Top best antiviruses. Rating of free antiviruses: review, description and reviews

Absolutely all users, from computer gurus to beginners, know about such a terrible concept as “computer viruses.” Beginners are afraid of computer viruses, because for them they are fraught with a lot of myths and unknowns, while advanced users know the scale of the consequences of such an unpleasant event as a PC being infected with viruses, and are afraid of its occurrence. In any case, both beginners and advanced users want to reliably protect their data and their computer - that’s why they need an antivirus. Antivirus will protect your files on your computer: documents, photos, music, videos and other data, including passwords and other personal data. In this material, our experts will try to help you choose the best antivirus of 2013 for your home computer.

Danger and types of viruses

To choose the best antivirus for yourself, you must understand that by the term “virus” we mean a complex of malicious files, programs and scripts that, one way or another, harm the computer. There are several types of computer viruses:

• Worms

This type of virus does not pose any danger to data, but at the same time “clogs” the computer by copying itself. As a result, the computer begins to work very slowly, in other words, it begins to “slow down”. It is worth noting that even a fairly powerful computer can work very slowly: windows take a long time to open, programs start after a long pause, videos slow down during playback, etc.

• Trojans

Trojan horses are one of the most dangerous types of computer viruses. The danger of Trojans is that they can steal data (most often passwords), change files, and also delete them, masquerading as harmless and simple files.

• Manipulators

Manipulative viruses, as a rule, do not harm user data; they the main objective turn the computer into a zombie so that it performs the desired action at a certain time. In the vast majority of cases, this type of virus is spread by hackers in order to attack websites using zombie computers.

• Blockers

Blockers are a type of virus that blocks entry into the operating system, requiring the user to enter data under various pretexts. a certain amount Money to unlock.

Antivirus effectiveness

It’s worth saying right away that there is no perfect antivirus. Yes, antiviruses protect your computer, but no antivirus will protect your computer 100%. Why? The fact is that the essence of the work of an antivirus lies in its algorithms, thanks to which the presence of viruses on the computer is recognized. Viruses are detected by their activity or certain actions. When the antivirus knows the virus and its features, then when it enters the computer, the antivirus notices it and informs the user about the danger. This is what concerns well-known antiviruses, but there are also new viruses that are not yet known to antivirus developers and are not included in antivirus databases. This situation has also been thought out. To do this, antivirus algorithms monitor the activity of files and applications and, if there are suspicious actions, inform the user, suggesting a certain list of actions. All this is good, but there are viruses that the antivirus may not notice; these are, as a rule, new viruses or updated old ones. There are other reasons why an antivirus misses viruses, but we probably won’t touch on them.

Protecting your computer on the Internet

Modern antivirus programs include not only the ability to detect and remove viruses, but also the ability to protect your computer from various undesirable consequences: hacker attacks, intrusive advertising on websites, spam, etc. Thus, an antivirus includes a firewall, which most of you have probably heard of. If earlier antivirus and firewall were different programs, now, as a rule, the best and most advanced versions of antiviruses include comprehensive protection, that is, antivirus + firewall.

What criteria do you use to choose the best antivirus?

The best antivirus for your own computer should initially include basic functions and have the features that we list below:

• Antivirus scanner

The scanner function scans the hard drive and RAM to search for viruses. It is very good if the scanner periodically automatically checks changed and added files, for the so-called passive security.

• Antivirus monitor

This antivirus function continuously monitors the activity of your computer, that is, it monitors all events that occur on the computer, preventing viruses from entering the computer.

• Program control

Quite often, viruses penetrate programs or are pseudo-programs; this is precisely why the program control function was created. If there are any suspicious actions by programs, this control immediately notifies the user and determines the type of threat.

• Network control and web antivirus

Another necessary antivirus function in our opinion is to control the local network and Internet traffic. This way, you will be protected from computer attacks from the local network and the Internet, as well as from the negative consequences of malicious codes and infected sites.

• Possibility of flexible settings

How more settings has an antivirus, the better. Thanks to this, you can choose the level of control of a particular antivirus function: low, medium or high, or completely disable unnecessary functions in order to remove unnecessary load on your computer’s resources. In addition, you can create your own rules for searching and detecting viruses, as well as the actions taken by the antivirus when detecting virus activity on your computer.

• Updating anti-virus databases

Anti-virus databases are a so-called file of viruses and a repository of algorithms for their detection and neutralization. To reliably protect a computer, anti-virus databases must be constantly updated and up-to-date, so that when a new virus appears on the network, developers will create a neutralization algorithm and add it to the anti-virus database. By frequently updating your antivirus databases, your antivirus will have the latest algorithms to neutralize new or updated viruses.

• Antivirus self-defense

An antivirus must ensure not only the security of the computer, but also its own security. That is, the antivirus must have self-defense, thanks to which viruses will not be able to disable it, neutralize it, or block it from launching. This is another reason why an antivirus may not detect or remove a virus.

• Rational consumption of resources in passive mode

Well, the last important factor when choosing an antivirus is to analyze its consumption of computer resources. Despite the fact that modern antiviruses use computer resources sparingly when working in passive mode, some unsuccessful versions of antiviruses may have this problem, so you need to pay attention to this. It should be noted that it is necessary to distinguish between the passive mode of operation of the antivirus and the active one. Passive mode is when the antivirus is minimized to the tray and monitors the operation of the computer, and active mode is when you independently run a virus scan on your computer or perform another active action.

