Computer network security software aims to protect a network and its data from various threats. This includes anti-virus, anti-malware, and anti-spyware software, as well as backup and encryption software. Properly configured web browsers and firewall software can also contribute to network security. OS security patches are also important.
A computer network is a connected system of computers and peripherals that can allow them to work in concert, share resources, be centrally controlled and modified, as well as allow them to be secured or restricted as a group. Security software is, in general, any software that helps preserve a system or network from risk or danger, or to keep the data itself secure. Computer network security software, therefore, is software that aims to protect a network and its data in a variety of ways and from a variety of threats.
One might often think of computer network security software as standalone products or product suites dedicated solely to security. However, this kind of thinking would be overlooking a very important type of security software. The missing ingredient would be the security patches released by the OS vendors. They’re for security and they’re software, so even if they’re software updates that make a computer work, they still matter.
The products most likely to come to mind as computer network security software are those that begin with “anti.” These include anti-virus software, anti-malware – malware is short for “malicious software” and anti-spyware. The three names are used slightly differently by different manufacturers, but overall, the software is designed to catch and disable or prevent the invasion of viruses, worms, Trojan horses, backdoors, rootkits, spyware, and sometimes even botnets, keystrokes, spam and phishing attacks.
In general, security includes data security, and therefore computer network security software includes software that automatically backs up your data. For even more security, the backup can be done in an offsite location. Backup software can be set up for the frequency of backups and the location of the drive or server to which it is backed up. Data encryption can also contribute to data security, so it’s also in this category.
In the area of protecting your system from unwanted intruders, there are at least four roles that computer network security software can play. First, a properly configured web browser could be considered security software, because managing cookies, passwords, downloads, attack sites, and web spoofs contributes to a system’s security. Second, firewall software, whether on a computer, router, server, or all three, helps prevent intrusions. You can go even further with network scanning software, intrusion detection software, or an access system that grants network access only to pre-approved individuals.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
