Author: Umakant Mishra
Abstract:
While everybody is becoming more and more dependent on
computers there are some unscrupulous people who continuously try to misuse the
technology and get illegal and illegitimate benefit out of this sophisticated
environment. Today the Internet is like a busy street or open market place
where you find almost everything you want. As there are some obvious risks when
you stand or move in a busy street such as you are likely to be pick pocketed
or cheated or even knocked out by a rash driving vehicle. Similar threats loom
over the head of a user when he is exposed to the Internet. There are viruses,
malware, spyware, spam, hackers and other malefic forces who not only damage
the computer system of innocent computer users but also do more dangerous
things like stealing their confidential data or stealing their identity to make
bank transactions on their behalf.
An anti-virus program is generally considered as a remedy to
all the above problems. The anti-virus program (including anti-spyware,
internet guard etc.) not only detects the malware in your system but also
guards the computer system from external attacks while you are surfing the
Internet. It is supposed to detect if a spyware is stealing your passwords or a
hacker is making an inward connection to squeeze your PC. But is the current
age anti-virus program really giving a remedy to all these problems? Many
people think that an anti-virus program along with its siblings like
anti-spyware, anti-adware, internet guard etc. create a lot of burden on the
user. While the computer users cannot afford to avoid using anti-virus programs
most user feel it as a necessary evil.
Keywords: Software Innovation, computer virus,
anti-virus, anti-virus software, computer vulnerability, computer security,
anti-virus design, inoculation, virus scanning, virus detection, viral attacks,
virus database, virus problems, anti-virus problems
This paper was first published in the TRIZ featured Articles
of Altshuller Institute of TRIZ studies (USA) during Aug 2013, currently
available on the web at http://www.aitriz.org/triz-articles/triz-features/628-anti-virus.
Mishra, Umakant, Is Anti-Virus a Necessary Evil? (May 8,
2014).
Available at SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=2434470
