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Antivirus software
Antivirus software, or antivirus software, also known as anti-malware, is a computer program used to prevent, detect, and remove malware. Antivirus software was originally developed to detect and remove computer viruses, hence the name. However, with the proliferation of other malware, antivirus software started to protect from other computer threats. In particular, modern antivirus software can protect users from malicious browser helper objects, browser hijackers, ransomware, keyloggers, backdoors, rootkits, trojan horses, worms, malicious LSPs, dialers, fraud tools, adware, and spyware. Some products also include protection from other computer threats, such as infected and malicious URLs, spam, scam and phishing attacks, online identity, online banking attacks, social engineering techniques, advanced persistent threat, and botnet DDoS attacks.
Which is the Best Antivirus for Windows 10?
Bitdefender antivirus software consistently earns top marks for its antivirus protection and usability from the respected AV-Test independent testing lab. The free antivirus version covers one Windows PC. For broader protection, Bitdefender Total Security 2020 is usually $90 and available at the moment for $40 for the first year.
Which is the best free computer virus protection?
Kaspersky Lab largely keeps quiet about its free antivirus product, but it's a winner, with a user-friendly interface, a fairly light system-performance impact and Kaspersky's nearly flawless malware protection. Just don't expect anything from it but the bare necessities.
Which is better Windows Defender or free antivirus?
All of the free antiviruses listed here are significantly better than Microsoft’s Windows Defender antivirus. The free downloads on this list are from top-notch cybersecurity companies that are offering their premium antivirus protection for free.
Is it safe to use Windows without antivirus?
Windows gets attacked much more often than any other software platform, so using a PC without antivirus software is asking for trouble, especially if that computer is always online.
Best Windows Antivirus Software in 2021 -
Here are the best Windows 10 antivirus programs to protect your PC. Putting one of the best Windows 10 antivirus programs on your PC will deliver first-rate defenses against malware, ransomware, phishing scams and other attacks, without costing too much.
Some of these antivirus programs come with a two-way firewall to supplement the Windows one. They may also offer a secure browser for online banking and shopping, "rollback" of files that have been encrypted by ransomware, and advanced protection to stop all sorts of nasties: phishing emails, malicious weblinks, fileless malware or boot-sector infections.
• The best antivirus programs
• Best internet security suites
However, you won't find most of the extra features that you get with higher-priced antivirus software. Only a few of the best Windows 10 antivirus programs offer VPN service or backup utilities, and none has parental controls. A couple do have unlimited password managers.
We've looked at the best Windows 10 antivirus programs to see how well they protect you against malware infection, how much they slow down your system and how much you should be paying. Because everyone has different needs, we've also got tips on how to choose the best Windows 10 antivirus software for you.
The best Windows antivirus you can buy -
1. Kaspersky Anti-Virus
The best protection, with few frills.
SPECIFICATIONS :-
• Backup software: No
• Firewall: No
• Game mode: Yes
• Hardened browser: No
• Password manager: Limited
• Ransomware rollback: Yes
• Virtual keyboard: Yes
• VPN: Limited
• Wi-Fi scanner: Yes
REASONS TO BUY
• Excellent malware protection
• New stalkerware protection
• Light load during scans
REASONS TO AVOID
• Not many extra features
• VPN, password manager just teases
If you want the very best Windows 10 antivirus protection, Kaspersky Anti-Virus should be your first choice. No other brand of antivirus software matches its nearly impeccable record in third-party lab tests.
The company's entry-level package, Kaspersky Anti-Virus, covers up to three Windows PCs for $60 per year, or up to five for $80, though you'll often get half off for the first year.
Kaspersky Anti-Virus doesn't give many of you the extra bells and whistles you'll find with more expensive security suites. There are no parental controls, the password manager holds only 15 entries and the VPN service is limited to 300MB per day. (You can pay extra to get unlimited versions of those.)
But Kaspersky Anti-Virus does give you what you need: dedicated protection against encrypting ransomware, a filter against phishing emails, browser extensions to beef up web safety and a security scanner for your home Wi-Fi network.
Kaspersky Anti-Virus also has new protection against "stalkerware" spying programs that the company is rolling out across all its antivirus products.