These are the so-called basic functions that your antivirus must have. The only exception may be network control, which refers to a firewall.

Which antivirus is the best?

All users have their own criteria and preferences in antiviruses, which is why each user will have their own best antivirus. Before touching on the list of the best antiviruses, according to site experts, it is worth saying that the vast majority of antiviruses have 2 types of antivirus programs for computers and laptops: a simple antivirus and an antivirus + firewall (with additional functions). For a home computer, a regular antivirus is quite enough, but if we speak in the spirit of our topic, then the best distribution can be called one that includes an antivirus + firewall. If your computer does not have an Internet connection, then, in fact, you do not need a version with a built-in firewall, but if you have access to the Internet, we recommend installing an antivirus with a firewall.

1. Kaspersky (Kaspersky Anti-Virus)

In our opinion, Kaspersky Anti-Virus is this moment the best antivirus solution. Kaspersky Anti-Virus is available in many versions, but we will highlight the two most popular of them: Kaspersky Anti-Virus and Kaspersky Internet Security. The difference between these two versions of the antivirus is that the first version is a simple antivirus, the second is an antivirus + firewall. Despite the existing disadvantages, this antivirus has many more advantages and they are more significant. Now let's analyze all the pros and cons of Kaspersky Internet Security.

Advantages:

• High degree of protection against viruses;
• Beautiful and convenient interface;
• High functionality and customization;
• Worldwide popularity;
• Availability of traffic control, site checking and anti-banner.

Flaws:

• Quite a high price;
• Extra “independence” of the antivirus in some situations;
• During active scanning consumes a large number of computer resources.

Antivirus prices:

A 1-year license for Kaspersky Anti-Virus costs 1,200 rubles.

A 1-year license for Kaspersky Internet Security will cost you 1,600 rubles.

In our opinion, second place among the list of the best antiviruses is rightfully taken by Dr.Web antivirus. In principle, Dr.Web and Kaspersky go hand in hand, but, nevertheless, Dr.Web is somewhat inferior to its main competitor. Dr.Web antivirus has two versions: Dr.Web Antivirus and Dr.Web Security Space, simple antivirus and antivirus + firewall, respectively. Let's analyze them.

Advantages:

• Good protection against viruses;
• Internet monitoring, site checking and anti-banner;
• Simple interface.

Flaws:

• Despite the good performance of the antivirus, it sometimes misses viruses when scanning a PC;
• In the latest versions of the antivirus, flaws were noticed that led to some problems in working with the program;
• Compared to Kaspersky it has low price for a license, but not very affordable;
• Lack of customization options as in the previous product.

Antivirus prices:

A 1-year license for Dr.Web Antivirus will cost 990 rubles.

A 1-year license for Dr.Web Security Space costs 1,290 rubles.

NOD32 is also a popular antivirus among home users. This antivirus does a good job of protecting your computer from viruses and includes a number of useful additional functions. Like other antiviruses, NOD32 has two versions: ESET NOD32 Antivirus and ESET Smart Security (with firewall). After analyzing the antivirus, we can highlight the following.

Advantages:

• Good protection against viruses;
• Ad blocking;
• Safety in social media networks;
• Ease of use.

Flaws:

• Problems with completely removing antivirus from your computer;
• Sometimes quite simple Trojan programs have been observed to be missed by antivirus software;
• High license cost (and unjustified);
• Problems with the speed of scanning your computer for viruses.

Antivirus prices:

A 1-year license for ESET NOD32 Antivirus will cost 1,080 rubles.

Well, at the end of the review of the best antivirus products, we should mention Avast! antivirus. As for its paid version - Avast! Internet Security, in our opinion, it occupies the last step in the ranking of the best antiviruses, which cannot be said about its free version - Avast! Free Antivirus, which is the best free antivirus available today. Avast! Free Antivirus is a full-fledged simple antivirus, and not a utility for checking your computer for viruses, which is what we will look at below.

Advantages:

• Free, and a full-fledged antivirus, not a utility;
• Good virus detection for a free antivirus;
• Blocking sites that can harm your computer;
• Nice interface.

Flaws:

• Low functionality;
• Compared to paid analogues, it sometimes misses viruses;
• Does not block advertising and banners on websites.

Antivirus prices:

Avast! Free Antivirus is free.

1 year license for Avast! Internet Security costs 1,450 rubles.

Well, after all of the above and after describing the best antiviruses today, it’s worth summarizing. Whatever one may say, only a paid antivirus can reliably protect your computer from various types threats, and it will also include a lot of additional services, which is very convenient. To summarize, we will say that in our opinion, the best paid antivirus is Kaspersky Internet Security, and perhaps the only high-quality free antivirus is Avast! Free Antivirus. Well, the final choice is yours.

In this review, we have collected for you the TOP 11 antiviruses for computers in 2017. Use one of these antivirus programs and don't worry about your computer.

Digital technologies are developing, making people's lives easier. This demonstrates the automation of most household processes– payment for goods, orders through online stores, online banking. But hackers are not asleep, programming new viruses designed to disrupt the performance of the computer, steal personal data or violate the privacy of the user (KeyLog programs, webcam video capture utilities).

