Every year, I take a look at the latest crop of antivirus software. Usually, the new versions of these programs are just the same software packages in a new box with the current year on it. This year, however, I saw a demo for an application that had me running home to install it and raving about it to friends and family. Trend Micro's PC-cillin Internet Security 12 (2005) is the best antivirus software package I've seen in a long while. Give it a try; I think you'll agree.

Under the surface, antivirus programs are basically the same
For £40 or so, no matter which program you buy, you're investing in antivirus software that includes a scanner engine and a year's worth of signature-file updates. You need the updates to identify the latest viruses and worms, and most antivirus programs now automatically download the updates behind the scenes, so you don't have to worry about it. The engines themselves match patterns -- that is, they look at files on your hard drive and compare them to the signature files you just downloaded. If there's a match, the suspect file goes into quarantine, a protected folder on your hard drive where it can't hurt your system (again, this too has been automated so that you hardly even notice this process). Lately, antivirus programs have added heuristics -- the ability to sense a new virus or worm before a signature file has been downloaded based on malicious behaviour. Also, most antivirus software will check both incoming and outgoing email messages for signs of infection. The differences, then, lie in the nuances of these applications. How much of your system resources do they hog? How fast or how often does the vendor release its signature-file updates? And what additional features does the software offer?

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