Malware

Best Antivirus Software: Top 5 Applications Most Recommended By Cyber Safety Experts

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Safeguarding security and privacy has grown more challenging with rapid technological advancements. From hidden dangers in your network to data breaches that average millions of dollars in damages, the cost of inadequate cybersecurity can be severe. And while most of the technology accessible at our fingertips comes with built-in protection, it’s seldom enough to keep pace with exploits which is why the technology we possess today requires updates more frequently than its predecessors. Fortunately, there are solutions to deter such negative events. Among the most effective of these solutions include the best antivirus software.

Engineered to detect, prevent, neutralize, and remove cybersecurity threats, anti-virus software casts a protective shield and continuously monitors your system, network, and devices for signs of malware like spyware, viruses, Trojans, and ransomware. Unfortunately, the confines of cyber crimes have expanded across other sectors of technology often overlooked, such as smart watches, GPS systems, thermostats, and more. A newer study found that even e-scooters are vulnerable to hacks, data theft, data breaches, and denial of service attacks.

Although businesses remain the most targeted entities of cyberattacks, consumers need to stay just as vigilant with the rise of cybercrimes. For instance, a recent study found that people who have low self-control may be more susceptible to malware attacks. Additional findings reveal that cybercriminals tend to prey on people with low self-control, targeting websites where the at-risk segment is likely to make a download or spend significant time.

Given the dangers of cyber-attacks, only the best antivirus software should be used as your digital armor. Remember, it only takes one attack, exploit, or wrong click to fall victim. Don’t become a statistic. Learn about the best antivirus software for maximum protection by reading our list. Don’t happen to see your favorite? Let us know by sharing a comment! 

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(Photo by FLY:D on Unsplash.com)

The List: Best Antivirus Software, According to Experts

1. Bitdefender Antivirus   

“Founded in 2001, Bitdefender offers the most well-rounded protection across multiple devices,” states Investopedia. Emphasizing a security-first approach, Bitdefender antivirus supports “ransomware prevention, fraud protection, and online monitoring.” Once only available for Windows, Bitdefender now supports Mac and is “ideal for home users who lack technical skills or anyone who wants basic defense against threats.” 

Bitdefender "Threat detected" alert
Bitdefender “Threat detected” alert (bitdefender.com)

Tom’s Guide mentions, “Bitdefender is our top choice among entry-level antivirus products with very good, if not perfect, malware-detection scores.” With add-on security features like VPN, Wi-Fi scanner, file shredder, and password manager, Bitdefender can be catered to meet various levels of security. 

“Bitdefender is the number one antivirus with several antivirus packages,” reports US News. With the Standard Protection Suite, users can defend against “phishing, ransomware, network threats, and can also reboot an infected computer in a ‘rescue environment’ to aid recovery.” Additionally, the “VPN is offered on most plans” although it can be “resource-intensive, which may slow down some PCs.” 

2. Norton 360 Antivirus 

“Norton 360 is a premium antivirus with top security features for all devices,” writes Cyber News. With real-time protection, this antivirus “instantly blocked all threats as soon as we released them – although the full scan was quite heavy on system resources.” User-friendly and easy to navigate, the Norton 360 antivirus is available for Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android.  https://www.instagram.com/p/Cs_cxVDNVfZ/embed/captioned/?cr=1&v=14&wp=822&rd=https%3A%2F%2Fstudyfinds.org&rp=%2Fbest-antivirus-software%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A0%2C%22os%22%3A7689%7D

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“All of Norton’s antivirus products offer excellent malware protection, and the once-heavy system-performance load is much lighter,” explains Tom’s Guide. With scalable tiers of protection, Norton users can elevate their subscription to also benefit from “parental controls, backup software, online storage, password manager, webcam protection, and an unlimited VPN.” 

“Norton is a well-known name in computer security with a wide range of options at different price points,” states US News. Unlike many competitors, “Norton promises a full refund if its software can’t remove an infection from your device,” although its “use of machine learning is well-known to stop cybersecurity threats.” Lastly, Norton features a “cloud-based system for storing virus signatures while professional reviewers praise its highly rated malware protection.”