According to statistics, at the end of 2016, viral activity increased. A noteworthy fact is that while hackers are not slowing down attacks on Windows systems, they are increasing pressure on Linux users. A new virus has also appeared for the Android mobile platform, which is notable for the fact that it is built into system processes, thereby gaining complete control over the device. The most common threat in 2016 was Trojan programs – organizers of DDoS attacks, whose purpose is to cause system service failure.

In the third quarter of the year, leading antivirus laboratories present their new products. At first, everything looks beautiful - the devices will be protected from intrusion by any threat. To confirm the honesty of anti-virus software manufacturers, the world's leading laboratories studying Internet thunderstorms conduct their tests, based on the results of which the TOP presented here was compiled.

Microsoft Security Essentials

Eleventh place in the ranking is occupied by a Microsoft product. It appeared relatively recently on the antivirus software market, but is developing rapidly, so that it has been able to displace such unshakable titans as Symantec, which are not included in the rating.

Microsoft uses Dynamic Signature Service in its products, an innovative technology that helps protect your computer from new threats. The antivirus has a built-in module that analyzes the behavior of programs, identifying potentially dangerous ones. It seems like nothing new. But Essentials has a centralized database where information from all users is collected.

When a program behaving suspiciously is analyzed on one computer, the results of the study will be available to everyone. If the utility turns out to be malicious, then Essentials will eliminate the threat, and then the virus signature will be instantly calculated and nipped in the bud. The operability of the system implies the collection complete information from the user's device, which not everyone will like. But safety comes first!

The disadvantages include the following:

• Low performance with different types of viruses that are not yet in the database.
• Rare signature updates.
• Weak engine, which will lead to the program crashing in the event of a DDoS attack.

Eset NOD 32

One of the most popular utilities of this kind. Ranks 4th in terms of number of downloads (from official sources). But is everything so great? NOD has demonstrated impressive results when tested by independent laboratories. Strength– blocking URLs leading to infected sites. Additionally, the software provides scanning of social networks and offers auxiliary security tools.

The antivirus received a certificate for its high performance in the fight against software viruses. AV-Comparatives conducts tests on five various categories:

1. Basic protection against malicious files.
2. Detection of an attack simulating a zero-day threat – files with expired signatures.
3. Dynamic complex tests.
4. Removal malware.
5. Performance test.

Based on the results of all inspections, NOD received the highest score.

The impression was spoiled by the low performance on non-executable files. Here Eset showed poor results.

AhnLab V3 Internet Security

Many have not heard about this product, which is logical - until latest version programs, the inspection results were poor. But the 2017 version broke into the TOP. Ahnlab gives users a standard set to combat:

• Zero-day viruses.
• Trojan programs.
• Advertising banners.

There is a proprietary TruFind protection module. Its task is to scan the computer system, identifying vulnerabilities and fixing them.

Being Internet Security, the software is equipped with a firewall, email scanner and URL filter. The new version of the product has an interesting protocol that deletes all important information from the computer if it is impossible to fix the virus attack. An extravagant way to leave particularly cunning attackers in the cold.

According to test results, the program demonstrated a 100% success rate when working with zero-day viruses. This is an indicator identical to the world market leaders in the production of anti-virus software. Checks for false positives showed a phenomenal result - 3 false reactions out of 500 thousand signatures. The downside of AhnLab is productivity. Therefore, only 9th place in the ranking.

FortiClient

Works well against phishing attacks. Test laboratories noted that the program is one of the best in protecting local networks. All software is provided free of charge.

FortiClient is a modern approach to network access. The program has the following built-in utilities:

• Parental control.
• Blocking potentially malicious URLs.
• Blocking fraudulent sites.

The antivirus successfully passed two main tests - checking the operation of files with outdated and new signatures. FortiClient received the highest rating of Advanced+ on both measures.

The product occupies 8th place on the list due to the fact that it is only a component of the security complex. FortiClient is most effective when working in tandem with the FortiGate firewall.

AVG Free Antivirus

Demonstrated good performance both when tested by independent laboratories and licensed ones. Among the advantages of the software are:

• Impressive level of protection against phishing.
• High performance.
• Web traffic protection.
• Ad blocking.
• A utility that determines the performance of a computer and, if necessary, optimizes it.

A worthy product, if not for the recent scandal that broke out. It turned out that the privacy policy contains a clause according to which software manufacturers can collect the user’s browser history and search queries.

If we ignore the scandal, then AVG is a fairly powerful machine for protecting a computer, which is confirmed by test data from laboratories. But the low performance compared to other programs does not allow you to rise higher in the ranking.

Trend Micro

The 2017 version of Internet Security copes with malicious files (executable/sleeping) and spam with a bang. Evaluations from independent laboratories hovered between good and excellent.
A bonus is the presence of a spam filter, which has its own database. The antivirus works globally – links leading to infected sites on social networks are blocked.

Trend Micro is a young product that has only now begun to participate in serious testing. During the test, complex massive attacks were carried out, which the defense coped with, receiving the highest score. But Trend Micro did not participate in all tests due to the disagreement of the developers. But where the test was carried out, the antivirus showed results above average. Again, insufficient productivity did not allow us to move higher.

