Why Should We Use Antivirus Software?
As new malware develops daily, getting antivirus software to protect mobile devices and computers is essential. An antivirus will protect you against ransomware, data breaches, scams, identity theft, and other online threats. In this complete guide, we will cover the best antivirus options in the market. Each service will include exceptional privacy and security tools. Also, it will allow you to play, work, and enjoy day-to-day browsing without thinking about being compromised by any interruptions from popups and scams. But before diving into the detailed list of the best software, there are some other things that you must know. What Is An Antivirus Software? An antivirus software or an antivirus program is a security software specially designed to search, detect, prevent, and remove viruses or malware from computers, mobile phones, or any other device. It typically runs to scan computers, background processes, or mobile devices to restrict and detect the spread of malware. Several antivirus software includes real-time threat detection and protection to safeguard the devices from possible vulnerabilities. It also performs system scans to monitor system files and devices, looking for potential threats. An antivirus is typically installed on a computer device as a proactive approach to cybersecurity. It can help reduce various types of cyber threats, including Trojan horses, Keyloggers, worms, browser hijackers, spyware, rootkits, botnets, adware, ransomware protection, and phishing attempts. An antivirus software usually performs the following tasks, including: Why Is Antivirus Software Important? The goal of antivirus software is to protect a system against potential vulnerabilities and security threats. Additionally, it provides real-time security through automated vulnerability scans. There are several benefits of using antivirus software, including: Protection Against Pop-ups and Spam: One of the most typical ways viruses enter a system is through spam-based web pages and pop-up advertisements. An antivirus program or software automatically blocks the pop-ups and spam coming from malicious sites. Malware and Virus Protection: Antivirus software helps to protect a system against malicious threats, such as spyware and malware. Many cyber threats act as multipronged threat vectors attacking system data, degrading the system’s performance, spying on system resources, and stealing confidential information. Therefore, having trustworthy antivirus software running at all times is vital. Real-time Protection: Antivirus programs or software act as a real-time shield, scanning every inbound program and file. Depending on the features of the software, once a malicious program or file is detected, it is either automatically moved or deleted to a separate folder for further examination. A separate file is excluded from interacting with the rest of the system and its programs to prevent damage. Web-protection: Antivirus programs help to protect against spammy websites that threat actors use to gather bank and credit card information from unsuspicious users. By limiting access to malicious websites, a trustful antivirus program can stop users from accessing unauthorized websites. Boot-scan Command: Viruses can often replicate themselves while the system is active. However, antivirus software can help to prevent a virus from duplicating by initiating a boot-scan command. The command further stops the OS (operating system), restarts the computer, and scans the whole hard drive for malware and viruses. During the scanning process, the virus is detected and does not get a chance to duplicate itself due to the deactivation of the operating system. Protection From External Devices: Many people plug in external devices to their computer devices regularly, such as USB adapters and hard drives. Antivirus software scans all connected devices and peripherals to prevent potential viruses from penetrating the system through external sources. Dark Web Scanning: Data from most data violations, such as ransomware attacks, is usually leaked on the dark web. Several antivirus tools help organizations discover if their private data is leaked on the dark web or not. For instance, if they discover an associated account number or email address on the dark web, they can immediately notify the user and update their password to a more complex one. The Best Antivirus Software in 2024: The threat of cyberattacking is very real nowadays. As our lives are moving more online, the possibility of our confidential information being compromised is also increasing. That is why it is important to have the best antivirus software installed on your mobile device, computer, or any other device. To help you choose the best antivirus program or software, we have compiled a list of the best antivirus software for 2024. Bitdefender Software Bitdefender is one of the best antivirus available because it provides exceptional malware protection rates and security from every type of online threat. Depending upon your plan, Bitdefender can be your all-around cybersecurity suite with a password manager or a VPN. Test Results: According to AV-Test, in the latest virus detection test, Bitdefender blocked 100% of threats from September to October 2023. This also included both 0-day and 4-week malware and other malicious threats. Also, it improved its score over the past testing period. Currently, it boasts maximum points in every category (usability, protection, and performance). Additionally, Bitdefender even got the “Product of the Year” from AV-Comparative ranking four times in total. It is notably more than the other antivirus programs. Features: Bitdefender is the best choice overall because of its extensive feature variety. For example, Scamio, an AI-powered chatbot, analyzes malicious links and messages to identify their trustworthiness. Although Advanced Threat Defense suspects any suspicious activities in real time and stops any zero-day attacks. Another feature of Bitdefender is Online Threat Prevention, which ensures the web pages you visit are reliable and safe. Also, you will get a VPN and a password manager with a daily data limit of 200 MB to keep you unknown online. While the VPN is only suitable for anonymity, it is found that it is unsuitable for heavy-data activities like gaming and video streaming. Pricing: Bitdefender prices start at $29.99 per year if you choose their Antivirus Plus plan. This option protects up to three Windows devices with important features. However, they provide various plans with numerous benefits (more simultaneous devices with extra security