The choice of the best antivirus software means a search for the one that ensures the safety of your PC or mobile device, does not consume a lot of system resources, it is easy to use and stay away until you need it. Here's what to look for.
Efficiency
Antivirus software launches scans for known malware and can offer real -time protection. He can observe shady websites and suspicious links to keep you from troubles. He can also offer the protection of extortionists and track unexpected behavior, which can be a sign of new and not yet identified viruses and malicious programs. You need antivirus software, which can successfully determine these unknown online carbonated, not noting too many false works.
You can determine the effectiveness of antivirus software by checking the detection rate in tests performed by laboratories such as Out of test And AV-ComperationsThe field look for software with a high safety rating and online detection speed of at least 90%.
Light for system resources
You do not need antivirus software that taxes your PC resources, for example, Power CPU. Antivirus should not slow down your computer while working in the background or have a significant impact on your ability to perform everyday tasks when performing active scanning.
Scanning should also not take a lot of time (more than 10 minutes for regular scanning or one hour for deep or complete scan). Similarly, additional tools should have a minimal impact on the performance of your device or a specific program (for example, a browser) to which these tools are connected.
While we are considering productivity in all our antivirus reviews, the influence of the program on your device may vary. The good news is that most antivirus programs offer a free trial version or a guarantee of a refund, so you can check how they work on your setting with a minimum risk.
Cost and discounts
Do not just pay the price of a sticker for protection against antivirus. Before buying, check the discounts on the web company. You can also reduce your expenses using smaller antivirus packages if you need to cover three or five devices, and not, say, 10. You can also find discounts on the application Amazon Page Or in sockets Best purchaseField
Pay close attention to the cost of updating. Most antivirus tools charge annual fees and offer only discounts for the first year, although you can get a discount by paying for two years. These advertising prices can lead to the fact that you will pay twice the initial amount for the next years.
Complex services
Antivirus software may be associated with other safety tools such as Password manager And VPNThe field buying a set of security with all these tools allows you to manage everything from one account, saving you trouble and money.
Nevertheless, VPN in these security beams are not always the best available tools. You can purchase individual subscriptions or choose VPN with antivirus If confidentiality is a serious problem.
Confidentiality
To be effective, antivirus software must monitor what is happening to your computer, register on the company's servers about unusual behavior and ensuring sound protection. It is important to protect yourself, making sure that the company you work has protocols for pseudonymization or data anonymous, so that it is not connected with your personality and encrypted all the information, especially everything that cannot be disconnected from your personality.
You will also want to consider the quantity and types of disclosures that the company's confidentiality policy allows, which determines which third sides it can give your information.
Protection for other platforms
Many of us have our important data apply to several devices with various operating systems. This makes it important to choose an antivirus that can protect all these devices. Pay close attention to any functions that are limited to a specific operating system.
Customer service
The best antivirus companies offer round -the -clock customer service through live chat, phone and support, with quick and useful representatives. We check all these methods of communication during our reviews to help you understand the general commitment of the company to support customers.
Problems with Avast
In the test after Avast Antivirus for Windows showed well To detect malicious programs, with options from Avast Free Antivirus Software to Avast Premium Security. We included his antivirus in our list of recommended security options.
However, at the beginning of 2024, The Federal Trade Commission fined Avast 16.5 million dollars. The United States to resolve fees that claimed that the company sold information about the viewing of customers to more than 100 thirds from 2014 to 2020. Avast allegedly collected data through the extensions of the browser and antivirus software and sold data through his subsidiary Jumpshot, the FTC claim. As part of the settlement, Avast is prohibited from selling or licensing any data on the viewing of a web recognition for advertising purposes.
In response to the initial messages in 2020, the then general director of Avast ONDřEJ VLček said statement that he understood the actions of his company, raised the issues of trust. To solve this, Avast stopped collecting Jumpshot data in January 2020 and closed its operations.
We hope that FTC actions mean that there will be no further actions in the Jumpshot style, and that Avast will return to fame as one of the best options for antivirus software. Until then, we recommend using one of many other solid options in this area (listed above).
Problems with Kaspersky
Let's talk about Kaspersky Lab, in particular, about June 2024 Federal prohibition To ban Kaspersky directly or indirectly sell antivirus or cybersecurity software or services to the United States or US citizens. This wide ban follows more limited in 2017, which prohibited the software and services of Kaspersky on computers of the federal government from the alleged connections between the Kaspersky and the Russian government.
The Caspersky laboratory based in Moscow has been producing one of the highest antivirus software programs for business anti-antivirus needs and home customers for many years. Its software consistently Earned the best results and awards To detect viruses and malicious programs and protect the endpoints from independent testing laboratories.
“Russia again and again shows that they have the opportunity and intention to operate Russian companies, such as Kaspersky Lab, to collect and arrange the sensitive information of the United States, and we will continue to use each tool at our disposal to protect the US national security and the American people,” said the Minister of Trade Gina Raimondo in an official ban on the ban.
In the statementKaspersky said that this “is not involved in activities that threatens the US national security and, in fact, made a significant contribution to its reports and protection from various threats that are aimed at the interests of the United States and allies.”