F-Secure

Being Internet Security, it does not have its own firewall, which makes life difficult for users. And the parental control features leave much to be desired. Has a 75% test result. main reason these are false positives. If not for them, the antivirus would have taken one of the leading positions.

The main advantage of the program is its behavioral analysis detector. Unlike similar utilities, it did not react to 20 licensed programs where there were no virus signatures.
Users complain about the annoying pop-up window and clunky interface.

Panda Free

This product turned out to be worse than the commercial projects at the top of the rating, but many ordinary paid antiviruses were far behind. This conclusion was made based on tests from licensed laboratories. No verification was carried out by independent experts.

The main test (AV-TEST) includes three categories:

• Level of protection.
• The degree of impact on operating system performance.
• Ease of use of the software under the influence of false positives.

The antivirus received the highest rating for the quality of cleaning the system from malware, and a “good” rating in comprehensive testing - false positives summed it up.
The disadvantages of the protection include a poor anti-phishing module. But this can be offset by a good score for blocking malware, and an excellent score for detecting dangerous URLs.

AVIRA Free

In third place is the best among free antiviruses. It showed decent results according to independent experts, who noted excellent performance in blocking infected URLs. On testing, AV-TEST scored 18 out of 18 and the highest score in comprehensive testing.

Disadvantages include cleaning up malware infections. They also note weak protection against phishing. But this is a free product. If the user does not want to spend money on protecting his computer, then AVIRA Free is the best possible option.

Kaspersky Anti-Virus

The software interface has changed little compared to the previous version. And the defense has become even stronger. This has been proven by numerous tests, where Kaspersky received the highest score. Experts focus on excellent results from anti-phishing scans and additional security tools that will fully ensure security.

Kaspersky received the highest score in a unique test, where the system was continuously attacked by the same viruses for several days.

The initial scan of your computer takes no more than an hour. Subsequent scanning is faster. This test shows the antivirus's ability to intelligently filter out uninfected files, which has an amazing impact on performance. But there are products with best results.

Bitdefender Antivirus Plus

• Password manager with protected scripts.
• System vulnerability scanner.
• Browser safety module.
• Protection against ransomware.

Bitdefender showed the highest score in absolutely all tests. There is nothing to add except that this is the best protection personal computer, which combines performance, low system load and efficiency.

When using the Internet, it is very easy to “catch” a virus or inadvertently download a spyware or other harmful application onto your computer. You need resources to protect your PC, including antivirus solutions. There are both free and commercial ones, and the choice is quite wide. What antiviruses are good? Are these found among the free versions?

We have made a selection of programs based on their versatility - each solution, judging by the content of reviews on the Internet, is the optimal antivirus for Windows 7, for XP, for latest version 8.1.

First, let's look at the features of some commercial offers. Let one of them be Russian, and the other foreign.

The main thing about Kaspersky

Among the most popular paid antivirus programs in the world is a product from Kaspersky Lab. The 2014 distribution is capable of protecting not only from viruses and Trojans, but also from spyware applications and advertising scripts. Like most modern antiviruses, the Kaspersky program can detect threats that are not in the database. For this purpose, heuristic analysis is used.

The main functions of the program from Kaspersky:

• tracking virus attacks, disinfecting files in real time;
• checking programs for reputation;
• analysis and identification of malicious codes in Internet traffic (links);
• monitoring the system for suspicious software actions.

The modern version of Kaspersky antivirus is compatible with the latest operating systems, such as Windows 8.1. The proactive protection policy implemented by this solution includes monitoring sites on which malicious modules are installed and warning the user in advance about identified threats when attempting to enter such web resources. Experts note that the antivirus is adapted to the optimal use of PC resources.

Kaspersky program: activation nuances

For many years, special antivirus keys were required from Kaspersky to activate the distribution (using such a scheme is common). But since August 2013, the methodology of this process has changed. You can activate Kaspersky Anti-Virus only using a special code online, that is, Internet access is required. A necessary condition for the successful completion of this procedure is a correctly set system date.

Kaspersky and promotion from Yandex

There is an interesting precedent in the history of the Russian IT industry. Users had the opportunity to observe a rather unusual guise in which Kaspersky anti-virus was - the Yandex version of the product. In December 2011, two large Russian IT companies - Yandex and Kaspersky Labs - decided to carry out an unusual action.

Users from Russia and several other neighboring countries had the opportunity to use a full-fledged product from Kaspersky, released in a co-branded version with Yandex, completely free of charge. In this case, it would be fairest to say that in this form, Kaspersky Anti-Virus is a trial version. The fact is that the validity period of the license for the program as part of the promotion was not very long - 6 months. Also, participants of the promotion had the opportunity to purchase standard Kaspersky anti-virus with a 20% discount.

The promotion included a number of restrictions. In particular, there was no technical support for the version of the antivirus distributed through Yandex. If the user had difficulties mastering the program, he was recommended to turn to the resources of the Kaspersky Lab knowledge base.

By now the action has ended. Currently, you can use Kaspersky Lab products for free only if you download a trial antivirus that works for 30 days.

