A reliable antivirus program defends your system from threats like viruses, worms, spyware keyloggers, adware cryptojackers, and rootkits. It examines harmful files on your device and, depending upon its settings, either removes or puts them in a quarantine. It can also block malicious websites and stop your devices connecting to unsafe WiFi networks.
The majority of modern smartphones and tablets come with built-in anti-virus protection. However, these apps often aren’t as powerful as standalone cybersecurity suites. In this article, we’ve rounded up the best antivirus programs that offer strong malware detection rates and many other protections, including anti-phishing tools and the ability to use a VPN, disk optimization tools as well as parental controls and much more.
Viruses, Trojans, and Worms
Viruses are the most well-known form of malware, can be transmitted from one device or computer to another through emails and infected websites. These viruses can be used to steal passwords and financial information to destroying important files. Worms can resemble viruses, however they can also create botnets that can be used to send spam or attack on automate accounting and management other computers. Trojans can track users using their keyboards and keystrokes.
A reputable antivirus program can also block malicious websites that are designed to steal credit card or banking information from unaware users. It can also safeguard your system from ransomware that encrypts your files and holds them hostage unless you pay a fee to unlock them. The top anti-virus software on this list include a feature to prevent ransomware, by preventing your computer from downloading its code.
