The Best Antivirus:
All antivirus providers will come with a protection plan and a firewall of some sort. This will be the main feature of the software and will allow for scanning, removing and quarantining threats on your device. We need to look out for a feature called ‘Real-time protection’ (RTP). This allows the software to run in the background and constantly monitor your device. Without RTP, threats could easily attack your machine without you or your antivirus knowing, so if the software isn’t constantly running it will have no idea about the system changes you could be making to the device, and therefore will allow you to install a malicious threat on your PC. Until an auto/manual scan has been run the antivirus won’t be aware of the virus attack and by this time .Extra features like internet browser protection, multiple device support, cross platform support (PC, tablet, mobile etc.) and system boosters are other popular and very handy tools. These can be vital for some users, especially with the massive rise in mobile device use, mobile protection has never been so important. This should help make you choose the best antivirus software. Another massive point to consider is support. If the company you choose cannot provide quality support then you could run into serious issues from the word go. You ideally need 24/7 support in the form of live chat, email and phone.
Spyware:
Spyware is software that covertly gathers a computer user’s information through an active internet connection without their knowledge. Spyware applications are typically bundled into freeware or shareware programs that can be downloaded from the internet, however, most of these downloadable programs are clean and not infected with this type of virus. Once installed, spyware typically monitors the activity of the user and sends data back to the creator of the spyware program, without notifying the user whatsoever. The type of data that is usually collected are usernames, passwords, emails and even credit card details.
Spyware is actually pretty similar to a Trojan Horse in the way that it gets onto the machine in the first place. The user unknowingly installs the program when installing something else. Besides the questions of morality and privacy, spyware can use a considerable amount of the computer’s memory and bandwidth, due to it sending information back to base. This can therefore affect the computer’s performance by causing system crashes and reducing the reliability of the machine. This can then lead to further problems, with the possibility of hardware malfunction and loss of personal data.
Trojan Horses:
A Trojan Horse is a program designed to cause destruction but deceives itself as a unsuspicious program. However, unlike a typical computer virus or worm, Trojans do not copy themselves or multiply within the file system, but they can still be as harmful, hence the programs getting installed without the user knowing.
Trojan horses (usually called Trojans for short) are very similar to spyware in that they get installed unwittingly by the user, usually within a legitimate program or disguising itself as an unsuspicious. If installed or run, a Trojan will generally be granted full access to the machine. From here the program has a lot of potential to cause damage to the file system, but this depends on the motives of the developer, which typically consist of:
- Money Theft or Ransom
- Data theft
- Remote access, spying and surveillance
- Destruction
- Using the machine as a resource
Quarantine:
A quarantine is part of an antivirus where the malicious file gets stored temporarily. The user can then manually retrieve or completely remove the file if her or she wishes to.
Let’s say your antivirus detects a legitimate file to be dangerous, and you are then left with a program that you can’t use, you desperately need this program to work in order to complete work for a deadline. Reinstall the whole software package again? Try and get your hard drive scanned to find the lost file? There is some good news, as long as your antivirus supports quarantining (all of the main suites do) then the file isn’t actually gone, you can head over to the quarantine and pull it right out, then add an exception to the program to trust this file and you shouldn’t run into this problem again. By adding this exception in, it won’t prevent any future issues with different programs, so don’t expect flawless results from the antivirus from here-on-in.
Macs and Viruses:
Malware developers are less likely to target a Mac user as they cover a much smaller market (around 25% of all computer users) compared to Windows (with over 50% market coverage) this automatically makes Windows machines much more attractive to them the more machines they can target the more information they can steal, which could potentially lead to more money for them.
In addition, Apple has developed multiple security measures into their operating system to make it much more challenging for a malware writer to cause any damage. These include, Gatekeeper, which automatically blocks any 3rd party software (that hasn’t been digitally signed and approved by Apple) from installing itself on your Mac. The safest way to download programs is directly through the App store. These apps are guaranteed to be digitally signed and checked off.