NOD: strong competitor from Slovakia

One of the most famous competitors of the antivirus from Kaspersky Lab is a product produced by the Slovak company ESET. It's about about the NOD32 program (in Russia it is often called simply “NOD”). Its main functions are the same as those of most analogues: “catching” viruses, “Trojans”, advertising applications, protection against phishing, etc. The program has its own heuristic analysis algorithm called ThreatSense.

Users and experts in the field of information security note the low level of consumption of computer resources by the antivirus, as well as the low intensity of Internet traffic use when updating databases and main software modules. The security system works, for the most part, in the background. Some experts believe that this antivirus is one of the best in terms of file scanning speed.

The ESET software package also includes the Smart Security application. Its main functions:

• email monitoring, blocking malicious scripts, spam filtering;
• detection and removal of spyware email programs;
• protects your computer from connections from outside (the application acts as a firewall).

Smart Security is also characterized by many experts as a solution that consumes a minimum system resources.

According to many experts, GOD is an antivirus that can easily be ranked on par with the world's leading products.

Now let's move on to free antiviruses.

Avast - reliable protection for free

Avast antivirus (Free Antivirus version), according to some analysts, is the most popular product in the world in the free solutions segment. It has all the basic functions you need to home program. Activating Avast antivirus is very simple - just enter your name and e-mail. After this, you can use the program for free for a year.

Operating systems for PCs on which the free version of Avast can be installed are Windows, Linux and MacOS. Mobile platforms compatible with the antivirus include Android and Windows. There are also several paid versions of the program: Pro, Internet Security, and Premier. There are a number of enterprise solutions.

Many users note that Avast antivirus has a very user-friendly interface. All necessary options are displayed compactly and conveniently on the screen. Users like the display of interfaces related to real-time computer protection. This component of the program analyzes several threat sources at once and shows on the screen what percentage of a particular source has been processed.

There is also a minimal amount of advertising in the application interface, as well as its complete absence when using some options in the active window. Many users, determining for themselves which antiviruses are good and which are not so good, form their opinion based on the amount of advertising in the free versions of the programs.

Users note the very fast operation of the manual scanning module, as well as low consumption of computer RAM.

AVIRA: universal protection format

Another popular solution that can be used for free is Avira antivirus in the Free Antivirus version. This product consists of several applications: a monitor (scans files in real time), a module for checking the system on demand, and a program for updating malicious code databases.

The main functionality of the antivirus:

• detection and removal of malicious codes, Trojans and other malicious applications;
• detection and filtering of advertising exploits and spyware.

There is also a commercial version of the product - AntiVirus Premium. Compared to a free antivirus, the program has several advantages:

• accelerated updating via the Internet;
• no advertising;
• the presence of a function to block sites containing malicious codes;
• ability to check e-mail using POP3 and SMTP protocols.

In addition to basic platforms, Avira offers users several specialized packages that are adapted for use on workstations, corporate networks, etc.

Lavasoft: simplicity and reliability

Users of this antivirus note the convenience and balance of the interface. The window displays only the necessary information, with a minimum of unnecessary data. If there is a need to enable some additional function, this can be done in one click. If the user wants to scan the entire system at once, then just click the large Scan Now button.

The only difficulty noted by antivirus users is that by default there is no option to select individual drives for scanning. However, this option can be enabled through the program settings menu. Additional features For antivirus users, there are plenty of them in the paid version. Some users describe Lavasoft as not the most productive solution. Even in the background there is active consumption of software RAM.

AVG: simplicity and functionality

AVG is another free antivirus. The program interface, as users note, is very simple. It is a list of icons indicating a particular anti-virus protection module. System scanning functions are located on the side panel of the window. Just like many other antiviruses, there is a Scan Now button, when clicked, a comprehensive scan of the entire computer is performed.

AVG's package contains a large number additional modules. For example, those that are designed to protect email, filter web traffic. Some users say that to activate many modules you need to buy a license. Sometimes it turns out that options are not intended for desktop operating systems, but for mobile platforms.

Many people note the insufficient performance of the antivirus when scanning disks, but are quite satisfied with the low level of RAM consumption by the program.

Another drawback of AVG antivirus is its rather complex interface. You can get confused. In order to scan a specific disk or other storage medium, you have to perform several sequential actions. In addition, to use some options you need to enable a special mode called “expert”, while in many other antivirus programs this option is available in the main menu of the program. There is no need to activate any other modes other than what is enabled by default.

Many users were impressed by the performance of the antivirus and its low consumption of system resources.

Microsoft Security Essentials: Free solution from the giant

Unlike other programs in our review (which provide free use only the most basic version with restrictions), this product is completely free. And this despite the fact that it was released by one of the most commercially engaged IT companies in the world.

Many users note that the program interface is very convenient; they especially emphasize that there are no advertisements on it. There are, however, some disadvantages: it cannot scan email and does not contain anti-phishing modules. While other antiviruses even free version such possibilities include.

According to users, the Microsoft product is characterized by an average level of performance.

Pros and cons of free antiviruses

Without claiming to be the ultimate truth, we will try to summarize the pros and cons of each of the free antiviruses in our review. Based, of course, on user reviews. We will not determine which antiviruses are good and which are not. We will highlight the strong and weak sides everyone.

If speed is important to the user, then it makes sense to pay attention to Avira, even despite the platform’s shortcomings in the form of confusing interface elements. According to some users, the creators of this antivirus should definitely work on appearance product. If they do this, Avira will have a great chance to get closer to the market leaders.

