What Is Antivirus Software? Why Is It Important For Businesses, Types and Top Antivirus?
Good antivirus software is what one needs these days to ensure smooth and risk-free internet surfing. The internet has become a staple in our lives and most of our day and night is spent surfing it, whether for gaming, reading, watching content, learning or working. In all cases, we visit a variety of sites that carry their own risks. It is crucial to have antivirus software loaded into your system.
What are the Risks of Surfing the Net Without a Virus Guard?
You are exposed to the dark web. The dark web is the part of the internet that is not indexed by traditional search engines. It can be accessed through specialised software like Tor (The Onion Router). The dark web is associated with anonymity and privacy and helps maintain privacy and freedom of speech for journalists and activists in oppressive regimes. Ideally, it is to be used for legitimate activities but it is notoriously famous for all the illegal ones such as drug sales, terrorism, weapons, stolen data and more. Antivirus software has the ability to guard your system against this exposure so that you remain safe and your data cannot be misused by any third party.
All the malware including viruses, worms, trojans, scareware, bots, ransomware, spyware, adware, rootkits, keyloggers and many more can access your device if you go unprotected on the internet.
Top 10 Antivirus Software of 2024
Therefore, using antivirus software is a must for internet users today. There are many good antivirus software on the market but some of them top our list and rank as the top 10 antivirus software of 2024.
Norton 360 Deluxe
This antivirus software comes with comprehensive protection, VPN and cloud backup along with a password manager. Though it has a higher price point, it provides excellent protection against malware and identity theft.
Bitdefender Total Security
This gives a multilayer ransomware protection with parental controls and VPN. it has a high detection rate and is known for its lightweight performance. The only con to this antivirus software is that its VPN service has daily data limits.
Kaspersky Total Security
Its key features include advanced threat detection, password manager and file encryption. For the positives, it has a strong performance and affordable pricing. On the contrary, it gives limited VPN usage without additional subscriptions.
McAfee Total Protection
As one of the top 10 antivirus software of 2024, McAfee provides cross-platform support, identity theft protection and encrypted storage. While it has an occasional impact on system performance, what is noteworthy is that it has a user-friendly interface and a comprehensive security site.
Trend Micro Maximum Security
AI learning, social media protection and secure web browsing are the key services that it provides in addition to excellent phishing protection. However, there is a high system resource usage during scans.
Sophos Home Premium
From real-time antivirus, and parental web filtering to remote management, it is great for families while providing a range of services with minimum system impact. The downside of this software is that it has limited features compared to competitors.
ESET Smart Security Premium
It offers anti-theft, password manager and secure password manager. While it provides strong malware protection and high-performance scans, it has a complex user interface for beginners.
Avast Premium Security
It has a ransomware shield, wi-fi inspector and advanced firewall offering a solid performance. It has a good set of features but is accompanied by a high number of notifications and upsells.
AVG Ultimate
This antivirus software provides real-time updates, a PC tune-up and a secure VPN service. It has a free basic version available and good malware detection. Some advanced features require a paid subscription.
Panda Dome Premium
Along with a VPN, firewall, parental controls and data shield, this antivirus software offers you a customisable interface with good real-time protection. Some features do require a separate purchase.
How to Choose the Right Antivirus Software?
You have to consider certain points to choose the best antivirus software for your system. From detection rates to pricing, every factor counts in making an informed decision. You must look for software that has high malware detection and removal rates while not slowing down your system significantly. Having additional features like VPN, password manager and parental controls is a plus along with having an easy user interface. Also consider the pricing, a very important point in making your decision, compare costs and plans to find the best fit for your budget.
