In an escalating cybersecurity climate, it’s no longer enough to secure your devices with a basic antivirus program. A quality antivirus suite can provide additional protections that go beyond basic malware detection, including the use of a VPN, performance optimization tools and password managers. It is also important to choose an antivirus that can be used on all operating systems and will not cause a slowdown or drain on your system resources.
The most effective antivirus software can detect and block a variety of threats such as viruses, trojans and worms, ransomware spyware and adware rootkits as well as keyloggers. They also guard against phishing attacks by examining for the presence of malicious websites and identifying fake or insecure websites.
A majority of brands offer a trial evaluation of their software or a money-back guarantee. They also offer 24/7 customer service and a comprehensive online knowledge base to help you solve any issues that arise.
If you’re looking to find a reliable antivirus solution for Windows the most well-known option is Microsoft Defender (which comes preinstalled on newer Windows computers). It scores highly in tests conducted by independent labs such as AV-Test or AV-Comparatives and is light and unobtrusive when used however it lacks the same quality as premium standalone antiviruses.