There are lots of different online virus scan services which are available at the moment, these are very popular which has sparked programmers to develop even more. Online virus scanning software is actually quite easy to use, you just need to click your mouse and don't have to worry about downloading software.
Almost every antivirus company offers their own online virus scanner, these typically use the same engine as the virus scanner download software. Every company will try to make this scanner software unique so that it is different from the products offered by its competitors. They commonly do this by changing the scan time, making it possible to remove infections, or even including the ability to scan for spyware.
Although online virus scanners are very convenient, they are completely different to the desktop virus scanner download. While computer virus scan online do have advantages, there are also a number of disadvantages of online virus scans.
Advantages of online computer virus scan
- They're free
- They use the most recent database of threats as standard without you having to update it
- There are loads of different online virus scanners you can choose from. You can even run more than one without slowing down your computer
- These virus scanners cannot get corrupted by viruses or other malware in the same way that your desktop scanner can.
- An online virus scanner means that nothing actually changes with your computer. System configuration remains the same, as does the registry and system folders.
Disadvantages of online computer virus scan
- In order to use an online computer scan effectively you need to have a stable and reliable Internet connection. If you don't have a stable connection then you cannot rely on these scans.
- Online scanners cannot protect your computer in real time, which means it does nothing to prevent infection from viruses.
- A virus on your computer can make it difficult for an online virus scanner to download its database to your hard drive, making the scan useless.
- Online scans do now find as many threats as standalone software
- You will probably have to enable ActiveX to be able to use online scans.
Although online virus scanners can and do work well, it's always a good idea to use a standalone virus scanner. If you don't already have virus scan software then I recommend downloading Micro Anti virus from here. When you do have a stand alone virus product it is important to spend time updating it on a regular basis so that your computer is always protected against the latest threats and dangers of the Internet.
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