How to Use Antivirus Software to Stay Safe Online
Antivirus solutions come with advanced web protection and scanning capabilities that can help prevent you from downloading malware as well as detect existing threats on your system. Here are the key antivirus features you should enable to stay safe online.
Enable Real-Time Protection
An antivirus scan checks your system at a specific point in time to look for malware that’s already present. Real-time protection, on the other hand, works continuously in the background, helping prevent malware from infecting your system in the first place. If real-time protection is disabled, you may miss an important layer of protection.
Antivirus solutions such as Norton 360 Deluxe come with real-time protection that can detect and block suspicious activity as it happens. It scans files and downloads as they occur and can alert you before you download a malicious file.
Also enable web protection, which checks every website you visit against a database of known malicious websites and can warn you before the page loads, helping you steer clear of harmful online content.
Run Regular Scans
Even if real-time protection is active, you should run periodic scans to help catch threats that may have slipped through or dormant malware that activates later.
There are two types of scans that most antivirus programs offer:
- A quick scan, which is faster and checks common infection points, such as the Downloads folder.
- A full scan, which is more thorough and examines all system files for known threats.
Some people find running quick scans once every two or three days and a full scan once a week helpful, depending on their risk profile. Many antivirus solutions, including Norton 360 Deluxe, also allow you to schedule scans at specific times of the day or week.
For instance, you can schedule full scans during the night when your system is idle so that they do not interrupt your daily work. You can also schedule automatic scans, which help save you time by eliminating the need to manually manage your device’s protection.
Keep Your Antivirus Updated
Because new threats and malware emerge constantly, antivirus providers, especially the best ones like Norton 360 Deluxe, regularly update their signature databases to help detect newer forms of threats. They also frequently improve their detection engines and add new features that enhance behavioral detection capabilities.
As such, make sure you update your antivirus whenever new updates become available. Our suggestion is to enable automatic updates so that you don’t have to manually check for updates every few days.
Use Phishing Protection
Phishing remains one of the most common ways attackers gain access to your personal information. You may receive fake SMS messages or emails containing malicious links, which, when clicked, can download malware onto your system or lead you to fake login pages where you’ll be prompted to enter your login credentials.
Although staying vigilant and avoiding suspicious links is a good safeguard against phishing, manual detection alone may not catch every phishing attempt. Luckily, many antivirus solutions come with built-in phishing protection that checks links in your messages, emails, and the websites you visit, flagging suspicious ones to help you avoid potentially harmful links.
Norton 360 Deluxe, for example, comes with AI-powered Scam Detection, which helps protect against online threats across up to five devices. Its AI-powered feature can detect scams online, in text messages, and even in deepfake videos.
Use a VPN on Public Wi-Fi
Public Wi-Fi networks, such as those in hotels, airports, and restaurants, are often open and unencrypted, which means your traffic can easily be intercepted by snoopers, especially if you’re visiting non-HTTPS websites.
Additionally, there’s the risk of fake hotspots, where attackers mimic a legitimate Wi-Fi network to lure you into connecting. Once you do so, they may be able to see which websites you are visiting, redirect you to fake login pages, or even trick you into downloading malware by injecting malicious content into unencrypted parts of web pages.
This is why it’s generally important to use a VPN while connected to public Wi-Fi. A VPN routes your internet traffic through an encrypted tunnel and via one of its own servers instead of your ISP’s, making it more difficult for hackers to intercept your data.
And the best part? Some of the top antivirus solutions today, including Norton 360 Deluxe, bundle a VPN, giving you an extra layer of protection within the same security suite and potentially saving you money. It also may be more convenient than using separate security products.
Ransomware Protection
Ransomware is a specific type of malware that can encrypt your files and lock you out of your own system. The attacker then demands payment in exchange for the decryption key. However, there is no guarantee that your files will become accessible again even if you pay the ransom.
This is one reason to consider using antivirus software that includes ransomware protection. Antivirus programs like Norton 360 Deluxe come with ransomware protection that uses both signature-based and behavior-based detection to identify suspicious patterns, even if the file has not been previously cataloged.
These antivirus solutions continuously scan new and modified files that are opened, added, or downloaded and monitor them for unusual activity. Higher-tier or more advanced antivirus plans can also use their firewall component to prevent ransomware from communicating with the attacker’s servers.
Antivirus Needs Based on Operating Systems and Risk Profile
Here are the antivirus features you should prioritize depending on your operating system.
Windows
Windows users can face a wide range of online threats. That makes features such as real-time protection, ransomware protection, regular scanning, and antivirus updates important.
Even though Windows comes with built-in free antivirus protection, some users may prefer a third-party security suite, such as Norton 360 Deluxe, for access to additional protection tools and more comprehensive security.
macOS
Mac devices can still face a range of online threats. Phishing protection and safe browsing are especially important because these internet-based attacks often target users rather than the operating system.
Android
Android users can encounter online threats, including malicious apps and downloads. Since users can also install apps from outside the Google Play Store, attackers have another avenue to distribute malware.
Depending on your needs, it can be a good idea to look for an antivirus with features such as real-time scanning for apps and downloads, app permission monitoring, and protection against phishing and malicious websites.
iOS
iOS has a closed ecosystem, app restrictions, and built-in security features such as app sandboxing. Apple also delivers regular security updates, making it more difficult for malware to spread between apps.
However, iPhone and iPad users can still encounter online threats, such as phishing, malicious websites, and data breaches. For additional online protection, features like phishing protection, real-time web protection, and a VPN can be valuable for helping with securing your device.
Different Risk Profiles
Just how much antivirus protection and features you need also depend on your online exposure and habits. For example, if you’re someone who uses the internet frequently for entertainment and especially for work, including handling sensitive company files and data, you may be at greater risk of certain web threats. Someone who doesn’t log on much or only uses the internet for casual browsing may be at a lower risk.
This then has a massive impact on what features such users will prioritize. For example, an internet-dependent user who uses multiple devices will likely want strong protection against phishing links, malicious websites, ransomware, identity theft, and data breaches, along with extras such as a VPN, firewall, password manager, and dark web monitoring.
On the other hand, someone who only uses their device occasionally for light browsing or streaming may find that core antivirus protection with real-time scanning and web protection is sufficient, without needing a full security suite.
Conclusion
Antivirus software such as Norton 360 Deluxe can not only help protect you against ransomware and viruses on your system but also keep you more secure while browsing the internet and downloading files.
For that protection, though, some people find it useful to enable real-time protection so that the antivirus scans downloads as they happen and can flag potentially malicious websites before they visit them.
Along with this, running regular scans is worth considering to potentially detect and remove threats on your system. Also, it’s generally a good idea to ensure that your antivirus is kept up to date so it can better detect newer threats.
Lastly, it’s important to keep in mind that no antivirus solution provides 100% protection against every cyber threat. Good cybersecurity habits are just as essential and worth practicing for stronger overall protection.