Nonetheless, there was a massive security flaw called Rootpipe in early 2014, which allowed a hacker to take complete control of your Mac computer. This issue wasn’t fixed until early 2015! Can you imagine how many Macs were affected in this amount of time? Apple are known to be slow when it comes to fixing security issues or malware attacks, maybe because they believe their systems are safe and so don’t have a dedicated team to deal with these kind of issues. Of course not everyone is going to do this so a large proportion of Mac users are still vulnerable to this kind of attack.
1. Bitdefender Antivirus:
Topping off our list of best antivirus programs for 2017 is Bitdefender, Choice honor with several other commercial antivirus products. The labs love Kaspersky Anti-Virus even more than they do Bitdefender. McAfee AntiVirus Plus protects all of your devices, on multiple platforms. Symantec Norton AntiVirus Basic includes advanced intrusion detection and other significant bonus features. Also known for anti-ransomware decryptor technology, also has excellent virus protection. Appearing more as a competitor to full suites like Norton 360 and the McAfee Security Suite, Bitdefender offers both a quick scan (though one may debate whether “quick” would be a proper term) as well as vulnerability scans which can handle plenty of issues. Likewise, there is an appropriately named “Paranoid” mode, which allows for more protections and tighter control. If you need what amounts to a panic room for your PC, you certainly could do far worse than Bitdefender Antivirus.
2. Webroot Secure:
Webroot’s Secure Anywhere. Webroot terminates the program and reverses all of its actions. And if another user encounters that same now-known threat, Webroot can smack it down right away. With the size and speed comparable to Webroot’s other entry into this list, Secure Anywhere can also handle ransomware threats and decrypt files that have been locked up by such malicious applications. Across the board, Secure Anywhere allows for quick, accurate, and low impact security for a price of below twenty dollars, making it great for professional and entry level users alike.
3. MalwareBytes:
Though often used in tandem with another security program, MalwareBytes is a fantastic choice either when using the paid or pro version. Capable of detecting even the sneakiest of malware and viruses, MalwareBytes 3.0 is a massive step up for many people. It’s quick in installation, and while the first scan can take upwards of 20 minutes, the consistent protection is well worth the wait. This is also one of the few antivirus programs that also handles anti-exploit programming and can work against ransomware, which as we saw in 2016 were an increasing problem.
4. Norton Antivirus:
Symantec Norton AntiVirus Basic. It earned excellent test scores across the board, both with the independent testing labs and in all of our hands-on tests. Bonus features like intrusion prevention, password management, and spam filtering make it even better. It's an excellent addition to Symantec's security line, which for the last few years has consisted only of suites. Alongside their already fantastic 360 security service, the Norton Antivirus recently revived their antivirus software and has improved it somewhat. With features like the Power Eraser which permanently removes even the toughest of malware and an orientation against web threats, Norton gives peace of mind quite handily. One drawback is that tech support is extremely limited, and while user friendly, those in trouble may have some problems in getting solutions from the forums if not terribly tech literate. Overall, this is a great basic antivirus if you don’t want to invest into a full security suite just yet.
5. ESET NOD32 Antivirus:
Bitdefender Antivirus Plus and Kaspersky Anti-Virus get better lab test scores than NOD32. Pay once for McAfee AntiVirus Plus and you can install it on every device in your household. Webroot SecureAnywhere Antivirus aced our hands-on malware test, and it's the tiniest antivirus around. The custom scan lets you choose which local and network drives to scan, and choose whether to scan the boot sector and operating memory, quite good, considering that the average scan time for current products is more than 45 minutes. And Symantec Norton AntiVirus Basic adds password management and powerful intrusion prevention to top-scoring antivirus protection.
6. Kaspersky Antivirus:
With a similar price point as Avast, Kaspersky takes the number 5 spot for best antivirus. Kaspersky Anti-Virus by the independent testing labs far outweigh its uneven performance in my hands-on tests. Its malware scan is fast, and it includes numerous security-related bonus features. If an unknown program exhibits malicious behaviors, the antivirus can roll back that program's actions completely. While perhaps not as comprehensive in features as previous choices, Kaspersky is fantastic at finding and disabling malicious code, and doing so in a hurry with quick scans. One should keep in mind though that Kaspersky’s ability to handle malicious websites aren’t quite up to snuff, and thus safe browsing is still encouraged. One big pro point in this antivirus is the anti-phishing tech rolled into the program, which performs great when compared to competitors.
