Kaspersky's anti-virus software provides real-time protection from known and emerging security threats and helps improve the performance of PCs. The company first released this product in Sells antivirus software. Has free and paid protection options. Website claims over million users. Offers day money-back guarantee. ESET is a company dedicated to providing virus-protection solutions for both home and corporate users.
It creates different types of anti-virus security products that work across a range of platforms. Consumers should decide what type of antivirus service they are interested in. There are three basic types of antivirus software.
Warranties are good to have no matter what type of service a consumer is paying for. They help to cover different aspects of the service in the event something goes wrong. Antivirus companies can have vastly different pricing structures. Depending on the needs of the consumer, certain plans might be more appealing than others. A company's history can be very informative when it comes to choosing which antivirus software company to work with. Some companies focus on home computer security while others deal with businesses.
Most antivirus companies serve both markets but prioritize one. Customer support is a very important part of choosing an antivirus software company. Consumers should be confident that they are working with a company that has their best interests in mind and is available to assist them. PC antivirus software works by scanning your system for viruses. It runs in the background of your computer at all times, scanning Internet downloads, zip files, even Word documents, for suspicious activity including viruses, worms and malware.
In addition to scanning every download, antivirus software will perform full-system scans on a set schedule, usually once a week. You can buy PC antivirus software on a disc or have it downloaded and installed on your hard drive. Some PC software is available as a free download, while other systems come at a price. Typically, the free PC antivirus software will do the major tasks you need including checking for viruses and malware and performing routine system scans.
Many antivirus companies develop software for Mac computers. Many companies provide cloud-based services. These are real-time services that detect something happening on a device and copy a fingerprint of it into the cloud in order to scan it immediately for viruses. This helps reduce the time it takes to detect suspicious activity or malware.
The cloud works incredibly fast, making it a good choice if you have high-speed Internet. Most antivirus companies now offer virus protection apps for keeping smartphones and tablets free of malicious code with apps for Android, iOS and Windows Mobile devices. You can use one antivirus brand on your computer and another on your mobile devices if you like.
Many businesses, both large and small, run the risk of having their entire systems infected with viruses. This can cause the company to be unable to operate, sometimes for days at a time. It's important for businesses to make sure their computers are protected with antivirus software. Individuals who use computers or mobile devices to connect to the Internet at home or away from home should make sure their devices are protected from viruses. Antivirus software will help ensure that they don't have to make costly replacements to products that have been compromised.
Some people or groups have to deal with highly sensitive information such as medical records, police files, financial information, etc. These groups need to have antivirus software that is even more secure than average users need along with the infrastructure to support the software across a large network. In addition to the needs of individuals working on home computers or mobile devices, families or households with children will need extra virus protection that monitors and filters Internet usage.
This helps keep children safer while they are using the Internet and is a feature that many antivirus companies offer. VIPRE is an award-winning internet security solution for your home or business.
It uses advanced AI systems, cloud-based threat assessment systems and real time behavior monitoring to protect you against cyber attacks. Total Defense software protects your internet-connected devices from malware and viruses. It is a subscription service that you can renew annually for optimal protection, and the company guarantees results.
Based in Spain, Panda Security is a multinational company focusing on antivirus software and cyber-security technology. Panda Security operates in over countries and boasts more than 30 million users. Founded in , McAfee is a longstanding and trusted name in antivirus software for consumers and business because of how the company has continued to advance products to keep up with a changing industry over the years.
Now a part of Intel Security Group, the brand will be eventually be renamed. AVG Technologies specializes in software for consumer and business internet security, personal privacy and identity protection. Founded in , AVG now serves over million monthly active users. Norton Antivirus has been protecting computers since and was purchased by the software development company Symantec in The Norton Security division offers antivirus and other security solutions for home and business.
They develop security software for the home, business and cloud computing environments. Kaspersky Anti-Virus was developed in by Kaspersky Lab, an international security company that operates worldwide with million users. Kaspersky Lab is based in the U. Webroot Inc. Founded in Boulder, CO, in with offices around the world, over 7 million consumers, 1. Avira Antivirus is a German multinational antivirus software company that offers Internet security for many different devices worldwide.
In business since , Avira launched one of the first antivirus programs. Today, more than team members across the globe contribute to keeping Malwarebytes effective and up to date. Czech-based Avast was the first company to offer home network security and is dedicated to providing free antivirus protection to homes, schools and businesses around the world.
Headquartered in Bucharest, Romania, Bitdefender is an internet security company. Its partners and subsidiaries provide anti-virus and anti-spyware software for consumers and businesses. Bitdefender was founded in Avira Antivirus is a product that is dedicated to keeping your technology devices safe and data private. The company that created the product, Avira, has been in existence for more than 25 years. Norton AntiVirus is a virus-protection program developed by Symantec.
It offers an array of security services for computer protection and also provides consumers with educational resources on how to stay safe online.
Malwarebytes is a company committed to giving consumers a way to be malware-free. Their benefits are that they clean infections, prevents future infections, blocks malicious websites, scans fast and hides from malware. Bitdefender is a Romanian internet security company. It offers computer security software including anti-virus and anti-spyware programs to protect your laptop, PC and any connected devices. It also has free software options. VIPRE Security was founded in and offers affordable internet security for home or business computers.
VIPRE keeps your computers safe from viruses with an interface that is easy to use. McAfee specializes in comprehensive anti-virus solutions and technology-security services for both consumers and businesses worldwide. The company, based in Santa Clara, California, is a subsidiary of Intel.
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Written by Shelley Elmblad. Why Trust ConsumerAffairs. Why trust ConsumerAffairs? Compare Antivirus Software Reviews Sort. Best Rated. Most Reviewed.
