ABSTRACT
Industry estimates for the introduction of new viruses/strains range from 100 to 300 per month, so anti-virus measures are important even for stand-alone PCs, which inevitably “contact” virus potential via modem use and/or sharing and borrowing data and programs from other users via disk or network. The key evaluation criteria for choosing anti-virus solutions are detection, performance, features, and price. However, in choosing products to meet specific organizational needs, some typical assumptions about these factors need to be challenged in order to make the best decision. In configuring a network or stand-alone platform for testing, and during actual detection and performance tests, it is critical to maintain a controlled environment. This environment should resemble actual workplace conditions as much as possible. Emergency services are a key aspect of anti-virus software maintenance. Customers need to know in advance the vendor’s emergency-basis policies for analysis of suspect files, cure returns, and cure guarantees.
