Antivirus programs still play and will continue to play an important role in safeguarding our computers and its saved data especially account passwords and credit card info. In this modern day and age in which cyber attacks and identity theft cases are as common as lilies in the month of June, the battle for antivirus supremacy heats up.
Not all antivirus software programs are created equal, some are actually more equal than others, while we recognise that antivirus software programs such as Norton and Kaspersky are among the best you can get out there, these don’t come without a price, Kaspersky for instance which was recently awarded “Product of the Year” by the respected independent testing laboratory AV-Comparatives for overall results as well as for the highest quality data recovery on infected computers by AV-Test for 2012 costs $59.95, not everybody could afford to spend that kind of money on an antivirus software, we’ve therefore decided to come up with another comprehensive list of the very best free antivirus software programs for your PC, whether it’s Windows Xp,Windows Vista, Windows 7 or Windows 8, Mac or Linux operating system.10. Ad-Aware Free Internet Security
This is one of the most trusted free spyware tools you can get, Ad-Aware’s over 450 million downloads has made it the world’s most downloaded security software, It’s a superfast antivirus that complements Ad-Aware’s legendary anti-spyware and has been a benchmark in the industry for years. It now features download protection (blocks malicious files before being written to disk), sandboxing (keeps unknown apps running in a virtual environment) and advanced detection, the free version comes with a real-time anti-virus and malware protection, and some of the latest technologies you would expect from any antivirus such as real time protection, automatic threat updates and even a silent mode protection that enables you to play your games and watch your movies without being disturbed, it also features Malware sandbox emulator, safe browsing and identity protection
9. AVG Free Anti-Virus 2013
AVG Free Antivirus is one of the most popular, highly rated antivirus software for free download for your PC or Mac system. It has lots of security oriented features that makes it one of the most desirable antivirus programs, it also comes with free anti-spyware protection built right in, it can detect and stop viruses, threats and malware but that doesn’t end there, AVG also provides free phone support whenever you need them 24/7, CNET has an excellent 5 star review for AVG free anti virus software
Although it doesn’t provide protection against instant messaging viruses and may not be as strong as the likes of Comodo, Avira or AntiVir Persona, it also doesn’t provide faster scan during video streaming and can sometimes show false positives, but you can be rest assured of the powerful protection behind the scenes and a good ID protection that covers your back and secures all your personal data, the paid version offers more protection for your instant messages, emails, and downloads, they also have a mobile version that is available for Android
8. Malwarebytes Anti-Malware
Much has happened since Malwarebytes first introduced its application back in early 2008. Now boasting a whopping 200 million downloads worldwide (and counting), Malwarebytes offers quite a bit more for the non existent price tag. It continues to provide advanced malware protection and quick removal while utilizing Chameleon technology to get the application running on already infected systems. When malware blocks Malwarebytes from running properly, the software triggers the “mbam-chameleon” app that helps install and update the necessary drivers required for the program to run. The app then targets the processes that blocked Malwarebytes from running in the first place before scanning for other threats. Access to the knowledgeable support network and the slew of language options are an added perk to the free software. The paid version, which costs $25, opens up real-time scanning and a scheduler for updates and scans.
7. Microsoft Security Essentials
This is free antivirus software from Microsoft, Microsoft Security Essential or MSE for short helps guard against viruses, spyware, and other malicious software. It provides real-time protection for your home or small business PCs. This software supports Windows 7 but not on Windows 8, which has a built-in AV component, Windows Vista, and Windows XP currently available in 33 languages. This is a good antivirus that is not only lightweight but also competent enough to handle most viruses and malware you can find out there.
6. Avira Free Antivirus
On of the most desireable things about Avira is the fact that it runs completely silent without bothering you with all kinds of messages or something similar, in terms of weight it’s lightweight as well and doesn’t bring in a lot of modifications in the CPU usage and Memory fields, it’s a pretty solid antivirus and worth taking a look at.
5. Avast Free Antivirus
Free Avast Antivirus is the freeware version of the Avast! this is a widely used antivirus program, with over 165 million users worldwide, The name Avast is an acronym of “Anti-Virus – Advanced Set, this software has been awarded VB100 Award by Virus Bulletin multiple times for 100% detection of “in-the-wild” viruses, it offers a pretty solid protection against computer viruses, Download Avast! here.
4. Panda Cloud Antivirus
This is a cloud-based and free edition, it is based on Panda’s Collective Intelligence. This antivirus can run constantly, providing protection against viruses and malicious websites but slowing the system to some extent. The new version is improving scanning speeds. The other aspect you need to consider before getting this software is the fact that Panda Cloud Antivirus stores its virus definitions online meaning that you have to be online to reap full benefit, on the other hand your definitions will always up to date. Panda Security detects viruses, Trojans, worms, spyware, dialers, hacking tools, jokes and security risks (Download)
3. ComboFix
ComboFix is a free software program, created by sUBs, this antivirus can scan your computers for known malware, and when found, attempts to clean these infections automatically. It can also show you a report that can be used by trained helpers to remove malware that is not automatically removed by the program. This software can be used when there are viruses or malware that softwares like malwarebytes could not remove, it is recommended that you do not run ComboFix unless you are specifically asked to by a helper.
2. Comodo Firewall + Antivirus
Comodo Internet Security is the “free, multi-layered security application that keeps hackers out and personal information in”, it comes with firewall and antivirus bundled together, if you are looking for a product that is free to use which offers both antivirus and firewall, then Comodo might be what you are looking for.
1. Common Sense 2013 (Available For Free)
This is definitely the best protection you can get and it’s also available for free, it’s always there with you but you have to decide whether to use it or not.
Common sense will tell you to:
- Install a free antivirus download, anti-spyware and firewall protection.
- Make antivirus scans routine.
- Create strong passwords
- Don’t open unknown e-mail attachments or emails from unknown sources
- Employ spam blocking or filtering tools to block unsolicited emails or instant messages.
- Keep your virus definitions up-to-date.
- Mind the sites you visit and don’t download anything you are not aware of
- Secure your browser
- Treat IM suspiciously
- Avoid P2P and distributed filesharing.
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