Web Security

Avira ranks high overall for malware protection from third-party testing labs, though we discovered a couple issues during our testing of this program.

eScan did an OK job of detecting malware in our in-house tests, though it scored lower overall for protection compared to most internet security and premium protection programs we reviewed.

BullGuard Internet Security and BullGuard Premium Protection both had a little difficulty stopping malware during our in-house tests, scoring 85 percent. It does a good job at tagging search results that are dangerous and has wonderful parental controls.

Panda Dome Advanced is considered an internet security suite rather than a basic antivirus program because it includes security programs beyond malware protections. These include parent controls, social media protections and safe banking tools.

Avast Internet Security and Avast Premier are good choices for protecting your computers and mobile devices. Both did well in our in-house test for malware protection, and other test labs had similar results.

UPDATE: Norton revamped its lineup of consumer antivirus products in April 2019, introducing six new products under the Norton 360 brand. Norton 360 Standard replaces Norton Security Standard, which has now been discontinued.

Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac found 99 percent of the malware we used when testing internet security software for Mac, and it automatically removed most of them. As each threat tried to download, Bitdefender displayed a message letting us know that it stopped the attack.

Trend Micro Antivirus for Mac earned top scores for detecting and protecting against Mac malware and received and high score for detecting Windows threats on Mac computers.

Avast Security for Mac Premium is a step up from its Essential version, though both offer excellent internet security for your Mac desktops and laptops. The Premium solution, however, comes with a few extra tools like a VPN, system scanner and password manager.

ESET Cyber Security Pro didn’t do as well in our in-house detection tests as it did in other independent laboratories.

Norton Security Standard is compatible with both Mac and Windows computers and laptops, and it works on iOS and Android cellphones and tablets.

Webroot SecureAnywhere Internet Security Plus is a great security program and a good value since it comes with three user licenses for a decent price.

Installing Kaspersky Internet Security for Mac is one good way to protect your computer from viruses, Trojans, hackers, rootkits, ransomware and many other threats.

We wanted to check out AVG AntiVirus for Mac because it is one of two Mac security programs we tested that is offered for free. And we were impressed!

In our tests of Intego Virus Barrier, the antivirus program in this Mac internet security bundle, it detected 97 percent of the malware samples we attempted to infect our Mac computer with. It easily identified Trojans, spyware and worms and ensures they don’t embed themselves on your system.

Editor’s Note: Since our last update, new features and tools have been added to Sophos’ antivirus and internet security programs.

AVG Antivirus scored well in our lab tests for malware protection, though it still struggled to stop several viruses, Trojans and rootkits before they started downloading to our computers.

Avira Free Security Suite is our choice for the best free antivirus solution. It did better detecting and blocking malware than other free antivirus programs we tested, catching 98 percent of all threats.

Kaspersky has had its fair share of trouble, butting heads with the U.S. government that has accused Kaspersky of using its software to spy on federal agencies and workers on behalf of the Russian government.