3. McAfee Antivirus

“For the past 35 years, McAfee has held a premium spot as one of the earliest and best-known companies offering antivirus software,” describes the NY Post. Offering a 30-day free trial, McAfee offers all-in-one protection that includes “a VPN for privacy when using public WiFi networks, web protection to avoid phishing scams, identity monitoring, and more.” 

McAfee privacy protection
McAfee privacy protection (mcafee.com)

“McAfee is another giant in the computer security industry that offers malware protection for all four main classes of devices,” reports U.S. News. Boasting a robust firewall, this antivirus offers coverage for an unlimited number of devices while premium tiers offer additional security features such as “identity monitoring, a VPN, parental controls, and identity theft coverage.”

Cyber News says, “McAfee falls into the category of the top antivirus software since it offers not only protection against the latest cyber threats but also provides additional security features.” As an easy-to-use antivirus, McAfee supports “Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android operating systems,” while its core package includes “a password manager, file encryption, and a file shredder, among other features.” 

4. Avast Antivirus

Forbes claims, “Avast is a great option for those who work remotely as the program comes with a firewall, email security, ransomware protection and real-time protection.” Offering 24/7 IT support and protection for up to 10 devices, Avast antivirus also includes protection from “malware, phishing, ransomware and other cyberattacks.”  https://www.instagram.com/p/Cq8Syi1s5tO/embed/captioned/?cr=1&v=14&wp=822&rd=https%3A%2F%2Fstudyfinds.org&rp=%2Fbest-antivirus-software%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A1%2C%22os%22%3A7698%7D

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“Avast is available for Windows, Mac, iPhone, and Android and is one of the friendliest security apps that you don’t need a computer science degree to understand,” explains Tech Advisor. Offering excellent malware protection, this antivirus also offers “unlimited VPN usage and privacy tools” to ramp up at-home security and privacy. 

“What would you say if we told you that one of the best antivirus softwares on the market costs absolutely nothing?” asks Top Ten Reviews. With no hidden fees or delayed costs, Avast antivirus is “completely free” and “offers the same level of protection as many of the other big names in the field.” As a free solution, this antivirus may “slow down your computer” but that’s a small price to pay for improved protection against viruses, ransomware, and spyware. 

5. AVG Antivirus

“AVG antivirus shares the same malware-detection engine as its corporate sibling Avast but it is much lighter on system performance impact,” says Tom’s Guide. With built-in security features, this antivirus offers an “easy to use interface, lots of customization options, a file shredder, and more.” For users using the free-mode, you should know the system “continues to nudge you to upgrade to the premium version.” 

AVG Antivirus software
AVG Antivirus software (avg.com)

“AVG’s free protection is powerful enough to secure your Mac from malware and protect you when you’re online,” writes Make Use Of. With “routine updates from its database,” AVG stays up to date so you always have the most effective security while the antivirus can help “prevent you from acquiring and passing on any PC or Android viruses.” 

US News says, “AVG provides very good antivirus, anti-phishing, and anti-ransomware protection.” With effective “malware blocking and phishing protection, AVG delivers real-time AI-based protection against viruses.” Additionally, “professional reviewers say AVG’s antivirus software scores well on virus detection tests and is good at removing persistent malware.”

Exploding the urban myths about how to stay safe online.

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Are we wising up to the dangers lurking online? Or are phishing, spam and hacking just words that we still do not understand and we hope will not happen to us._67207523_alan2

Ofcom recently revealed that one in four British people still use the same password for all their activities online, suggesting we still have some way to go to fully understand computer security.

Here Prof Alan Woodward explores some of the misconceptions about how we stay safe online.

While there is still a long way to go in raising awareness of the risks inherent in surfing the net, word is spreading.

Unfortunately, some urban legends have arisen that are leading to a false sense of security.

Probably the most common of these myths is that your computer cannot be infected simply by visiting a website containing malicious code. The story goes, that you are only going to get malware on your machine if you actively agree to download software.