2. Bitdefender Antivirus Plus
Very good protection with lots of useful extras
SPECIFICATIONS
• Backup software: No
• Firewall: No
• Game mode: Yes
• Hardened browser: Yes
• Password manager: Yes
• Ransomware rollback: Yes
• Virtual keyboard: Yes
• VPN: Limited
• Wi-Fi scanner: Yes
REASONS TO BUY
• Very good malware protection
• Lots of useful extra features
• Light active scans
REASONS TO AVOID
• Heavy background system impact
• VPN service quite limited
If you want some extra features with one of the best Windows 10 antivirus programs, Bitdefender Antivirus Plus offers a lot for its low pricing, which ranges from $40 per year for a single PC to $80 for 10 machines.
There's an unlimited password manager (Windows-only for now), a secure browser with an onscreen keyboard for online banking and shopping, a file shredder and new web-privacy software.
Bitdefender Antivirus Plus also has a VPN service, but it's limited to 200MB per day unless you pay extra. And of course, there are no parental controls. However, the program is easy to use, its malware-detection record nearly matches Kaspersky's and it also rolls back ransomware and guards against fileless malware and rootkits.
3. Norton AntiVirus Plus
For those who deserve the very best
SPECIFICATIONS
• Backup software: Yes
• Firewall: Yes
• Game mode: Yes
• Hardened browser: No
• Password manager: Yes
• Ransomware rollback: No
• VPN: Depends
• Wi-Fi scanner: No
REASONS TO BUY
• Excellent malware protection
• Backup software, online storage, password manager
• VPN if you're willing to pay a bit more
REASONS TO AVOID
• Heavy slowdown during full scans
• Pretty pricey for a single PC
Norton sells nine different antivirus packages, but we'll focus on the two cheapest here. Norton AntiVirus Plus protects one PC or Mac for a rather pricey $60 per year, but it does come with a two-way firewall, an unlimited password manager, backup software and 2GB of online storage.
The next rung up, Norton 360 Standard, puts you in internet-security-suite territory by adding an unlimited VPN, webcam protection, dark-web scans for your personal information and 10GB of online storage. But at $85 per year for a single PC, it might a bit rich for some customers. Other brands cover up to 10 PCs for that price.
On the upside, Norton's track record at finding and defeating malware is second only to Kaspersky's. If you don't mind paying a premium price for an entry-level antivirus package, or if you were planning to pay for a VPN or password manager separately, you could do a lot worse.
4. McAfee AntiVirus Plus
10 devices at bargain rate, and fair number of useful extras.
SPECIFICATIONS
• Backup software: No
• Firewall: Yes
• Game mode: Yes
• Hardened browser: No
• Password manager: No
• Ransomware rollback: Yes
• Virtual keyboard: No
• VPN: No
• Wi-Fi scanner: No
REASONS TO BUY
• Protects lots of machines for cheap
• Decent array of extra features
• Good malware protection
REASONS TO AVOID
• Heavy system impact during scans
• Can't opt out of data collection
McAfee AntiVirus Plus is a bargain among the best Windows 10 antivirus programs if you have a lot of computers and smartphones to protect. For $60 per year, you can cover up to 10 devices running Windows, Mac, Android or iOS, and McAfee doesn't mind if you add a few more.
Windows users get a file shredder, ransomware rollback, a firewall and protective browser extensions. McAfee AntiVirus, without the "Plus," delivers the same features to a single Windows PC for $40 per year.
McAfee's malware protection hasn't always been the best in lab tests, but it's improved a lot in the past year. The only big downsides today are very heavy system slowdown during active malware scans, plus the fact that you can't stop threat-data collection from your PC if you choose not to have it.
5. ESET NOD32 Antivirus
Very good and innovative protection, but rather spare otherwise
SPECIFICATIONS
• Backup software: No
• Firewall: No
• Game mode: Yes
• Hardened browser: No
• Password manager: No
• Ransomware rollback: No
• Virtual keyboard: No
• VPN: No
• Wi-Fi scanner: No
REASONS TO BUY
• Very good protection
• Extremely light system-performance impact
• A la carte pricing
REASONS TO AVOID
• Few extra features
Compared to other best Windows 10 antivirus programs, ESET NOD32 Antivirus is like a street-racing hot rod — light, cheap, fast and effective, but with few extra frills.
It's got the smallest drag on system performance of any paid antivirus product we've seen, it zaps malware with the best of them, and it's got a unique per-device pricing structure than ensures you pay no more than you need to.
ESET's extra features are under the hood. It scans a PC's start-up sector, running memory and Registry for hidden malware and also blocks known malicious websites. But if you're looking for user-friendly goodies like a password manager, VPN or firewall, you'd better look elsewhere.