Avast antivirus may become optimal choice for those users who do not gravitate towards an in-depth study of program settings. The performance of the product is quite good. The interface is clear and pleasant. Advertising, if you do not pay attention to it, does not interfere with working with the program at all. Many users will want to get a free antivirus for 1 year with the functionality that Avast has.

Solutions from Lavasoft and AVG are praised by users for their good functionality. For some users, it is important which antiviruses are good in terms of the capabilities that their creators have endowed them with.

We focus on the rating

Users' opinions about certain software products subjective. Attempts are now being made to formulate an objective rating of antiviruses. Let's see who does it and what are the results of their work.

The research methods of the Safety-Gate portal are recognized by the Russian IT community as one of the most effective. Therefore, we will take the rating of antiviruses according to the experts of this organization. Satefy-Gate conducts tests of solutions from various global manufacturers every quarter. Testing sessions are called On-Demand (checking “on demand”, that is, in manual scanning mode). In the second quarter of 2014, the Safety-Gate portal tested the effectiveness of 26 solutions, both commercial and free. Let's look at the overall results and how the antiviruses in our review fare.

During testing, the programs had to identify as many as possible of the 3,266 files infected with malicious code that were prepared by Safety-Gate specialists. The number of detected viruses was expressed as a percentage, rounded to the nearest hundredth. That is, if, for example, the program found 3000 infected files, then the result was recorded as 91.86%.

Let's look at the distribution of places in the top ten rankings.

• The first place was taken by the Ashampoo antivirus, its indicator is 98.96% or about 3232 viruses found.
• In second place (with a very slight lag) is the Slovak product ESED NOD32, which found 98.71% of infected files.
• The third and fourth places were shared by solutions from TrustPort (Total Protection and Internet Security, respectively). The first received a result of 98.07%, while the second lagged behind, managing to find only 95.71% of viruses.
• The top 5 ranking included the Emsisoft Anti-Malwre program with a score of 95.34%.
• In sixth place is the antivirus from our Avira review. The program was able to find 95.22% of infected files.
• The seventh result was shown by the 360 ​​Internet Security antivirus, having managed to detect 94.76% of programs with malicious code.
• Eighth place was taken by the Russian Dr.Web, showing a result of 94.3%.
• In ninth place is HitmanPro antivirus, which was able to detect 93.63% of infected files.
• The eScan Internet Security product took tenth place, showing a result of 93.57%.
• What place does Kaspersky antivirus have? One of the most popular Russian solutions showed a rather modest result, taking 12th place. The program found 92.92% of infected files.

How do the remaining antiviruses in our review fare? Even lower.

AVG took 14th place, detecting 92.22% of infected files. Avast is in 16th place, having managed to find 91.64% of viruses. Microsoft Security Essentials and Lavasoft have not been tested by experts.

This is the rating of antiviruses according to the Safety-Gate portal. This is, of course, one of dozens or even hundreds of possible rankings, but it allows you to get a rough idea of ​​the quality of solutions for protecting your PC from malicious codes. If you go by the Safety-Gate rating, the best free antiviruses of 2014 that we reviewed are Avira and Avast. The first one was ahead of the decision from Kaspersky. The best paid antivirus from our review, judging by the test results, is Satefy-Gate, which is NOD32.

Having studied the general data on the leading antivirus brands and examined the test results, we can also pay attention to some expert advice regarding the criteria for choosing the optimal solution for protecting your PC from malicious codes.

Experts do not recommend using “hacked” (“cracked”) versions of antiviruses downloaded from free torrents and other portals of this type. It often happens that the installation files of these programs are already infected with malicious code. In addition, manufacturers of modern antiviruses have learned to build reliable algorithms for identifying pirated versions. Most likely, an illegal copy of the program will quickly be detected and will no longer be serviced (new databases and software components will no longer be downloaded). Experts note that due to Russian providers’ tightening policies for filtering search results regarding pirated copies of programs, searching for unlicensed versions of antiviruses or “keys” for them will take a very long time. Analysts advise spending money on purchasing a legal copy of the software and saving time.

IT specialists do not recommend choosing antiviruses based on the criteria of “lightness”: small amount of disk space, low rate of RAM consumption, low processor load, etc. According to experts, a high-quality program to protect your computer from threats cannot be “lightweight” . An antivirus performs many functions, and this cannot happen without using system resources. Experts note that most modern computers are equipped with sufficient RAM and hard drives to ignore the PC performance requirements recommended by software manufacturers. If it turns out that the system’s power is not enough, then it is preferable to upgrade its individual components than to change the antivirus to a less demanding one. The only difficulty is that by default there is no option to select individual drives for scanning, but this option can be enabled through the program settings menu.

These were the top free products that can help protect your Windows PC, and, in principle, they will be sufficient if you follow basic security measures. However, there are situations when your computer is used by other, not particularly knowledgeable and understanding people. In this case, it is better to pay for a more powerful and safe product, because the risks simply increase significantly. Besides, it’s better to pay about 50-60 bucks a year to antivirus software developers than to give absolutely all your savings to hackers and intruders. It is for this reason that today I decided to make a top 5 of the best paid antivirus for Windows 2019. And I sincerely hope that further information contained in this article will be useful to you.