Highest Rated. Show all. What to consider before selecting an antivirus software Security service Consumers should decide what type of antivirus service they are interested in. And McAfee Total Protection has been around forever because quarter after quarter it creates solid, modern antivirus software that protects your PC.
In recent evaluations by AV-Test, it had high scores on both protection and performance. Maybe this antivirus provider is not as well known to consumers because of its focus on enterprise security, Trend Micro antivirus quietly brings its business expertise to the home with its Trend Micro Maximum Security tools.
Trend Micro's software earns high marks from AV-Test -- consistently scoring well for detecting zero-day attacks and widespread viruses and malware. And Trend Micro does a good job of not taxing system resources. Free version? It earns high scores for usability and offers solid virus protection. The free antivirus version of Sophos Home gives you virus protection for three Windows PCs -- using the company's high-scoring anti-malware tool -- plus a day trial of the company's malware-removal tool.
Test after test, Avast Antivirus for Windows performs well for malware detection with options ranging from Avast free antivirus software to Avast Premium Security. And we've included its antivirus in our list of recommended security app options before. But Avast was in the news for several months for its non-antivirus business, so we looked at the company, specifically reports at the end of that Avast allegedly collected user data with its browser plug-ins and antivirus software and then sold data it collected through its Jumpshot subsidiary in early In response to the reports that his company gathered and sold the details of its customers' online activities, Avast CEO Ondrej Vlcek said in a statement that he understood that his company's actions raised questions of trust in his company.
To address that, Avast terminated Jumpshot data collection in January and closed its operations because the data collection business wasn't in line with Avast's privacy priorities. These newer reports follow another in from Avast that its internal network was breached , possibly to insert malware into its CCleaner software, similar to an earlier CCleaner hack that occurred prior to Avast's acquiring the Windows utility.
Avast is now saying the right things about taking its customers' privacy seriously , but it only came to that point after reacting to investigative reporting that revealed the Jumpshot practices.
The CCleaner revelations, while concerning, were self-disclosed, which is important to building user trust. We hope Avast's more privacy-friendly policies mean that there will be no further Jumpshot-style activities and it returns to glory as one of the best antivirus software.
In the meantime, we'd recommend using one of the many other solid choices in this realm listed above. Because the company has been in the news the past few years, let's talk about Kaspersky Lab -- specifically about the federal ban that blocks US government agencies from using Kaspersky Antivirus products. Based in Moscow, Kaspersky Lab has for years produced some of the best antivirus software for business antivirus needs and home customers.
But in the US government prohibited Kaspersky security cloud software on federal government computers because of alleged ties between Kaspersky and the Russian government. But as with China-based Huawei , the question remains: If the federal government doesn't think the products are safe enough for its own devices, should consumers avoid them as well? In a statement sent to CNET, the company said, "Kaspersky Lab has no ties to any government, and the company has never, nor will ever, engage in cyber offensive activities.
Kaspersky Lab maintains that no public evidence of any wrongdoing has been presented by the US government, and that the US government's actions against Kaspersky Lab were unconstitutional. In Kaspersky's favor, it continues to earn top scores and awards for virus and malware detection and endpoint protection from independent testing labs.
And it's reasonably priced. In the end, even though no one has ever publicly produced a "smoking gun" linking the company to Russian intrigue, we think any of the options listed above are a safer bet. And if you are a US government employee or work with the federal government, you'll want to steer clear of Kaspersky internet security products -- and perhaps use one of the antivirus software products mentioned here instead.
Picking the best antivirus software for Windows means finding one that keeps your PC safe, doesn't take up a lot of system resources, is easy to use and stays out of the way till you need it. Here's what to look for. Antivirus software runs virus scans for known viruses and malware, of course, and can offer real-time protection. And it watches for shady websites and suspicious links to keep you out of trouble. It can also offer ransomware protection and monitor unexpected behavior that may be a sign of new and not-yet-identified viruses and malware.
You want antivirus software that can successfully identify these unknown online threats without flagging too many false positives. Light on system resources. You don't want antivirus software that taxes your PC's resources. If after you install the program, websites open slowly, apps download or open sluggishly or file copies take longer than expected, you may want to try another service. The good news is, all our picks offer a free trial to let you try out the antivirus program, so if your system feels sluggish after installation, you may want to keep looking.
Cost and discounts. Don't just pay the sticker price for antivirus protection. Before you buy, check for discounts on a company's website. Another way to save: The prices we list above are for 10 devices -- if the company offered that package -- but you can trim your cost with antivirus packages if you need to cover three or five devices.
You may also find discounts on an app's Amazon page. To be effective, antivirus software needs to monitor what's going on with your PC, check in with company servers about unusual behavior and should provide sound banking protection. The companies say they anonymize this technical data as much as possible to protect your privacy.
But if you want to know more, the security companies on our list post privacy policies on their websites, so read their privacy statements to learn what the companies do with the information you share. Protection for other platforms. Microsoft is by far the biggest target for viruses and malware.
While the Mac does come under attack via side-loaded apps, it's rare, and if you download apps only from the Mac and iOS app stores and keep your guard up when clicking links and download files, you should be OK without an antivirus app on Apple devices. CNET editors pick the products and services we write about. When you buy through our links, we may get a commission. Best free Windows antivirus Microsoft Defender.
Jump to details. See at Microsoft. See at NortonLifeLock. See at Bitdefender. Best on-demand Windows malware removal Malwarebytes. See at Malwarebytes. Solid subscription antivirus alternative McAfee Total Protection. See at McAfee. Another good subscription option Trend Micro Maximum Security. See at Trend Micro. See at ESET.
Alternative free Windows antivirus Sophos Home.
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