Having an updated and capable antivirus is exactly what you need to stay safe on the internet in the modern-day and age. There are too many cyber threats to consider when it comes to web surfing: hackers, scammers, malicious extensions, and many forms of infectious software. What can you do to protect yourself? Install an antivirus. While the vast majority of widely used programs are quite expensive, you can get a free program that will grant you some basic protection from the hazards of the modern World Wide Web.
1. Avira Free Security
One of the defining features of this product is that it can be used in the cloud and grant you a so-called “Protection cloud”. You will still need the client, but files will be analyzed before you get them. It is a nice idea that grants an additional layer of protection. Amongst other interesting features: scheduled scans of the system, manual checks, multiple priority levels, deep scans including boot sectors of your hard drive, and feature that protects your passwords stored locally. All in all, a great app.
2. Bitdefender Antivirus Free Edition
What many antiviruses share is complexity. Users may be overwhelmed by all the technical terms like heuristic analysis and boot sector scanning. It is nice to have an app that will simplify everything to the most basic level and allow less tech-savvy users to enjoy high-end security. Bitdefender is exactly that. You will have a multitude of good features like password protection and preemptive scanning as well as manual checking of selected files. The program is released for Windows systems.
3. Adaware Antivirus Free
If you need something light and powerful, you will appreciate what Adaware has to offer. The app offers good protection from malicious software and viruses while not putting a strain on your system. For older PCs, this antivirus is the best possible choice. There are many additional features that are unique to this program. While it is not as powerful as some other products out there, you will still enjoy a wide range of functions:
– Scan archives, emails, CHM files, extensions, and boot sectors; |
– Create exceptions and allow trusted files to be left untouched;
– Suppress notifications and pop-ups.
4. Avast Free Antivirus
Avast is a well-known provider of antivirus solutions. It has been around for years and delivered multiple famed products. The free version of their software package is quite powerful and offers you complete protection from many cyber threats that may hinder your online browsing experience. You can unlock additional features by purchasing the premium version. Here are some of the features that you will enjoy after installing the program:
– Scheduled checks;
– Filters that you can customize;
– Scanning for unwanted programs;
– Rescue Disk utility can be used to fix your HDD;
– Blocks notifications and pop-ups.
5. Panda Dome
This is a relatively simple yet powerful antivirus solution that will give you many options that you can find in the most advanced programs. There is an option to quickly scan your HDD for threats and scan files before you download them. The application can be protected from other users by a password. The user interface is clean. You won’t see buttons that you don’t need to see. However, you can customize the settings if you require them to do so.
6. AVG Antivirus Free
If you are looking for a product that you can adjust and fit your preferences and needs, you will be happy to use AVG. This antivirus is very customizable and offers you a variety of ways to fine-tune scanning operations according to your requirements. It can scan extensions, archives, and emails. Amongst other options, the persistent protection mode protects you from malicious behaviors, web threats, emails that may contain harmful content, and event notifications.
7. COMODO Antivirus
One of the leading products in the industry, COMODO is exactly what you need if you are neither a technician with years of experience in IT nor a complete newbie. COMODO offers cloud scanning, file scanning, and scheduling as well as a plethora of other options that you can adjust according to your liking. One of the key features is virtualization that allows you to create a virtual safe space for extensions to test them before running them on your machine.
