A good antivirus program will protect your computer from threats such as viruses, worms and spyware. It also guards it from rootkits, adwares, keyloggers and cryptojackers. It checks for harmful files on your device and, depending on its settings, either deletes them or moves them into a quarantine. It also blocks malicious websites and stop your devices from connecting to dangerous Wi-Fi networks.
While most modern smartphones and tablets come with built-in antivirus protection, these programs hrm software features aren’t as effective as standalone cybersecurity suites. In this article, we’ve compiled the most popular antivirus programs that offer strong malware detection rates and a wide range of other security options, including anti-phishing features and an VPN and disk optimization tools as well as parental controls and much more.
Viruses, which are the most prevalent type of malware, can be spread from one device or computer to another through email attachments or infected websites. These viruses can do anything from steal passwords and financial information to destroy important files. Worms may be similar to viruses, but they may also create botnets, which are used for spam or attacks on other computers. Trojans are able spy on users through their keyboard combinations and keystrokes.
A good antivirus program stops malicious websites that are designed to gather details about credit card transactions and bank accounts from innocent users. It also shields against ransomware, which encrypts your documents and holds them hostage until you pay a price in order to recover them. A few of the top antivirus programs on this list come with a feature to prevent ransomware, by preventing your computer from downloading its code.