Antivirus software is one of the most important systems running on your device. The right antivirus setup helps keep you safe online, so you don’t have to worry so much about your security. Food antivirus software protects your home computer or other devices from viruses, spyware, malware, phishing schemes, keylogging, and much more. The best antivirus systems will always be up to date and even use artificial intelligence to work on new attacks. Here are the best antivirus solutions for maximum protection of your devices.
Bitdefender Antivirus Plus
Plenty of extras
One of the best features of Bitdefender Antivirus Plus is its ability to stop threats before the download process even starts. And it usually bypasses the quarantine folder and instantly scrubs malware clean, so there is no trace left. It is excellent at detecting, blocking, and scrubbing all sorts of malware, including ransomware, rootkits, and worms. It blocks phishing schemes and includes a VPN to help you stay anonymous online. Bitdefender comes with Safe Files which can safeguard specific, important files even further.
McAfee Total Protection 2021
Works with PCs and Macs
Everything you need to secure your family’s devices is included with McAfee Total Protection, including encrypted online storage, protections for cryptocurrency accounts, and near-perfect malware security. This antivirus program also has a secured VPN that blocks your online identity, so it’s more difficult for your online activities to be tracked or for your digital identity to be stolen. McAfee is compatible with both PC and Mac computers.
Norton 360 Deluxe 2021 w/ Lifelock
Great for cell phones
What makes Norton 360 invaluable is its partnership with LifeLock to help protect your identity. It keeps an eye on black markets and alerts you if any personal information is sold. This includes medical and criminal records. Norton also has safe browsing tools that warn of malicious websites, a VPN to protect your online identity and special banking tools to ensure financial information is secure as you bank and shop online. Add in great antivirus protection and Norton 360 makes a good computer protection solution.
Avast Premium Security 2021
Best for gamers
If you’re an online gamer, Avast Premium Security is the antivirus program you want. It has a gamer mode that recognizes when you visit an online gaming site and automatically redirects some resources away from non-critical functions so you can play without experiencing slowdown or being interrupted by popup notifications. Avast will still keep an eye on your computer and stop threats, notify you if you attempt to download a corrupted file, or visit a dangerous website.
Kaspersky Anti-Virus 2021
Light on resources
Kaspersky Anti-Virus doesn’t have a lot of extras or add ons. It’s simply malware protection. However, this also means it doesn’t take up a lot of resources, so you shouldn’t experience any slowdown or lag while using it. Kaspersky does an excellent job of stopping all sorts of malware, including ransomware. It does include a virtual keyboard that you can use to type in any program. This helps shield information from keyloggers and hackers.
Trend Micro Antivirus+ Security 2021
Excellent protection against malware
Trend Micro uses Pay Guard to give you the best protection for your online transactions. Both banking and shopping activities are kept extra secure from hackers, keyloggers, adware, and spyware. Trend Micro also uses an effective Folder Shield to block ransomware. Advanced AI learning to stop new threats and extra safeguards to protect against email scams, including phishing schemes.
ESET Internet Security 2021
Closely monitors all devices
ESET Internet Security does an excellent job of blocking threats entering through internet downloads, network communications, and stopping potentially infected websites from loading. EST uses a Host Intrusion Protection System (HIPS) to monitors your network connection and all devices connected to it, including gaming systems and cell phones. It will alert you if any suspicious communication or files attempt to breach the network.
Can antivirus software remove existing viruses?
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Antivirus programs are able to find some viruses that already exist on your computer, but most malware is hard to detect once it’s in your system. This is because many of these threats are designed to block antivirus software, and others are disguised to look like real programs so they’re difficult to spot. In addition, while antivirus software can remove some existing malware, it can’t repair the damage the threat may have caused.
If your computer is infected with malware, we recommend seeking out a professional to help remove the viruses. Most local computer stores have professionals on hand who can remove malware for you or can recommend someone close by. Larger retailers usually have dedicated teams who can repair your device, though they often require membership sign-ups.
Once your computer is clean, you should install a good antivirus program. This will keep the system clean by blocking malware from downloading and infecting your computer to begin with.
