But I already use anti virus software … why do I need additional protection for my computer?

When it comes to fighting viruses, it's guerilla warfare. Using just one set of weapons will win some of the battles, but not likely the war. That's why you need additional protection.

So while, anti virus software is a vital weapon in your front line arsenal against attack, unfortunately, it's not enough. You still need another weapon, such as an Intrusion Detection System (IDS). How does it work?

Anti virus software scans your computer files, either already in your computer, or arriving via email to find specific patterns that indicate a virus may be hiding. To do this effectively, your anti virus software must be frequently updated, sometimes multiple times daily, to hunt for new viruses. Hackers on the other hand, are constantly looking for sneaky ways to infiltrate and destroy your data that will pass that first sentry undetected.

Intrusion Detection Systems are great at catching hackers before they can get into your computer.

On the other hand, while anti virus software looks at individual files, IDS looks not only at files, but also all communications between computers. This is called 'protocol analysis.' Protocols are essentially the languages computers use to communicate with each other across the Internet. Think of a file as an individual word. While it may have meaning by itself, it's often necessary to uncover its full meaning by looking at its use in a sentence or paragraph.

By determining whether the communications are malignant or benign, this protocol analysis gives a product like BlackICE the ability to identify and block attack activity that anti virus software can't see. Think of it as another electronic sentry with 'x-ray' vision.