Rating of paid antiviruses for Windows

Each such rating is compiled taking into account the most various factors. This includes subjective experience of personal use, reviews of other users, and even the objective capabilities of each product under consideration. In this material, I will try to preserve all these dogmas, so that the output will be an excellent and objective article that will help you make a choice in favor of this or that software. This, in turn, will help protect your data in the future.

Kaspersky Total Security

A product that provides maximum protection not only for your main PC, but also for other devices such as smartphones and tablets. The program can provide secure operation on devices running Windows, Android and Mac. Tools for backup, parental control and secure online payments are also available here. We must not forget that the antivirus practically does not load your system. For this reason, it can be used even on the oldest equipment.

Key features of Kaspersky Total Security:

• Maximum level of protection for all your devices
• Parental control
• Data backup
• Confidentiality
• Secure browser for online payments
• Work without placing excessive load on the system
• Convenient password manager
• Etc

This antivirus has a lot of advantages, but let's now look at the system requirements.

• HDD: 1150MB free space
• OS: Windows 7, 8, 8.1, 10
• Processor: frequency from 1GHz
• RAM: from 1GB for 32 bits, from 2GB for 64 bits
• Additional software: Microsoft .NET Framework 4 or higher, Internet browser

Not too angry, considering that in most cases these requirements will be feasible. For other devices, the system requirements are also not particularly demanding, so you can try antivirus software on both smartphones and Mac computers.

By the way, this antivirus has a trial period (free testing) of 1 month. Therefore, before purchasing, you can use this software to your heart's content, and then decide for yourself whether it is worth it. Price the same for the annual version (for two devices) is only 1990 rubles. Quite good, considering the current prices for software.

Norton Security Premium

The most maximum protection from the entire Norton line, which will help protect your devices from most currently known viruses and hacker attacks. Like all antiviruses from this top, protection is provided in real time, which means that all your processes are constantly monitored for suspicious activity. At the same time, the program can perform other functions, such as automatic backup of photos and documents and protecting your privacy on the Internet.

Key features of Norton Security Premium:

• Real-time protection for 10 different devices
• Functions for protecting personal and financial data on the Internet
• Automatic backup of photos and documents
• 25 GB of free space for backups in cloud storage
• Unified web interface for managing antivirus on all devices
• And so on

In principle, the program is almost in no way inferior to the previous one, they are all good. Perhaps it only consumes a little more resources, but these errors are not so significant for modern PCs.

System requirements for Windows

• HDD: 300MB free space
• Processor: for Windows XP - 300 MHz, for Windows 7/8/10 - 1 GHz
• RAM: for XP - 256MB, for 7/8 - 1GB, for Windows 10 - 2GB

Requirements vary depending on the operating system. In the case of newer operating systems (Windows 8 or 10), the hardware requirements are higher. This is due to some functions that are available on new versions of the OS.

Price for such splendor is only 3199 rubles per year. However, now (at the time of writing) 18% discount, that is, if you buy an annual subscription now, the price will be only 2599 rubles.

Avast Premier

Maximum protection from Avast. Avast Free took first place because it had features that even some paid products cannot boast of. Now imagine what range of features their paid product has. Yes, that’s right, this antivirus is truly very powerful. Just look at the webcam protection feature (for all those who are concerned about surveillance from all kinds of services), which many other antiviruses do not have.

Key features of Avast Premier:

• Protecting your webcam from hacking
• Blocking ransomware (at the stage when they have not yet started working)
• Comprehensive PC, password and home network protection
• Intelligent system for protecting your data
• Automatic software update
• Complete data deletion function
• Powerful firewall
• And much more

This software is really worth your attention. Many of the features described are not available in other similar products. Avast Premier is one of the best paid antiviruses for Windows. However, it is worth remembering that you should not abuse any actions either (for example, disabling the antivirus, or giving some programs excessively high rights).

System requirements for Windows

• HDD: 1.5GB free space
• RAM: 256MB
• Processor: the minimum clock frequency is not indicated on the official resource, but you should aim for 500+ MHz.

As the developers assure us, system requirements are not so important (taking into account the above), so we can conclude that on most more or less modern PCs this antivirus will not “eat up” a lot of resources. Here we are greeted by delicious price, which is only 1250 rubles per year. True, for one PC, but still, there is at least a choice here (you can buy a license for more or fewer devices). By the way, you can try this version before purchasing. The trial period is standard - 30 days.

Bitdefender Total Security 2019

A high-tech, productive product that provides antivirus protection for devices running Windows, Mac, iOS and Android. Like all other participants in this top, this program has a number of quite powerful functions that help ensure full protection your computer or smartphone. Among all the others, the developers highlight the function of a secure Wi-Fi connection, as well as protection against ransomware.

Key features of Bitdefender Total Security:

• Centralized software management for all devices
• High performance and low resource consumption
• Webcam protection
• Secure storage of personal data
• Password Manager
• Cross-platform
• And so on

This antivirus has fairly ordinary (within the scope of this article) capabilities. But you should understand that among most popular antiviruses, Bitdefender Total Security takes a well-deserved place. High performance coupled with fairly broad capabilities make this application one of the best paid antiviruses for Windows.

