A malware infection on your computer is never fun. Lost time, repair costs, data loss, and frustration can all result from a single piece of malware or a virus on your computer. Y-Not Tech Services wants to help you avoid this problem with four tips to keep malware and viruses off your system. [Read more…]
Does Your Mac Need Antivirus? | Y-Not Tech Services | Lethbridge, AB
I get asked this question a lot when I’m working with clients. It seems that every Windows User knows they need an Antivirus (although they often don’t have one that’s properly installed and updated), but Apple users are more hesitant about it, and I often get asked:
Should I be using Antivirus on my Mac?
Y-Not’s Recommended Antivirus Software
Here at Y-Not Tech Services, we have seen a lot of virus and malware infected systems. Dating back to my days at the retail store, I have been dealing with badly infected systems on a regular basis. Some of these systems were using free antivirus software like we talked about last week. Others had paid versions of Norton, McAfee, Trend Micro or Bit Defender. And of course, some of them had no virus protection at all. This last group I didn’t feel too bad about breaking the bad news to. I feel as a computer owner, it is our responsibility to have some protection on them. Especially if we are browsing and downloading indiscriminately. Those with the free software (remember, I was one of those for years!) thought they were protected and I felt bad breaking the bad news of infection to them. But those that paid money to one of the big Antivirus companies, only to feel betrayed when they still got infected I felt horrible for. The worst part was that they had often bought the software from the store I worked at, or even from me personally! And the only way I could help them now was to charge them $200+ and wipe their computer clean as per company policy. YUCK! Look, new viruses and malware are being developed all the time. They can slip through even the best Antivirus software.
How a Virus Gets In
I’m not saying that Norton, McAfee or Bit Defender are bad products (well, McAfee I’m not so sure about…). So, what goes wrong when systems running these programs gets infected with malware? It could be a number of things, really. The number one thing I see is when the software isn’t getting updates and the user doesn’t notice this. When this happens, even new viruses that the antivirus company has found can get through because the user’s system isn’t getting updates from their servers. Secondly, a brand new, undiscovered virus can slip through and infect the system. Ideally, these viruses will be picked up on the next scan, once the virus is in the software’s database, but often it’s too late at that point. The virus may have mutated and hidden in the system files. It’s surprised me how much Emsisoft can pick up, that these other, well-known software misses.
Emsisoft – Tony’s Current Favourite
Upon discovering Emisoft, it quickly became my current favourite antivirus. I say current because my antivirus of choice changes over time. A long time ago, on a computer system far far away, AVG Free was my favourite antivirus. Then they stripped out features and pushed users toward their paid version. Norton took up residence as my favourite next (although this was somewhat pushed on me by the retail company I worked for, my personal research showed it to be a strong and surprisingly lightweight program). When I saw systems running Norton come into the shop with infections too often, I shifted to become a fan of Bit Defender. I still feel Bit Defender is a strong contender. I went through a time where I relied on Free Antivirus Software but was dismayed to find malware slipping in. I searched for and tested a number of Antivirus programs that were recommended to me by colleagues in the technician world. One stood out to me for a few reasons:
Emsisoft Anti-malware. When I installed this on my system it found malware that my previous antivirus software missed. I was also impressed with the minimal resources that Emsisoft used. I have never noticed a performance hit, even while it’s running a full scan.
“Hey Tony,” you might be saying “Are you sure it’s not just your favourite because you sell it?” This is a valid question. And the answer is no. I could have chosen to re-sell almost any of the top names out there. They all have programs for technicians and software salespeople. I chose Emsisoft based on its performance and value to you, my client. There were a few other contenders, but they all lacked one key feature, I love about Emisoft. When I install Emsisoft on a device, I can monitor it from my own computer. I can see if you have the latest virus definitions, when the last time a scan was performed on your system and what the result of the scan was. To put it simply: It allows me to manage your Antivirus software so you don’t have to. Why not let Tony deal with it? I haven’t found a client that ENJOYS the chore of looking after their Antivirus software. With Emsisoft, you don’t need to worry about it at all. I handle it.
“But Tony, you said that some viruses can get through even the best antivirus programs. Can they get through Emsisoft?” It’s possible. That’s why with your subscription to Emisoft with Y-Not Tech Services, I include unlimited free Malware and Antivirus removals. You read that right. I really don’t want you to worry about viruses or malware. Let me handle it all.
$19/Month
Want to handle Emsisoft on your own? Click here for a free 30 day trial.
What Other’s are Saying About Emsisoft
You don’t need to take my word for it. Hopefully, you trust me, but if you’re new to my site and my services (welcome!) I get that you would want other opinions. So here are a few.
Pcmag.com says, “Excellent scores in our malware blocking tests. Good scores in lab tests. Effective behavior-based detection can even spot ransomware. Clean, simple user interface.” and, “Emisoft Anti-Malware focuses on the core task of keeping your PCs free of malware. It does a good job, and with a clean, simple interface, it looks good too.”
Bleepingcomputer.com has this to say: “Emsisoft AntiMalware has become a favourite at BleepingComputer.com. It’s dual scanning engine consists of BitDefender definitions as well as definitions created by Emsisoft themselves allow for very good and up-to-date detections. Emsisoft is routinely used in our virus removal guides as it is … on top of the latest viruses.” They add, “Overall, we have been very pleased with the performance of Emsisoft AntiMalware and would definitely recommend it as a necessary component of your security toolkit.”
Digitalcitizen.life claims Emisoft, “offers a very good antivirus engine: it detected and removed all the samples we used in our tests, scanning our test computer was reasonably fast and we were swiftly blocked from visiting dangerous websites.”
You can read more at http://www.anti-malware-reviews.com/
Book an appointment to learn more or to have Y-Not Tech Services handle all your PC Security needs.
Emsisoft can be installed remotely at no additional cost!
