Tag Archive for: antivirus

Google to launch a new ‘anti-virus’ system for apps, reveals Android 15 beta release

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Android 15, set to debut on Pixel smartphones later this year, has revealed intriguing features through developer previews and public beta releases. Among these features is a potential new tool aimed at aiding users in identifying and containing malicious apps on their devices.

Feature Unveiled in Android 15 Beta:

The latest beta of Android 15 has unveiled a prospective feature that could chnage app security on the platform. Reported by Android Authority, this feature allows system apps like Google Play Services or the Play Store to isolate and impose restrictions on detected apps, akin to antivirus programs on Windows.

Functionality and Implementation:

The proposed functionality involves quarantining apps, severely limiting their capabilities once identified as potential threats. While the code for this feature exists within Android 15, it remains dormant pending activation. If implemented, quarantined apps would face restrictions such as being barred from displaying notifications, hiding their windows, stopping activities, and preventing device ringing.

Also read: Looking for a smartphone? To check mobile finder

Restricted Access and Potential Limitations:

The envisaged “QUARANTINE_APPS” permission would be exclusively granted to apps signed by Google’s certificate, effectively restricting the quarantine function to the Play Store or Google Play Services. Notably, despite quarantine, apps would remain visible in the app drawer, albeit greyed out. Tapping on such icons would inform users of their unavailability and offer options for restoration.

Uncertainties Surrounding Implementation:

While the feature was initially observed in a developer build of Android 14 in 2022, its fate in Android 15 remains uncertain. Should Google proceed with its integration, it’s likely that only designated Google entities would wield the power to quarantine apps. Such a tool could prove invaluable in cases where suspicious app behavior is flagged by Google’s Play Protect malware scanner.

As Android 15 inches closer to its official release, the potential inclusion of a…

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10 Best Antivirus Software (April 2024) – Forbes Advisor

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There are many antivirus programs available, and it can be difficult to choose the best one. The most important thing to consider is what type of protection you need. Some programs are better at detecting viruses, while others are better at preventing malware attacks. You should also consider how frequently the software updates, the compatibility with each of your devices and customer support.

Reliable Threat Protection

When it comes to choosing antivirus software, the most important thing to consider is the level of protection it provides against threats. The best antivirus software uses a variety of methods to protect your computer, including signature-based detection, heuristic-based detection, behavior monitoring, sandboxing and artificial intelligence.

Some threats, such as ransomware, are difficult to detect and require a multilayered approach to security. Others, such as viruses, are easier to detect but can still do a lot of damage if they’re not removed quickly. To assess how reliable antivirus software is, you should look at independent lab results and user reviews in addition to ensuring it takes a multilayered approach to threat prevention, detection and removal.

Frequent Updates

The best antivirus software is constantly updated to stay ahead of the latest threats. This is important because new threats are created all the time and old threats are constantly evolving. To ensure your computer is protected, you should look for an antivirus program that updates its database of known viruses regularly.

Your software should also update its virus definitions at least once a day, but more frequently is better. Some programs allow you to set the frequency of updates, while others update automatically. Most sales pages will tell you how frequently the software updates. If it doesn’t, ask before you purchase.

Cost

Users should expect to pay around $30 to $40 for a year’s subscription to an antivirus program that provides reliable threat protection, frequent updates and good customer support. This price may vary depending on the features offered by the program. For example, a business usually pays more for priority support than a home user.

The main…

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Total Defense Essential Anti-Virus – Review 2024

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Every antivirus app must handle the core capabilities of removing existing malware infestations and defending against future attacks. Some stick with those core features, while others layer on so many bonuses that they resemble security suites. Total Defense Essential Anti-Virus, as the name suggests, sticks with the essentials. It doesn’t receive much attention from the independent testing labs, but it earned worthy scores in our hands-on tests. Even so, it can’t compete with our Editors’ Choice winners, Bitdefender Antivirus Plus and Norton AntiVirus Plus, both of which receive excellent lab scores and go way beyond the basics of antivirus protection.

How Much Does Total Defense Antivirus Cost?

Commercial antivirus utilities’ prices are most commonly just under $40 for a year of protecting one PC. A Total Defense subscription costs $49.99 per year, but that gets you three licenses. A three-device subscription for ESET or ZoneAlarm costs about the same. Three licenses for Bitdefender, Emsisoft, or Malwarebytes will run you $10 more. McAfee’s antivirus costs $64.99 per year, but with that subscription, you can install protection on every Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, and ChromeOS device in your household.

Like Trend Micro, Total Defense doesn’t offer a broad range of pricing options. If you want more licenses, you upgrade, moving higher up the food chain. For example, you pay $79.99 for Total Defense Premium Internet Security if you want five licenses.

Need more than five? For $99.99 per year, you get 10 licenses to install Total Defense Ultimate Internet Security on your Windows, macOS, or Android devices. Most competitors charge more for 10 security suite licenses.

While not as well-known as McAfee, Norton, or ZoneAlarm Extreme Security, Total Defense matches these companies’ virus-free guarantees. If malware gets past the antivirus, Total Defense techs will remotely dig in to remove it….

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50 antivirus and PC security terms everyone should know

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Internet security is a complex topic even for experts in the field, and for average people the terminology can be downright confusing. While you may not need to know every technical term out there, having a working vocabulary of basic terms can help you stay informed enough to protect yourself against major threats.

If you know what a phishing email is, for example, you can be on the lookout and avoid this common danger. This lexicon of the most important security terms will help you make sense of security alerts and help equip you to take appropriate steps to protect your home network and computers.

Further reading: PCWorld picks the best antivirus software of 2024

Key security terms

Computer systems and networks employ a variety of techniques to protect you and your data from unauthorized access. Here are the most common terms that describe ways of protecting your data.

2FA: Short for “Two-Factor Authentication,” it’s a method to secure online accounts by adding an additional “factor” beyond a password. It could be a text-message confirmation or a code generated by a trusted app for this purpose. If 2FA is available for your accounts, start using this feature.

Authentication: Confirms authorized access to a platform or account, typically by password, biometrics, or code confirmation.

Biometrics: The use of physical characteristics such as facial geometry or fingerprints as a means of secure authentication. Fingerprint sensors on laptops and Windows Hello cameras are common biometric security features that make logging in easier and more secure than a password.

Certificate Authentication: Using a record digitally signed by a trusted authority to validate the authenticity of a website, file, or system.

Encryption: A method to obscure or hide sensitive information by scrambling it in a predetermined way. Encrypting hard drives and other storage devices can help protect your data if your device falls into the wrong hands, while encryption on network connections protects against data from being intercepted by a third party as it travels over the network.

Risk and exploit terms

These important terms describe common…

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