There is no doubt that security is a fundamental factor in making our devices and systems work well. To achieve this, it is necessary to use programs that protect us. In this article we are going to talk about why they are important, what to take into account when install security software and also what types there are. We will see that there are multiple tools to prevent hackers from infecting systems.

Why use security programs
There are many viruses and malware generally on the network. We can become infected simply by opening an attachment that arrives in the mail, entering a malicious link or installing a program that, by mistake, we have downloaded where we should not. This is going to make our systems compromised.

Cybercriminals have the ability to steal passwords, personal data, or make a device go wrong simply by straining malware. In addition, there are viruses for all kinds of systems. You can suffer attacks on the computer, mobile, as well as on any operating system you have installed.

For all these reasons it is essential to have security programs. A good antivirus, for example, will help detect malicious software and prevent it from compromising our personal information. But it is not enough to install any, but we must choose well so that we are really protected.

How to choose them
We are going to show a series of important points that you must keep in mind whenever you are going to install a security program. It is important that you choose them well, because if you install an application that is not good, it really will not protect you and you will not gain anything. You may even end up installing software that more than protecting poses a threat.

Always official sources
The first thing to keep in mind is where to install the security programs. Our advice is that you use only official sources. You can go to the website of that program that you are going to install or use reliable application stores, such as Google Play or Microsoft Store.

You should avoid installing applications from sources that are not reliable, such as third party sites, pages that reach you by e-mail without really knowing the source, pop-up ads that appear when browsing, etc. In these cases you could be facing a scam attempt and your personal data could be compromised.

Search for previous information
It is a good idea to search for information in advance. Once you select a security program, you can watch on the Internet what other users of that application think. You can see evaluations, possible errors you have, experiences in virus detection ... All this is going to help you choose.

Also, if you enter specialized pages you will see complete analyzes where they test an antivirus, for example. You will see how it works when it is necessary to detect an antivirus and verify that it will really serve what you expect and your data will always be safe from threats.

Verify that they work well
But it is not enough to install it and just leave it there. To choose a good security program you should also check that it really works well. Otherwise, if in the future some type of virus enters your team and is not active or does not work properly, your safety could be compromised.

Therefore, when you install a security application it is important that check that it is working well, who is active and who is protecting you. If for example it is an antivirus that should be in constant operation, confirm it.

Programs with frequent updates
Whenever you install a security program you should observe that it is updated. This is important, since in this way you can have the latest news, improve performance and, also, correct possible vulnerabilities that may exist and that could be exploited by a virus or malware.

Now, how often do they receive updates? In cybersecurity everything changes constantly. It is essential to use applications adapted to changes and if they receive updates frequently it will be very interesting. In this way you will avoid problems and you will always have a program in perfect condition.

Reduced consumption
¿Do you consume many system resources? This point can be essential especially if you use more limited equipment. It may deplete RAM or consume too much processor, making the system go wrong or even other programs may not work normally.

Before installing an antivirus or any security tool, you can find out how much it consumes and if your computer supports it well. In addition, you can always install it and do the test by yourself and if you see that it does not work well, you are looking for another one that consumes less resources and everything goes more fluid.

What type of security applications to use
You will find different types of programs to protect your equipment. Each of them can act against various attacks. Some can block unsafe connections, others detect viruses, others take care of adware more ... Can you have more than one security program? The truth is that yes, although you should always keep in mind that they work well and are good.

Antivirus
The first option, the type of program that we usually use the most, is an antivirus. Your mission is analyze files that we have in the system, programs that we download or any document that they send us by mail. You will compare them to a database and, in case you detect that you are a threat, you will issue a warning notice.

Antivirus there are many, both free and paid. A very useful one that also comes with Windows systems is Microsoft Defender. However, you can use others like Avast or Bitdefender, which also work very well. There are them for all kinds of operating systems and devices.

Firewall
Another very common option is that of a firewall or firewall. In this case it allows to block or not connections. For example, you can make an installed program have Internet access or not. It is also very useful to save data, although in this case what interests us is to improve security.

Some like TinyWall or ZoneAlarm are very useful for Windows. Also Microsoft itself, which we can configure as we are interested and help improve security when we surf the net.

Antispyware
The antispyware They are mainly in charge of detecting software specifically designed to steal data, spy on us, steal passwords ... For example you can detect a keylogger, which is a type of malware that registers all keystrokes and in this way is capable of stealing the access keys that we put.

You should be aware that some antivirus also include antispyware, but not all. There are also specific ones, so they can be compatible with other security programs such as Microsoft Defender without problems.

Security extensions
One more option to have security software are the accessories that you can install for Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox and other browsers. They are extensions that help protect the user when browsing the Internet, downloading a file or even when opening a link that arrives by mail.

There are many extensions available, but our advice is to download them from the official browser store. There you will find information about that software, evaluations of other users, etc. Some like HTTPS Everywhere or Privacy Badget are widely used and useful to be protected.

In short, as you can see it is important to choose very well the security programs that you are going to install. The goal is to make the systems fully protected and not install software that can be a problem. There are many options available online, depending on the use you need.