The internet has grown to become an integral part of our day-to-day lives, connecting people, answering queries, and reaching out to millions of users through platforms like social media, blogs, etc.
Almost all the tasks related to education, finance, and legal formalities are accessible with the internet but as every coin has two sides, all these perks come in with the threat of being hit by the virus or getting hacked, etc. To prevent this serious issue and dangerous invasion of privacy, antivirus apps are the right solution.
In this article, we will discuss the importance of antivirus apps and the best anti-malware apps available along with their features. This is an important step towards ensuring the safety of all your devices like laptops, smartphones, etc. by using malware protection.
Why Do We Need Antivirus Software?
On a global scale, there are threats while using the internet or unknown sources as if it is corrupted with malware then it will cause damage to your device, even lead to stealing of your highly sensitive personal data such as banking passwords, documents, web-cam access, etc. All these sound scary and are a real issue that one cannot simply leave as it is not possible to ensure protection by simply preventing using or downloading suspicious files, links, documents, etc.
Some of the malware is capable of crashing your system or simply slowing it down which makes it impossible to enable the smooth running of your device, no matter what changes one makes. It is always better to seek professional help such as from the official service centre or consumer helpline but as it said, prevention is better than cure, hence it is always recommended to get malware protection.
Malware Attack
The malware can easily enter your devices and most of them do not have any visible changes or effects hence making it difficult to analyze without the usage of antivirus or antimalware software.
The awareness about this importance and the impact of viruses have given rise to several options of antivirus apps available across the budget range, with a wide range of features and for a different number of devices, platforms like iOS, Android, Windows OS, etc.
Apart from using the free solutions, it is good to buy an antivirus package with authenticity due to the element of trust and other advantages that it brings in. This is the best way to get peace of mind while using or browsing online.
Also, some of the solutions bring in features like parental control, which is extremely useful to monitor and keep children restricted to the sites you want to. Let us check out the best anti-malware apps or antivirus apps available as of 2021.
Best Antivirus App
Below are the antivirus apps you can use to keep your device secure and safe:
1. Microsoft Defender
Windows Microsoft Defender is a free Windows antivirus software that comes as in-built protection against malicious viruses for Windows 10 users. However, if you are a Windows OS user and in search of advanced protection then the Windows Defender Advanced Threat Protection is available, however, it is not free.
Windows users can enjoy safe computing by keeping this software up to date, ensuring the passwords are strong, and avoiding any links or emails that seem suspicious or as phishing attempts. This feature is automatically turned on by default hence, the users need not keep checking for it.
It helps in providing basic protection of internet security, scanning of the device regularly, and provides the user with the day the power to control potentially unwanted app or document downloads, hence protecting the files and data stored in the device.
Important note:
If a third-party antivirus app is installed on the device then the Windows Defender antivirus software will automatically disable from the device and once uninstalled, it will turn back immediately.
2. McAfee Total Protection
The McAfee antivirus software is one of the most trusted solutions for protection against malware and is used by over 500 million users as a cybersecurity and antivirus app. This software has bagged several online test laboratory awards such as AV-Test, PcMag, AV-Comparatives, and The Anti-Malware Testing Standard Organization.
The McAfee Total protection offers features like device or PC optimization, a vulnerability scanner to detect issues caused due to unused vulnerable applications, multiple device accessibility packs, a warning system when the user approaches a risky website, and much more. The pricing changes with the pack available for an individual device, group of three, five, or ten devices.
The general features that all of these packs provide are:
- Security for home networks
- Optimization of PC or laptop performance
- Safety for web browsing
- McAfee shredder allows the users to delete files without leaving any traces behind.
3. Norton 360
Norton 360 is one of the best anti-malware apps for almost all the operating systems such as Windows, Android, and Mac along with PCs, laptops, etc. It is available for individual PC or Mac and groups of three, and five which are named Norton Plus, Norton 360 Standard, and Norton 360 Deluxe respectively.
Apart from providing protection solutions for the devices against viruses, it comes in with cloud storage backup, browsing security tools, secured VPN connectivity, password management, fraud alert, and identity theft protection (LifeLock). Hence, this all-in-one package is a must-try option that also comes with a 14 days free trial feature.
4. Bitdefender Mobile Security
Bitdefender Mobile Security is one of the best Antivirus Apps for android devices which provides complete malware protection without impacting the performance of the smartphone. It has a VPN client, malicious site blocking feature, and it integrates almost seamlessly with the Android Wear watch.
The privacy protection tools include a Wi-Fi scanner, app lock, and notifications about data-breaching activities or anti-theft implementation. Android users can enjoy its 14 days free trial period however the free version of the application is not available. Note that the Bitdefender Antivirus Free for Android app is another solution that protects the device against malware alone.
Another benefit that this service provides is 200MB of free data with the built-in VPN client that might come in handy during travelling or checking mail, etc.
Final Words
In this article, we have discussed some of the best antivirus apps available for users of different platforms and devices. Hope this was useful in finding the exact package of protection against threats and malware for your device.
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