1. Viruses and their Cures Catherine Agnew CEDu 581 – Oconomowoc

2. How to prevent the “common cold” Computers are prone to thousands and thousands of viruses every day. These viruses and other malicious programs have the ability of wrecking every aspect of your computer. It is extremely important to run an antivirus program on your computer, both at work and at home.

3. What makes a good antivirus program? EASY TO USE EFFECTIVE

4. Antivirus Software Review 2009 http://anti-virus-software-review.toptenreviews.com Website ranks top antivirus software programs based on: Website ranks top antivirus software programs based on: Ease of Use – installation, configuration, can fine- tune settings or use default Ease of Use – installation, configuration, can fine- tune settings or use default Effectiveness – includes speed of scan Effectiveness – includes speed of scan Updates Updates Feature Set – wide variety of tools Feature Set – wide variety of tools Ease of Installation Ease of Installation Help and Support Help and Support

5. #1 BitDefender Antivirus 2009 Best for the money and easiest installation and upkeep Best for the money and easiest installation and upkeep Offers comprehensive, high-performance protection while requiring little maintenance Offers comprehensive, high-performance protection while requiring little maintenance Anti-spyware and anti-virus protection Anti-spyware and anti-virus protection Requires 60 MB of space Requires 60 MB of space

6. #2 Kaspersky Anti-Virus Was originally developed and used in Russia and Europe and is now one of the leading programs for small business networks Was originally developed and used in Russia and Europe and is now one of the leading programs for small business networks Contains anti-spyware and anti-virus detection and protection Contains anti-spyware and anti-virus detection and protection Consistently one of the best in the last decade Consistently one of the best in the last decade Requires 50 MB of space Requires 50 MB of space

7. #11 McAfee VirusScan 9.0 Designated an industry leader and used in many businesses and schools (Version 8.7 currently used at Nathan Hale) Designated an industry leader and used in many businesses and schools (Version 8.7 currently used at Nathan Hale) Has “ScriptStopper” and “WormStopper” – both prevent viruses and worms from spreading from one computer to another Has “ScriptStopper” and “WormStopper” – both prevent viruses and worms from spreading from one computer to another Uses 40 MB of space (amounts differ – this amount according to us.macafee.com) Uses 40 MB of space (amounts differ – this amount according to us.macafee.com)

8. Price Comparison BitDefenderKasperskyMcAfee Price Top 10 ranking 1 year, 1 user $24.95 $39.95 $37.99 Price Source 2 QVC.com$20.96+S&Hxpcgear.com 1 year, 3 users $29.99+S&Hcomtread.com$15.00+S&H

9. Performance Comparison BitDefenderKasperskyMcAfee Performance Excellent – 98% viruses removed Runs in background of computer Tests suspicious codes Strips viruses before making it to browser Excellent – 98% viruses removed Certified by many testing labs Great detection of viruses and malware; needs help with spyware Very effective, but less than BitDefender and Kaspersky Scans spyware and adware

10. Ease of Use Comparison BitDefenderKasperskyMcAfee Ease of Use Excellent – can install and forget about it Less than 30 min to download, install & reboot Protects against viruses, trojans, spyware, worms, malware Excellent – improved interface (best of all reviewed) Easy to install All features configurable & controllable Installation faster than before (depends on computer) Set up easy when using default settings Protects against viruses, trojans, worms, ActiveX controls & Java Applets

11. BitDefender Results PROS - Still protects in “gamer mode” - Scan speed is very fast – logs when files last scan, skips those that haven’t been accessed since last scan - Can adjust update timeframe (default = every hour) - Easy to install (will remove other anti-virus programs) - Great help and support – free call from anywhere in the world CONS - May still be a little slower due to the program running in background – producers believe ok with increased amount of protection - User reviews commonly comment that program is too strong

12. Kaspersky Results PROS - Proactive defense (similar to BitDefender) - Can update every hour - Great help and support - Helps user to create a “rescue disc” in case user receives some code that causes computer to fail to boot CONS - Price is more expensive - Relatively slow scan - Does not automatically get rid of the old anti-virus program, which could cause system to slow and other problems

13. McAfee Results PROS - Always-on protection - New feature: “QuickScan” – narrows virus scans to the most vulnerable and frequently attacked parts of the computer - “SiteAdvisor” – like parental protection – warns user if going to malware CONS - No “instant message” protection or file sharing protection - Have to register and login to get updates - Company was slow at responding to help emails (in this review)

14. What to Choose? Every computer system needs anti-virus protection. The best programs out there offer maximum protection against viruses and other malware and are easy to use. The best program for any user will depend on personal preference regarding the type of system used, coverage and cost.