CREDIBILITY
Some particularly stealthy malware is disguised as free antivirus software. You download something to protect your computer, and instead, you infect it, leading to stolen data or a locked device.
You can avoid this malware by sticking to trusted antivirus companies. Choose a company from a verified list like this, read the third-party tests we link to, and make sure the URL you’re downloading from is authentic.
Features
Antivirus software typically offers two layers of protection:
- scans that scan your computer and remove malware. Some programs let you schedule them yourself, while others run them automatically when your computer is running. You should also be able to manually run a scan at any time.
- Real-time protection that identifies and blocks malware from being downloaded to your computer.
Antivirus tools can also block malicious websites and protect you from threats like phishing, but these features are usually only included with premium programs. Similarly, antivirus tools can only offer limited scan scheduling.
Free vs. paid antivirus software
Most free antivirus programs are created by companies that also produce paid antivirus tools. They usually use the same antivirus engines as the paid versions, so you’ll get the same level of scanning and malware protection as you would if you bought premium antivirus from the company. However, this protection is often only offered for one device per person, while paid antivirus tools offer packages for five, 10, or even unlimited devices.
Additionally, paid antivirus software usually comes with additional benefits, such as advanced ransomware and phishing protection. Many companies also offer complete security suites that include things like VPNs and password managers along with antivirus tools. Check out our list of the best antivirus programs to learn more about these security packages.
System resource usage
The real-time protection of an antivirus tool should not interfere with the regular use of your computer. Deep scans will often slow things down by consuming RAM or CPU resources, but they shouldn’t make your computer completely unusable.
Problems with Avast
For years, Avast Antivirus for Windows was the gold standard of antivirus, with consistently high rankings in AV-Test. We’ve included its antivirus in our list of recommended security app options before.
However, in early 2024, the Federal Trade Commission fined Avast $16.5 million to settle allegations that from 2014 to 2020 the company sold customer browsing information to more than 100 third parties. The FTC alleges that Avast allegedly collected data through browser add-ons and antivirus software and sold the data through its Jumpshot subsidiary.
Avast’s then-CEO Ondřej Vlček responded to the initial 2020 reports with a statement that he understood his company’s actions raised questions of trust in his company. To address these concerns, Avast discontinued Jumpshot’s data collection in January 2020 and shut down its operations.
We hope that there will be no more Jumpshot-style activities and that Avast will return to glory as one of the best antivirus software options. Until then, we recommend using one of the other free options on this list.
Problems with Kaspersky
Kaspersky has historically been another leading antivirus provider, earning top marks and awards for virus and malware protection from independent labs. However, in June 2024, the US government announced a federal ban prohibiting Kaspersky from selling antivirus or cybersecurity software or services to the US or US citizens due to suspected ties between Kaspersky and the Russian government.
“Russia has demonstrated time and time again that it has the ability and intent to use Russian companies, such as Kaspersky Lab, to collect and weaponize sensitive American information, and we will continue to use every tool at our disposal to protect the national security of USA and the American people. ,” Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said in the official announcement of the ban.
In a statement, Kaspersky said it “does not engage in activities that threaten US national security and, in fact, has made significant contributions to its reporting and protection against a variety of threat actors targeting US interests and allies.”
The Commerce Department recommends that those using Kaspersky software switch to replacement software from other security companies as soon as possible. To help Kaspersky customers with the transition, Kaspersky will be allowed to provide antivirus updates to its software until September 29, 2024, the department said.