“Start Quote

Things are not always what they seem online”

Prof Alan Woodward

As with many myths it contains a grain of truth. However, you may not recognise that you are giving your permission, and often hackers rely upon the fact that your computer is set to give permission by default to certain types of download. This has led to the phenomenon of “drive-by downloads”.

These downloads can happen in several ways, with hackers developing new methods all the time.

Possibly the most insidious technique relies upon what are known as inline frames or “IFrames“. The intention of IFrames was to allow webpages that have a mixture of variable and static content to be constructed so that they used computer resources more efficiently.

First introduced in 1997, IFrames essentially allow you to embed “active” material that is brought in from elsewhere.

HOW TO STAY SAFE ONLINE

  • Anti-virus software is a good start although it can only protect you against the threats it knows about
  • Don’t open emails or attachments from people you don’t know
  • Block spam emails and delete them
  • Use unique passwords for every site you interact with
  • Make sure passwords are complex and contain no personal information – a combination of letters and numbers is a must
  • When visiting a site check that it is genuine – by looking for addresses and phone numbers
  • Check the address in the browser address bar is the same as the one you typed

When misused, IFrames can secretly download another webpage – one you will not see because they can be as small as a single pixel – which redirects you to a page containing an exploit.

If your browser and system are vulnerable to this exploit then the malware is downloaded on to your computer. And, you did not agree to anything, did you?

A variant of this first great myth is that webpages cannot download to your computer without you clicking on an “OK” button.

You may have to click but that click might not be doing what you think. A typical trick is for a compromised site to pop up a box – usually an advert – which you simply have to close if not interested. The act of closing the advert can be the very click that initiates a download.

Things are not always what they seem online.

This leads to the second great myth: that only disreputable sites contain malware.

Yes it is true that some less salubrious sites are affected in this way, but many well-known sites find themselves compromised too. A classic example is where a site allows comments to be posted and the web forms have not been secured in quite the right way. Someone can post a comment containing code and that code can contain an IFrame.

With webpages often being an amalgamation of content drawn from various sources, it is very difficult for webmasters to close all the loopholes.

The New York Times found this out in 2009 when they were tricked into running an advert which encouraged readers to download fake antivirus software. On the web you are trusting not just the webpage provider but their entire content supply chain.

The third myth is more personal. Most of us believe we are too insignificant to be attacked because hackers are interested only in the big fish.

Well, yes some hackers will invest a great deal of time trying to break into some high-value target. However, most criminals have long since realised that their return on investment is much higher by targeting many smaller value targets, like you and me.

With automation and the global reach of the internet you need only have a tiny fraction of your targets respond in order to reap a very handsome reward.

Research has shown that the reason scammers persist with age-old ploys such as the Nigerian scam emails is because, as extraordinary as it might seem, they still work. The criminal invests relatively little time and money but the numbers responding are still high enough to make it worth their while.

Digital identity

You would not leave your car keys lying around so why expose your digital identity?

The delusion involved in the fourth myth may shock many – my computer contains nothing of value.

Sorry to disappoint, but your computer is a treasure trove for criminals. What about something as simple as your address book? Criminals love contact lists as they give them valid email addresses and someone who they can pretend to be – you.

And, of course, who does not log into some bank, shop, government site or similar with their computer?

In doing so you leave your digital identity on your computer, and there is nothing criminals love more than a valid online identity.

How many people clear the memory, delete cookies and temporary files when they close down their browser?

Quite the opposite is true – for convenience many store their digital identities in their browsers so they do not have to log on every time they wish to use an online service.

It is rather like leaving your car keys on the hall table in full view of the letterbox. A fishing rod is all the criminal needs to steal your car.

The final myth is the one that leads to the most pronounced false sense of security – that my make of computer or operating system is not vulnerable to security problems.

Some people think that being behind a firewall makes them safe. I am afraid that this could not be more wrong.

You may find that you are using a less popular computer brand which has yet to attract the attention of criminals, and your firewall may keep out some intruders, but all computers, if connected to the internet, are vulnerable.

Source: BBC