10 security software options for Windows 10
Now that Windows 10 is available to download and install, how are you going to protect your system from viruses and malware? Don’t rely on Windows 10 to keep all the nasties off your hard drive, even though it boasts superior security over previous versions. Instead, you might want to take a look at third-party antivirus and anti-malware solutions.
But they’re expensive, you say. Sure, but what will make your wallet cry even more is when your computer rejects anything you type on the keyboard because some hacker has managed to take possession of your desktop or laptop from afar. That would certainly suck.
Perhaps the best road to happiness is to download free antivirus and anti-malware software, as we’ve listed below, and give them a test run. If you like what you see, then you can consider keeping the free installation, or making an upgrade to premium versions. Again, what will cost more, the software or getting your identity back?
Ad-Aware Free Antivirus+
Developed by Lavasoft, this free security suite includes antivirus and anti-malware protection that detects and neutralizes threats in real time, not when you perform a manual scan. This suite also provides download protection, safe browsing, and a game mode, the latter of which will allow the software to remain active but stay silent while you're playing a game. Some of the features available in premium offerings and not in the free model include external storage scan, parental controls, real-time email protection, a file shredder, and more.
Avast Free Antivirus
Avast boasts that its free antivirus product is the best solution worldwide, with more than 230 million consumers using the software. The big selling point is that Avast’s software protects the devices on the home network as well, including wireless devices and routers. According to a comparison of Avast’s three products, the free edition will scan the network for “weak spots” and rid the user’s browser of annoying add-ons. Features that are only offered in the premium versions include anti-spam protection, a silent firewall, and automatic patching of security holes.
AVG AntiVirus Free
The big selling point for AVG’s free antivirus suite is that users can get protection on Widows-based, Mac, and Android devices. In addition to antivirus and anti-spyware protection, the free AVG software allows the user to see all devices on a single dashboard, aka AVG Zen. There’s also remote protection, meaning users can scan and remove viruses on a PC from a mobile device, email protection and link protection. Some of the features found only in the “Pro” offering is an enhanced firewall, anti-spam, protecting private files, downloaded file scanning, and priority updates.
Avira Free Antivirus
Avira claims that its antivirus solution is the best in town. The list of features include an antivirus scanner and real-time protection and blocking harmful files from disrupting the operating system before they become a damaging threat. The software also blocks malicious applications hidden within legitimate software, blocks harmful websites before they even load in the browser, and prevents ad networks from seeing what you actually do online. In addition to the free software, Avira also provides a “Pro” version that includes technical support, secure online shopping, email scanning, and safer downloading. The company also has an Internet Security suite and the Ultimate Protection Suite, which is jammed packed with more features and tools.
Bitdefender Antivirus Free Edition
This software is difficult to find on the Bitdefender website, located at the very bottom of the main page as a link listed under “Tools & Resources.” The company states that the antivirus tool is the best solution for gamers, as it pauses system scans until you exit out of a PC game. The software is also for both “rookies and techies,” as it’s easy to install and supposedly maintenance-free. Features include HTTP scanning, a real-time “shield,” and a rootkit scanner. There’s also a “B-Have” tool that will quarantine anything that looks suspicious before it’s loaded by the user. In other words, the software scans programs before they can be launched. “Bitdefender Antivirus Free Edition uses an intelligent mechanism that can automatically take the optimum decisions to provide ironclad security without slowing down your computer,” the website promises.
Comodo Free Antivirus, Internet Security
Comodo actually provides two free software solutions: Internet Security Premium and Antivirus 2015. The difference between the two is that the Internet Security Premium software includes a firewall while the other Antivirus 2015 program does not. Otherwise, you’ll find your standard features in both solutions such as antivirus protection and anti-spyware protection. They also have what Comodo calls cloud-aware security, as they provide an instant cloud behavior analysis, instant cloud scanning, and instant cloud whitelist checking. As for infection defense, the list is long and includes crash resistance protection, malware bypass protection, buffer overflow protection, and loads more. Comodo’s premium software includes unlimited live expert virus cleaning, unlimited live expert virus scanning, and a virus-free guarantee.
Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Free
The free offering from Malwarebytes claims to find what an antivirus solution will miss. This solution, which can be used along with antivirus products, will also remove rootkits and repair the damaged files. Malwarebytes also boasts advanced malware removal, stating that the company “employs industry-leading technology to completely remove malware code.” Of course, if you need more than what the free software has to offer, the company also provides a Premium version that’s feature-packed. For example, the software can block malicious websites, provide real-time protection, and uses a special driver so that malware can’t terminate the program or “modify its processes.” The Premium software also has a “hyper” scan mode, a scan/database update scheduler, and more. This Premium version costs $25 and has a 14-day free trial.
Panda Free Antivirus 2016
The big “selling point” for Panda’s latest free antivirus product is that it’s extremely light. According to the company, users won’t even notice that the software is running in the background. Even more, all the work is done in the cloud, the company insists, adding that the its latest release is the company’s best solution to date. That said, the software provides antivirus protection for the Windows platform and comes with standard customer support. Naturally, you really don’t see a lot of features until you compare it to the Pro, Internet Security 2016, and Global Protection 2016 versions. For instance, the $44 Pro release adds Wi-Fi protection on its features list as well as an iPhone location service, antivirus for Android, antitheft for Android, device optimization, standard technical support, and multi-device coverage. Of course, the Internet Security 2016 version has even more features for $55, while the Global Protection 2016 has everything Panda has to offer for $77.
Spybot – Search & Destroy
This malware-detection solution has been around since 2000, originally developed by German software engineer Patrick Michael Kolla and later picked up by Safer Networking Ltd. The free version scans for malware, spyware, and adware, and removes the menacing software free of charge. Spybot also provides startup tools, blocks known malicious websites, and protects the user from unlisted malicious websites and cookies by providing a proxy. The Home and Professional editions have more features under the hood, including full antivirus protection, live protection, a protected repair environment, support for multi-core processors, and even multiple updates per day. Honestly, Spybot should be added to any system whether they have antivirus protection or not, as Spybot is great for revealing obscure cookies, malware, and more.
ZoneAlarm Free Firewall
For people who are looking to replace Windows Firewall on their system and don’t have any worries about viruses and malware, ZoneAlarm’s free firewall should be an ideal solution. Designed for home users, the free version is “basic protection for when you’re in a hurry.” However, Zone Labs doesn’t provide any details regarding the free software, but instead focuses on the revenue-generating premium versions. ZoneAlarm PRO Antivirus & Firewall includes not only the base firewall, but an antivirus and anti-malware engine, real-time antivirus protection, browser protection, and identity protection, for $45 per year. The Extreme Security model adds even more features, such as anti-keylogging, anti-spam, parental controls, PC tune-up, threat emulation, and the means to find a lost laptop. The cost for the Extreme Security version is $70 per year.
Again, we’re not trying to cram software down your throat, but to provide a glimpse of what’s available to protect your desktop, laptop and mobile devices. Some of the solutions listed here are expensive, but the cost may be worth the pain in the wallet. Naturally, there are bigger dogs out there like Symantec and Norton that provides excellent antivirus software, but we instead focused on the freebies first and their premium offerings second.
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