suite as well as a reliable cloud backup in place.

One thing people often forget is their photos and videos. Yes, music is important too but that can always be found again. Photos , especially family photos can often be overlooked as ‘important files’ until it is too late. The price of a decent cloud backup solution compared to the value of your photos / videos is un-comparable. You would be crazy not to consider implementing cloud backup into your security setup.

If, however, you are simply using your computer to read Email and write short documents a decent Antivirus will probably suffice for your security needs.

In comparison, If you are downloading a lot of files and email attachments you will need to consider an anti-malware and anti-ransomware software, as downloaded files are the number one source for these types of intrusions.