Security and virus software

Learn how ransomware works and block hackers from holding your files hostage. How do you report identity theft? If you think your identity has been stolen, find out how to report it to the FTC, the police, or the government. Find out which one is the most suitable for you. United States English.

In order to view this page correctly, you must have a JavaScript-enabled browser and have JavaScript turned on. We apologize for any inconvenience. Learn how to enable it. Download Free Antivirus Software Our free download now includes much more to keep you safe and private online, including free antivirus, VPN, and firewall.

Introducing the new Avast One. Our free download now includes much more to keep you safe and private online, including free antivirus, VPN, and firewall. Private connection with VPN. Essential protection for your life today A free all-in-one service combining antivirus, VPN, performance enhancement, and security tools to help you stay private and safe. Learn more. Avast Free Antivirus. Easy to install, effortless to use.

Get essential antivirus protection. Avast Free Antivirus scans Windows devices, like your laptop or desktop PC, for privacy, security, and performance issues, then tells you how to fix things instantly. Over million users worldwide trust Avast. Join them. Intelligent Antivirus Detect and block viruses, malware, spyware, ransomware and phishing. We use smart analytics to stop threats before they affect you. CyberCapture Automatically send suspicious files for analysis in the cloud, and push a cure to all Avast users if it's a threat.

Wi-Fi Inspector Automatically detect weaknesses in your home Wi-Fi and strangers piggybacking on your network. Smart Scan Find all those cracks which allow malware to slip in, from unsafe settings and passwords to suspicious add-ons and out-of-date software.

Layer upon layer of security. Ryan Rentfro. Eric Scherer. Daryl Colley. What happens if I don't install a download manager? Why should I install the Microsoft Download Manager? In this case, you will have to download the files individually. You would have the opportunity to download individual files on the "Thank you for downloading" page after completing your download.

Files larger than 1 GB may take much longer to download and might not download correctly. You might not be able to pause the active downloads or resume downloads that have failed. Microsoft Security Essentials provides real-time protection for your home or small business PC that guards against viruses, spyware, and other malicious software.

Details Note: There are multiple files available for this download. Once you click on the "Download" button, you will be prompted to select the files you need.

File Name:. Date Published:. File Size:. System Requirements Supported Operating System. And also offers a secure browser experience in the process. If you're looking for malware protection and antivirus software with the best security features, here's the first thing you need to know: Microsoft Defender Antivirus -- the free antivirus software and virus protection program that comes with Windows 10 -- is a decent antivirus tool for protecting your PC and offering internet security.

Amazingly, Microsoft provided no built-in protection for Windows back in the days of Windows 95, 98 and XP. Using Microsoft Defender for threat detection should be your starting point for the best antivirus security on Windows and most people will find they don't need to go any further when it comes to nailing down an antivirus solution for identity theft protection.

However, keeping your personal data safe and guarding your privacy extends beyond virus protection, and that's where third-party antivirus software shines. A full AV software protection package can monitor your Windows operating system as well as MacOS, iOS and Android devices and include a password manager, secure online backup, identity theft protection, a VPN, parental control, webcam protection, protection against phishing and malicious websites and more -- all worthwhile security suite tools that can keep your data secure and guard your privacy.

To help you decide on the best antivirus software for your needs, I've put together a list of the best antivirus products for Windows 10, encompassing both free antivirus programs and subscription options. These picks of the best antivirus programs are a combination of recommendations from independent third-party labs AV-Test , AV-Comparatives and SE Labs , as well as our own hands-on testing.

We regularly research and test our options to determine which software leads the pack, and we update this list periodically based on those tests.

We would also like to note that antivirus software isn't the only security feature you should invest in. A secure virtual private network to protect your internet traffic, a password manager to keep track of login credentials and an end-to-end encrypted messaging app to stop others from spying on your communications are all essential in protecting your personal information.

Cybercriminals are becoming increasingly more sophisticated and high-profile attacks like the Columbia Pipeline hack are becoming more commonplace, which is concerning. Looking for free antivirus protection, malware protection or virus detection, willing to pay for an antivirus program that offers broad internet security coverage across all your devices, including from ransomware and phishing, or need to remove a computer virus or malware from your PC right now?

Here's where to start when looking for the best antivirus software for your needs. Honestly, if you practice safe computing -- you keep your software up to date, you use strong passwords with the help of a password manager , you steer clear of unexpected emails and you don't click suspicious links that may be phishing attempts -- you probably can avoid zero-day attacks and ransomware attacks.

And with the free Microsoft Defender Antivirus software running on Windows 10, you have a malware protection safety net if you do let your guard down. In fact, it is one of the best antivirus software. Note that Microsoft changed the name of Windows Defender to Microsoft Defender and has expanded the service to other platforms. This free antivirus program is built into Windows and it's turned on by default, the antivirus engine does its thing, and this antivirus solution will cover the basics of internet security.

Microsoft pushes new updates frequently. Defender also lets you tune the level of protection you want, giving you control over blocking potentially unwanted apps and protecting folders and files from a ransomware attack.

Note that Windows 10 will automatically disable its own Windows Defender antivirus when you install third-party antivirus. If you uninstall the third-party protection, Windows 10 will turn back on its own antivirus. Norton antivirus provides industry-leading security software for PC, Mac, and mobile devices. Note, we don't think antivirus protection is terribly useful outside the Windows realm.

In addition to malware and virus protection for your computer and mobile device, this antivirus suite provides GB of backup to the cloud, safe-browsing tools, a secure VPN, password manager, parental controls and LifeLock identity theft protection and fraud alert. While not all of those services are necessarily best in their respective class, getting them all in one package is a compelling option. If you'd like to take a step up in securing your PC without taxing your wallet, it's hard to beat Bitdefender's free antivirus software for Windows The Windows security software offers real-time monitoring for viruses, malware, spyware and ransomware protection.

Bitdefender Antivirus Free Edition is easy to set up and stays out of your way until you need it. And the protection this antivirus product offers is solid.

Bitdefender antivirus software consistently earns top marks for its antivirus protection and usability from the respected AV-Test independent testing lab. The free antivirus version covers one Windows PC. Malwarebytes does protect your PC from a virus or malware attack, scoring reasonably well in recent independent testing for guarding against malware threats.

But that's not really what Malwarebytes is known for. If you find yourself in trouble, the go-to disinfectant for many is Malwarebytes. To get the antivirus company's free antivirus version, download this trial version , which "downgrades" to a no-fee on-demand cleaner with fewer features that detects and removes viruses and malware when you run an on-demand antivirus scan after 14 days. In addition to the four antivirus apps we recommend above, a handful of other anti-malware tools are worth considering among the best antivirus protection if you find them at a better price or just prefer to use one over our picks above.

It feels like McAfee Antivirus has been around forever, first on its own in the '80s, then as part of Intel starting in , and then again on its own when Intel spun it off in And McAfee Total Protection has been around forever because quarter after quarter it creates solid, modern antivirus software that protects your PC.

In recent evaluations by AV-Test, it had high scores on both protection and performance. Maybe this antivirus provider is not as well known to consumers because of its focus on enterprise security, Trend Micro antivirus quietly brings its business expertise to the home with its Trend Micro Maximum Security tools. Trend Micro's software earns high marks from AV-Test -- consistently scoring well for detecting zero-day attacks and widespread viruses and malware.