Auto-Protect is a security technology that scans and detects security risks and malware. It also provides real-time protection for your files and prevents viruses from installing themselves. This technology is available in both Norton Anti-Virus and Symantec AntiVirus Corporate Edition. However, both products come with different versions and functions. Depending on your needs, you can choose between two types of scans.
Auto-Protect has a range of features, including the ability to detect incoming email attachments in Microsoft Outlook and detect any security risk. In addition, it offers a number of options for dealing with infected files, from blocking the installation of a security risk to deleting them. While it can’t completely replace a full virus scan, it does provide some useful protection between full scans. You can enable or disable the feature, and you can decide whether to run scans on remote computers or the local file system.
The most common uses of Auto-Protect are to scan and protect Microsoft Outlook email attachments and to scan the file system. These scans happen when your computer starts up, as well as during operations such as opening, saving, or moving a file. For example, if you save an attachment to a USB drive or to a network drive, Auto-Protect will detect the attachment and scan it for security threats. If you save a file to a floppy, it will scan the file for boot viruses.
The full Auto-Protect scan is a time-consuming and resource-intensive process. To minimize this, you can use the tool to schedule the scan. Another option is to select on-demand scans, which run immediately when a user selects them. Selecting on-demand scans can be done from the Clients tab.
The Auto-Protect software package also features Download Insight, which is a security rating that measures the reliability of a file. The software uses reputation information, as well as context, to make a decision. Basically, it takes into account the source of a file and its likely quality.
Other Auto-Protect options include the Database Backup and Restore Utility, which backs up embedded databases to a local computer and manages independent groups. Among other features, this utility allows you to pause and resume backups, as well as to answer questions about your database.
Regardless of the option you choose, it’s important to scan your computer regularly to identify any malware that may have slipped past your antivirus. Your anti-virus should be configured to scan all hard drives on a regular basis. Moreover, it’s also a good idea to configure your antivirus to scan removable media before you insert it. That way, you’re protected against any infected files that may be stored on a flash drive or other external media.
With all of the options you have, you can ensure that you keep your computer safe from any potential security threats. Whether it’s an incoming Microsoft Outlook email attachment or a file from a friend’s shared drive, Auto-Protect can detect the security risk and prevent it from being installed on your computer.