System requirements for Windows

• Processor: any, frequency from 1.6 GHz
• HDD: 1.5GB free space
• RAM: 1GB or more

Price(again, at the time of writing) annual subscription is only 1489 rubles. Moreover, this is a license for 5 devices.

Buy Bitdefender Total Security

Greetings to all readers of this site, in previous posts we discussed in detail on the computer. Now, we are faced with another task, this is to ensure the protection of the computer from viruses and malware. Therefore, in today’s article we will talk about which antivirus is better.

I suggest considering both free and paid versions. Each program has its own advantages and disadvantages, so you must decide for yourself which antivirus to choose. Many of you probably know very well that nowadays, your computer must have a virus protector that can protect your personal data from theft, as well as protect information stored on hard drives from the action of malicious code. After all, it’s no secret that some viruses can not only damage the user’s files, but also disable the computer. As a rule, to protect your home computer from threats, it will be enough for us to install one of the antiviruses.

Which antivirus is better - choose the right protection.

As I already told you, there are free and paid antivirus programs, but you should not disdain free utilities, since they can be no worse than their paid counterparts. We will try to determine which antivirus is best for Windows.

In order for you to protect your computer from viruses, you need to choose only one antivirus, since if you install two or more programs at the same time, a conflict will begin between them. At the same time, it often happens that antiviruses come into battle with each other over something, and in this case there can be no talk of any protection, since they block each other’s work. I also want to recommend that it does not conflict with a third-party antivirus.

It is quite difficult to unequivocally recommend which antivirus is better, since each developer praises their own products. We can only choose favorites based on the results of using certain programs. As for me, most popular antiviruses are very similar to each other. Their only difference is that some programs specialize more in protecting computer files, while others provide maximum protection when working on the Internet.

The best free antiviruses.

I suggest starting to consider the list of which antivirus is better with free products. As a rule, free antiviruses have all the basic functions that will be enough to protect your home computer. Such programs can be classified as “set it and forget it”, since they work independently and do not require paid license renewals or other actions from the user. If you are interested in such antiviruses, then let’s start our list.

Avast! Free Antivirus is a fairly popular antivirus program among users. The utility is completely free, but at the same time it can perfectly protect computers in various fields of application. Once installed, Avast! Free Antivirus, you won't have to delve into its settings, since after installation it will be configured by default to perform its basic duties. But if you want to apply some additional parameters, the program may offer you big choice options. Avast can quarantine infected and suspicious files, perform a full scan of your computer for viruses, supports game mode and many other functions. After installation, the program requires a one-time registration. Therefore, if you don’t want to worry too much about choosing a defender for your computer, then Avast is perfect for you.

Avira Free Antivirus is another popular free antivirus program that is ideal for home use. Avira differs from other programs in that it uses little computer resources, thereby not slowing down its operation. The program can constantly monitor the state of the PC, or check it for viruses on a schedule. Avira can update automatically and also monitors the installation of unwanted software. Thus, the utility, without interfering with the user, protects the computer from viruses and malware.

Microsoft Security Essentials is the latest contender for the title of best free antivirus. This is a small anti-virus program from Microsoft, which has a minimum set of all necessary functions, but at the same time protects your computer well from viruses. The program is constantly updated, so it is able to repel the interference of any modern viruses. You can scan your computer on a schedule. Microsoft Security Essentials is suitable for those who do not want to install third-party software, but at the same time care about protecting their PC from viruses. It is advisable to use this antivirus software in conjunction with the Windows Firewall.

I would also like to mention to you such free antiviruses as 360 Total Security, Comodo, Panda; they are less popular among users and have more modest functionality, but just like the products described above, they can provide basic PC protection. All of the above programs can be downloaded from the official websites of the developers. Also in the following articles I will tell you how to install them.

The best paid antiviruses.

Let's now look at several paid virus protectors, and also talk to you about which antivirus is better to install. Paid products are quite interesting. They have very broad functionality, support work on devices with different platforms, and are constantly being improved and updated. At the same time, some programs were developed quite a long time ago and were loved by users so much that they became undisputed leaders. At the same time, they can provide device protection at a professional level.

Kaspersky Antivirus– probably one of the best paid antiviruses. Of course, you can use its free version, but it will have reduced functionality. In order to have “protection to the teeth”, you need to buy an annual license. Kaspersky can provide a full-fledged firewall, has a rich set of functions, and also allows the user to customize protection to suit any needs. I would also like to say that the cost of the license is not particularly high, so I recommend installing this antivirus and using its capabilities to the maximum.

Dr. Web is another fairly old antivirus program that almost all users of computers, laptops and smartphones know. Doctor Web, like Kaspersky Anti-Virus, has different versions, and after installation it provides the user with a month-long trial period. Thus, you can later make a choice whether to keep this product on your computer or look for another option. But as a rule, due to its comprehensive functionality and impeccable protection, users prefer Doctor Web. The price for a licensed product is less than for Kaspersky, the subscription is also issued for a year.

ESET NOD32 completes our list. This contender is one of the three best paid antiviruses. It can effectively protect your computer from viruses and provide constant control and monitoring of the system. Unlike the antiviruses described above, this product does not slow down the computer and copes with its task with five points. The program is constantly updated and improved, so if you choose ESET NOD32, you can rest assured about the security of your computer.