Nowadays, a major part of the population depends on computers, smartphones, tablets and other electronic gadgets for storing their confidential data. Anyone, who has access to computer and internet are aware of the cyber threats that exist in the present days. That is the reason, everyone is in search of the best antivirus, anti-spam, anti-malware or internet security programs. While some people are aware of the functioning of each of them, there are others, who install any program to protect their systems. If you are also among them, it is important for you to know the difference between anti-spam and antivirus software before installation.

Before purchasing the license of any antivirus or anti-spam software to protect your computer, it is important to gain in-depth knowledge of both.

Virus and antivirus
Viruses are skillfully made program that can easily copy itself and get attached to any other program, leading to discrepancies. While some virus causes minimum disturbance to the user, others hold the capability of damaging the operating system and even the affected device. Virus infestation destroys the system, corrupts the data, and prevents the users from seeing or using the data. At times, it is used for sending messages that can harm personal or professional life.

Contrary to the anti-spam, antivirus scans the entire system for possible threats and warns the user about the same. Antivirus software like Symantec Norton Antivirus Basic or Avast Pro Antivirus can protect a computer or any other gadget from Trojan, viruses, and even worms. Compared to anti-spam software, antiviruses offer a vast amount protection by keeping the entire device protected against virus or worm threats. It not only blocks existing malware from functioning but also warns the users against possible threats; it also makes them delete the files in case of a serious issue. When it comes to antivirus software, it can scan the entire computer system from emails to existing files and folders. Antivirus can also detect threat sources from pen-drives or any other USB devices.

Spam and anti-spam
While a virus is designed for affecting electronic gadgets and can be transferred via external devices or electronic attachments, spam is mostly related to the email system or messaging system. Spam refers to the unwanted messages that land up in your inbox and are sent as per “batch and blast” method. It can be about anything under the sky, from obnoxious content to product promotions or discounts. The worst thing is that these messages are often sent without the acknowledgement of the recipient.

Purchasing an anti-spam program will help in filtering the content of emails. Anti-spam programs even check the attachments of emails and block them, if required. Anti-spam program actually supports the job of an antivirus by checking the messages or emails containing infected attachments or suspicious links from phishing and fake websites. Also, compared to the speed of the antivirus, anti-spam is quite faster. Therefore, there is no need to worry about waiting time for opening emails or attachments. Yet, irrespective of the fact that you get Zero Bounce or Spamtitan, anti-spam is designed only for dealing threats from email and will not deal with any other programs on your device.

Both antivirus and anti-spam are easy to use. Just follow a few basic steps and keep them updated to ensure 100% protection. Depending on your requirements, you can install both the software on your device or just get an antivirus that comes with the anti-spam facility. However, if needed, you can also use both antivirus and anti-spam software simultaneously on the same PC as it does not affect the functioning of the device.

Whether you are looking for an antivirus or an anti-spam program, make sure to read the reviews of the software. Get software that is compatible with your system, or else it will affect the performance of your device.