What is the Difference Between Antivirus and Internet Security

The main difference between antivirus and internet security is that the antivirus is a software that can detect and remove viruses and other malware threats from the system while the internet security is a suite that protects the system against threats from the internet.

Antivirus is a software program that performs real-time malicious threat detection and prevention to safeguard the system from harmful attacks. It scans the devices and finds potential risks and indicates the user about them. Furthermore, it removes malicious files from the system. On the other hand, internet security is a suite. It contains more features than an antivirus.  Internet security includes firewall, antivirus, parental control, and email protection. It protects the system from online attacks.

Key Areas Covered

1. What is Antivirus
     – Definition, Usage
2. What is Internet Security
     – Definition, Usage
3. Difference Between Antivirus and Internet Security
     – Comparison of Key Differences

Key Terms

Antivirus, Internet Security

What is Antivirus

Antivirus is a computer program that is capable of preventing, detecting and removing malware in an individual device or a system. Despite the term being antivirus, the protection is not only limited to viruses but also to various other malicious threats including worms, spyware, adware, Trojan horses, etc.

Figure 1: Antivirus software Kaspersky

The user can run the antivirus software in the background and proceed with his daily activities. It scans the computers, servers or mobile devises and prevents the system from getting affected by malicious software. Most antivirus software provides real-time protection. These antivirus software programs run in the system all time and indicate the user when there is a threat and prevent the system from getting harmed by those threats. Therefore, it is an excellent mechanism to safeguard the devices, information and resources. Avast, Norton, AVG and Kaspersky are some examples of antivirus software.

What is Internet Security

Internet security provides protection, privacy against viruses, spyware, email attachments and spams. It protects the system from online attacks. Furthermore, it protects confidential information such as credit card numbers, passwords, bank account details and online transaction details.

There are various internet security suites available to protect systems. Some of them are as follows.

• Outpost security suite – protects the system from virus, hackers and data theft
• FortiClient – free endpoint protection suite. It includes malware detection, parental control and VPN.
• Zone Alarm free antivirus plus firewall zone – provides powerful firewall and safety from antivirus.
• 360 total security – provides protection from various threats. When the user performs online shopping, browsing the webpages and download files, it prevents cybercrimes at any time.

What is the Difference Between Antivirus and Internet Security

Definition

Antivirus is a software that is used to prevent, detect and remove malware while the internet security is a suite composed of multiple applications aggregated into one interface including anti-malware, anti-spyware and email protection programs.

Functionality

Antivirus provides necessary protection from malware such as virus, worms, Trojan horses and other malicious threats whereas, the internet security provides protection against internet threats and protects the system form cyber-attacks.

Features

Internet security suite includes more feature than antivirus. It includes firewall, antivirus, parental control and email protection.

Firewall

Antivirus does not include a firewall, but the internet security includes a firewall.

Running the Application

Usually, internet security suite requires more computing power than antivirus programs. However, it can vary depends on the system. The older computers require more memory, and it can slow down some applications and functionalities considerably.

Conclusion

The difference between antivirus and internet security is that the antivirus is a software that can detect and remove viruses and other malware threats from the system while the internet security is a suite that protects the system against threats from the internet.

Reference:

1. “What Is Antivirus Software (Antivirus Program)? – Definition from WhatIs.com.” SearchSecurity, TechTarget, Available here.
2. “Top 5 Free Internet Security Suites for Windows”, FileHorse, 21 Feb. 2016, Available here.

Image Courtesy:

1. “Kaspesky Antivirus logo” By Kaspersky Lab –  (Public Domain) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “3374252” (CC0) via Pixabay