In the current ever-growing cyber-crime climate, a simple antivirus program is not enough to secure your devices. A premium antivirus suite will offer protections that go beyond basic malware detection, such as a VPN and tools for performance optimization and password managers. It’s also crucial to find an antivirus that can work across all your operating systems, and that won’t hog system resources or slow down your computer.
The most reliable antivirus software will identify and block a variety of threats such as viruses, trojans, worms, ransomware, adware rootkits, and keyloggers. They also shield against phishing attacks, by checking for the presence of malicious websites, as well as identifying fake or unsecure links.
There’s a wide selection of antivirus software available and most companies will allow you to try their software with a no-cost trial or money-back guarantee. They will provide 24/7 customer support and a comprehensive knowledge database online to help you resolve issues.
If you’re looking for a reliable antivirus program for Windows the most popular alternative is Microsoft Defender (which comes preinstalled on the newest Windows computers). It has a high score in tests by independent labs like AV-Test and AV Comparatives and is comparatively light and non-intrusive, although it doesn’t have the same degree of sophistication as premium standalone antiviruses.