| > | | | | them. While many packages offer |
| This is the third in a series of articles highlighting | | | | backward-compatibility the opposite is not true: |
| reasons why we need a new model for anti-virus | | | | forward-compatibility. There are several reasons |
| and security solutions. | | | | for this: a package written for Windows 98 will |
| Reason #2: the Desktop Security Software Risks | | | | not anticipate all the changes to the operating |
| The risks of placing software on the desktop are | | | | system that are implemented for Windows XP. |
| such that I will be breaking this article into two | | | | While your Win98 anti-virus program may work |
| parts. | | | | under XP, it won’t work at its peak |
| There are many advantages to putting security | | | | performance. It can’t. It’s just |
| and anti-virus software on the desktop. They | | | | another reason for centralizing your security. By |
| range from efficiency to money. Under previous | | | | siphoning all your traffic through a security screen |
| ways of thinking if I can capture security and | | | | at your ISP, for instance, you offload the need |
| virus problems at the desktop I can prevent | | | | for updates and staying up-to-date on your |
| them from going any farther. That works well in | | | | security software. This then becomes the job of |
| a non-connected environment. In the connected | | | | the service provider. |
| environment it makes more sense to centralize | | | | Updates |
| the software and monitor connections in and out. | | | | Having the software on your desktop means you |
| Basically firewall all the appliances from | | | | are responsible for maintaining that software. In |
| each other. | | | | the case of office productivity software or image |
| In a previous article we discussed the security | | | | editing software, if new versions come out with |
| risks inherent with desktop software designed to | | | | features you’re not interested in, you |
| be the protection layer between you and all those | | | | don’t update. With new viruses appearing |
| bad people out there on the Internet. Here now | | | | on the landscape every day, you can’t |
| we will discuss some more mundane issues | | | | afford not to continually update your software. If |
| regarding the risks of putting security software | | | | you don’t update for a month or two, you |
| on the desktop: | | | | run severe risks of infection. You also will incur |
| Drag | | | | potential long update cycles as your software has |
| Drag steals clock-cycles from your processes so | | | | to be upgraded to handle all the new threats. |
| that it can run in a higher priority mode. Anti-virus | | | | This makes the desktop these days a somewhat |
| software especially places a drag on your | | | | ineffective solution. Nearly two-thirds of all the |
| computer. Depending on your settings (and the | | | | PCs that have anti-virus protection installed do not |
| default settings are usually very aggressive), | | | | update their definitions regularly. These PCs might |
| every time you run a program or open a file, | | | | as well uninstall the software for all the good |
| real-time file scanning takes place and your files | | | | it’s doing them. |
| are scanned for viruses. This slows down your | | | | Lost Time |
| processing. Accessing larger files takes longer. You | | | | As mentioned in the above discussion, you can |
| can see a discernible lag time between when you | | | | lose considerable time if you don’t update |
| start a program/open a file and when you can | | | | regularly. Long intervals between updates can |
| actually access it. | | | | translate into long update cycles. If you have a |
| Compatibility | | | | slow connection to a vendor, your down time is |
| After the obvious issue of drag is | | | | much longer as you have to wait for the files to |
| compatibility. Often security and anti-virus rules | | | | be downloaded and then you have to wait for |
| get in the way of your doing business on your | | | | your software to update itself. |
| computer. While you may get away with using | | | | Solution |
| older versions of such packages as Word, Sims, | | | | The better solution is to move to a centralized |
| Photoshop, etc. on your computer with the new | | | | solution in which all the software, all the updates |
| XP operating system, it’s unlikely your | | | | are the responsibility of the service provider. You |
| security software will be completely compatible. | | | | pay for the service of having your email cleaned |
| Why? Many packages rely on very low-level | | | | before you receive it. When email arrives at your |
| functionality to be able to do the tasks they set | | | | service provider’s mailbox, it is checked |
| out to do. Anti-virus packages have to be able to | | | | for malicious tendencies and stripped if bad. You |
| operate at a level closer to the hardware than | | | | notice no long waiting, no downtime, no drag, no |
| most packages. They need to do this to prevent | | | | incompatibilities. |
| virus software from taking precedence from | | | | |