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Antivirus equals flawed system?

September 18, 2008

Or do I need an anti-virus to protect my computer.
Some question might be, do I really need an anti-virus? Really? Well, my answer is no. You don’t need one, but it might keep you on the safer side of using a computer. That is, if you are not using your computer very often and you just barely know how to accomplish your tasks using it. If you are an average user, yes, you might need an anti-virus, even today. If you are an a bit more advanced user, then no. Please note: An anti-virus is NOT a firewall, keep your firewall turned ON. Continue reading before you turn anything off.

So, I am going to explain my reasoning:
An anti-virus needs computer resources, and that might be bad. Depending on the settings, it might take up to twice the time to load a file you want to open. If you notice that slowdown however, highly depends on your settings for that virus detecting program you use and your hardware, in general your hard disk and RAM. That may be a disadvantage for you. Your price for the safety of your data you’re paying. But maybe you have been tricked. Tricked by all those companies selling virus databases and scanners, that do nothing, just because others have done all the work for you, because today, everyone has one installed, that said anti-virus program.

Anti-virus programs are a technology that only needs to find something, where you hope it never does. Most viruses today are sent via email or in form of links in emails or instant messages you just need to click on and then open the file downloaded. If you are a user that might be likely tricked by such things, please install or keep your anti-virus program installed, you have been warned, it’s your security shield.

However, as most viruses are sent via email, email providers began implementing anti-virus engines into their mail servers in order to filter them out like spam. All for your convenience, a brilliant idea. They automatically may remove just the infected file as well, sending you the message just without said file. So if you never click on links from strangers, you got via email or IM, you should be fairly save, because CDs, DVDs and other kinds of media to store software have already been scanned. Yes, scanned for viruses, with technology you may use to do the same thing again, which won’t find anything, because if there would be something virus like on that storage media, then it’s probably well protected against scanners anyway. But on Windows Vista you are safe from any ‘violent’ actions by viruses thanks to User Account Control. So don’t worry to turn your anti-virus program to off, if you’re an advanced user and only click on links and icons you trust.

There’s also another huge source for viruses, the software piratery on file sharing systems. Cracks, keygens and the like may be viruses. If you want to be on the safe side, really BUY the software you need. There’s a reason. You support the people behind that great software to provide you with new versions. To give you more out of your purchase. But why am I mentioning software piracy here? Simple, that’s the place where ‘advanced’ users usually get their viruses from. Anti-viruses do not detect them fast enough, usually, because it takes one or two days, to get them there. If some software pirate reports them, that is. However, todays corporate minds are pretty clever, too. They pay the anti-virus vendors to index the harmless keygens, too. And this is exactly why they become even useless for the people of that kind. The software pirates cannot use anti-virus engines to separate the good from the bad evil programs. So if you’re a pirate, TURN ON that anti-virus and stop your evil doings, will you? Otherwise, you may just run the virus and enjoy the punishment for not buying the not for free software.