It takes all the core features you'd expect — antivirus, baseline network protection, web filtering — and extends them with file server protection and optimisation, along with application whitelisting and blacklisting. The desktop side of the package has all the usual quality Kaspersky modules — antivirus, antispam, a firewall, more — but the mobile security technologies are even more impressive.
Mike began his career as a lead software developer in the engineering world, where his creations were used by big-name companies from Rolls Royce to British Nuclear Fuels and British Aerospace. He now covers VPNs, antivirus and all things security for TechRadar, although he still has a secret love of quirky open-source and freeware apps which find brand new ways to solve common problems.
North America. If you're looking for the best possible protection for your online devices in , then you've come to the right place - we've tested all of the best antivirus providers out there to come up with a definitive list of the absolute greatest. View Deal. Bitdefender Antivirus. Maximum devices covered: Stand out features: Safepay banking protection, privacy tools, multi-layered anti-ransomware, VPN. Reasons to avoid - Room for improvement on detection.
Norton AntiVirus. Stand out features: Intelligent firewall, PC maintenance features, bundled backup tool with online storage. Reasons to avoid - Mixed results from the testing labs. Kaspersky Anti-Virus. Stand out features: Highly configurable virus scans, anti-ransomware, drive-by cryptomining infection prevention. Reasons to avoid - Not a huge amount of features. Trend Micro Antivirus. Reasons to avoid - Not as many features as key rivals.
Avast One. Reasons to avoid - Not a huge upgrade from free version. Microsoft Defender. Specifications Operating system: Windows only. Stand out features: Anti-ransomware, webcam and privacy protection, web filtering. Reasons to avoid Avira antivirus. Stand out features: Proactive anti-ransomware, software updater, web protection. Reasons to avoid - Ratings from some independent test labs are a concern.
McAfee antivirus. Stand out features: VPN, spam filter, intelligent firewall. Webroot SecureAnywhere AntiVirus. Specifications Operating system: Windows, Mac and Android options. Maximum devices covered: 5. Stand out features: Identity theft protection, real-time anti-phishing, firewall monitor. Reasons to avoid - Below average results in independent tests.
Sophos Home. Specifications Operating system: Windows and Mac. Stand out features: Central management console, AI-powered threat detection, advanced ransomware protection. Reasons to avoid - Lack of options - Clunky interface in some respects.
Avira Free Antivirus. Reasons to avoid - Quite a few popups when running. Avast One Essential free. Specifications Operating system: Windows, Mac, Android. Features: Virus detection, Gaming mode, Password manager, Malware scanner. Reasons to avoid - Irritating privacy settings - Includes links to paid-for components. Reasons to avoid - Still room for better detection - Some features are very basic. Kaspersky Free. Specifications Operating system: Windows.
Features: Real-time scanning, Anti-phishing, Email scanning, Spyware protection. Reasons to avoid - Basics-only feature set - Limited technical support. Specifications Operating system: Windows, Mac. Some of these labs regularly release public reports on their findings. Security companies typically pay for the privilege of being included in testing.
In return, the labs supply them with detailed reports that can help improve their products. The number of labs that include a particular vendor serves as a measure of significance.
In each case, the lab considered the product important enough to test, and the vendor felt the price was worthwhile. The labs don't necessarily test a vendor's free product, but most vendors pack full protection into the free product, enhancing premium versions with additional features.
In addition to carefully perusing results from the independent labs, we also run our own hands-on malware protection test. We expose each antivirus to a collection of malware samples, including a variety of different malware types, and note its reaction.
Typically, the antivirus will wipe out most of the samples on sight and detect some of the remaining ones when we try to launch them. We derive a malware blocking score from 0 to 10 points based on how thoroughly the antivirus protects the test system from these samples. Since we use the same samples month after month, the malware-blocking test doesn't measure a product's ability to detect brand-new threats.
In a separate test, we attempt to download malware from very new malicious URLs supplied by London-based testing lab MRG-Effitas , typically less than a few days old. We note whether the antivirus blocked all access to the URL, wiped out the malicious payload during download, or did nothing.
If you're interested in learning more about our testing techniques, you're welcome to read more about how we test security software. Just about every antivirus product scans files on access to make sure malware can't launch, and also scans the entire system on demand, or on a schedule you set.
Once that cleaning and scheduling is done, blocking all access to malware-hosting URLs is another good way to avoid trouble. Many products extend that protection to also steer users away from fraudulent websites, phishing sites that try to steal login credentials for financial sites and other sensitive sites.
A few rate links in search results, flagging any dangerous or iffy ones. Behavior-based detection, a feature of some antivirus products, is a two-edged sword.
On the one hand, it can detect malware that's never been seen before. On the other hand, if it's not done right, it can baffle the user with messages about perfectly legitimate programs. Any antivirus should eliminate spyware along with other types of malware, but some products include features designed specifically for spyware protection.
Features like encryption to protect your sensitive data and webcam control to prevent remote peeping typically show up in commercial products, not free ones. But some free products include features like a simple on-screen keyboard to foil keyloggers. One easy way to keep your PC protected is to install all security updates, both for Windows and for browsers and other popular applications.
Windows 10 makes it easier than ever to stay up to date, but there are plenty of security holes in older Windows versions, in popular apps, and in add-ons. Scanning for vulnerabilities in the form of missing updates is a feature most often found in commercial antivirus products, but it does turn up in some free ones.
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. We installed each program in a virtual machine to get a feel for its user experience, but we didn't do any further testing ourselves. We insisted, instead, on a solid record of test results from two leading software test labs: AV-Comparatives and AV-Test. Most importantly, as it says in the title, the software and accompanying services have to be completely free for long-term use, with no expiration date or hidden costs.
That filter knocks some well-known, even iconic names in security software off the list, including McAfee, Norton, and Trend Micro. Every security software package involves a trade-off between protection and convenience. The free packages we describe here add another layer to that equation, with varying degrees of advertising designed to convince you to upgrade your free program to a paid subscription.
Each package also offers a mix of added features, which may or may not be of value to you. In terms of effectiveness against online threats, we don't believe there's a profound difference between these packages. That means the best way to choose is to install a package and try it out for long enough to decide whether the interface and the upsell offers are acceptable. If you find a package too intrusive, uninstall and move on to the next candidate on the list.
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