A good antivirus program safeguards your system from threats such as spyware, viruses, worms keysloggers, adware rootkits, and cryptojackers. It searches for harmful files on your device and, based on its settings, either deletes or places them in a quarantine. It can also block dangerous websites and stop your devices connecting to unsafe WiFi networks.
Most modern tablets and smartphones have built-in antivirus protection. However, these apps typically aren’t as effective as standalone cybersecurity suites. In this article, we’ve reviewed the top antivirus programs that provide solid malware detection rates as well as various other security options, including anti-phishing tools and the ability to use a VPN, disk optimization tools, parental controls, and much more.
Viruses, Trojans, and Worms
Viruses are the most common type of malware, and they can be spread from one device to the next via email attachments, or by visiting websites that are infected. These viruses can do anything from stealing passwords, financial information to destroy important files. Worms are similar to viruses, but they may also create botnets that can be used for spam or attacks on other computers. Trojans can track users using their keyboards and keystrokes.
A reputable antivirus program can also block malicious websites created to collect credit card information and banking information from inexperienced users. It can also protect you from ransomware that locks your files and enslaves them until you pay a cost to retrieve them. The top antivirus programs on this list even have the ability to prevent ransomware’s installation by preventing your system from downloading its software.