7. Avast Pro Antivirus:
Avast offers great protection for those not willing to spend on security, and a few valuable features to those willing to shell out a few more bucks. Bitdefender Antivirus Plus 2017 and Kaspersky Anti-Virus get great scores from the testing labs. McAfee AntiVirus Plus protects all of your devices, not just one. Symantec Norton AntiVirus Basic piles on spam filtering, password management, and a powerful intrusion prevention system. Webroot SecureAnywhere AntiVirus is the lightest and tiniest antivirus around. One of those key features is a sandbox which allows for the running of suspicious program in a safe manner to determine potential malware while not blocking out potentially useful programs. One drawback is the malware scan, which while effective, can lag behind in speed when compared to most other antivirus and security programs. That being said, the old adage about slow and steady winning the race can certainly be applied here, as Avast’s performance is quite good, even for the 2500 price tag.
8. McAfee Antivirus:
McAfee is another company who has had a more tumultuous past but seems to be on the upswing in handling malware threats. While perhaps not the most comprehensive in any one category of protection, the Antivirus software featured with the AntiVirus Plus suite is paired with a comprehensive suite of security measures. Also, one purchase allows the use of McAfee on your Windows, Mac, Android or iOS devices, though there is a marked reduction in performance for Mac users. McAfee, like a few others on this list use a somewhat new technique in antivirus detection, the behavior-centric model which has been shown to be quite effective.
9. Trend Micro 2016:
Trend Micro Antivirus+ Security didn't earn top scores with all of the independent labs, it scored very well in all of my hands-on tests. Its ransomware protection doesn't go as far as Webroot's, which claims the ability to reverse encrypting ransomware after the fact, but it should be effective. If ransomware has you in a panic, and especially if you also need spam filtered from your email, this is an excellent choice for antivirus software. Webroot SecureAnywhere Antivirus also handles ransomware, and it's the tiniest antivirus around. Symantec Norton AntiVirus Basic, back after a two-hear hiatus, is a dependable favorite. McAfee AntiVirus Plus costs a little more, but protects all of your devices, not just one. Bitdefender Antivirus Plus and Kaspersky Anti-Virus and both score top marks with the independent labs across the board.
10. F-Secure Anti-Virus 2016:
F-Secure Anti-Virus focuses all of its abilities on the main task, rooting out any entrenched malware and preventing further infection, and it's quite effective at that task. In our hands-on test, it detected 100 percent of the malware samples, and its full scan runs faster than that of almost any competitor. Although it doesn't include the usual protection against malicious websites, it still did well in my malicious URL blocking test because its real-time protection wiped out more malware downloads than average.Bitdefender Antivirus Plus, Kaspersky Anti-Virus, McAfee AntiVirus Plus, Symantec Norton AntiVirus Basic, and Webroot SecureAnywhere Antivirus. Each has its own strengths.
11. Windows Defender:
Microsoft's Windows Defender doesn't have very good malware protection. The basic, minimalist Windows Defender, which is built into Windows8.1 and Windows 10. They would have not even thought of mentioning Window’s standard firewall and antivirus, Windows Defender. Out of the security dark ages, Windows Defender has become something of a standard in protection, which is great as it often does come standard. Windows Defender is handy not only as installation isn’t needed and protection is reasonable, but Defender often is paired with your Windows Updates and is thus pretty well protected against emerging.
12. Emsisoft Anti-Malware 10.0:
Emsisoft Anti-Malware not only detects more because it uses the full power of two major antivirus- and anti-malware technologies, it also scans quicker because of the efficient combination of the scanners. Any unnecessary duplicates in detection are avoided, enabling the least impact on memory and overall hardware resources.It's dual scanning engine consists of BitDefender definitions as well as definitions created by Emsisoft themselves allow for very good and up-to-date detections. Emsisoft is routinely used in our virus removal guides as it is not only free to scan and clean, but also on top of the latest viruses. The performance of Emsisoft AntiMalware and would definitely recomment it as a necessary component of your security toolkit.
No comments:
Post a Comment