Paid best antivirus programs for windows 7. What is the best antivirus for a computer? Distribution of places according to the results of the rating

Antivirus software is the most reliable comprehensive solution to combat online threats. To assess their severity, consider the most common types malicious attacks:

Viruses. In general terms, this term is used in relation to all malware, but viruses are only those programs that are able to independently penetrate a computer and add malicious code, or, in other words, “infect” a file, program, or the entire system. The result of a virus infection may be a system failure due to a violation of the data layout structure, or even complete removal operating system.

Trojans, unlike viruses, do not infect other programs. Trojans also do not penetrate the computer on their own - attackers disguise them under the guise of useful software that the user installs himself. Trojans cause even more harm, because in addition to deleting system and personal files, they can steal confidential information.

Worms are malicious programs that more dangerous than viruses and Trojans due to the high speed of distribution using network resources. Instantly calculating network addresses, worms penetrate other computers, create working folders on system drives, and thereby lead to system freezes.

Spyware - this software is used to collect confidential information about a specific user by completely scanning the system and work folders of his computer. Spyware operates on someone else's PC completely unnoticed, without any visible load on the operating system. In addition to receiving personal data spyware used to remotely control someone else's computer.

Ransomware whose goal is to break into a computer, gain access to personal media files and encrypt them in order to extort funds for their decryption.

Spam is a separate type of malicious attack, which is a mass mailing of postal letters financial, political and propaganda character. Attackers use spam for a variety of purposes - from luring a large amount of money out of the addressee to a banal load on mail servers which results in the loss of important data.

There is another common and dangerous type of malicious attack that should be considered separately.

Types of phishing attacks

Phishing attacks become more and more threatening over time, due to

TOP 10 Antivirus for Windows

10th place - Quick Heal.

A family of products from the Indian company Quick Heal. Despite the fact that the quality of the work of Indian programmers is not the best in the world, this antivirus is quite suitable for use and will successfully rid the computer of worms, viruses and other evil spirits. The company's line includes many different variations of anti-virus software, both for home PCs and for servers and smartphones. For a home PC, the most advanced is Quick Heal Total Security . This is a comprehensive software that is designed to comprehensively protect the system and optimize its performance.

This giant includes many functions and modules. First, Quick Heal Total Security comes with antivirus, firewall, and antispam protection. The user has everything necessary to clean the system from viruses. Secondly, Quick Heal Total Security protects data from unauthorized copying. This is implemented in two functions - blocking USB ports and CD / DVD drives, and deleting data without the possibility of recovering it. Another valuable option of Quick Heal Total Security is virus scanning of mobile devices. That is, you can check the smartphone connected to the computer for viruses.

9th place - AVG.

After the Indians come the Czechs. AVG Antivirus - the brainchild of the Czech company AVG Technologies, can scan files, mail and is able to monitor computer activity 24/7. This antivirus has a free version, which can be used indefinitely with almost no loss of functionality. Opportunities like anti-spam and firewall are cut off, but you can surf the Internet quite calmly. The company's product line includes products such as AVG AntiVirus for Android, AVG AntiVirus for Mac, AVG AntiVirus FREE(for PC) and AVG Internet Security (for PC). The most powerful product is AVG Ultimate.

AVG Ultimate is the most complete package best apps AVG for virus protection, malware, privacy, and optimization of any devices. Provides protection and optimization applications that can be installed on an unlimited number of Windows, Mac, and Android devices, and also allows you to remotely manage each application through a single control panel available on any Windows PC or Android smartphone/tablet. The package also includes an Anti-Theft application that allows you to remotely track, lock or erase all data from Android devices in case they are lost.

AVG Ultimate includes the following set of tools for ALL of your personal devices:

• AVG Internet Security for Windows - Advanced protection against viruses, malware and hacker attacks.
• AVG AntiVirus PRO for Android - Advanced anti-theft and malware protection for mobile devices.
• AVG AntiVirus for Mac - Real-time malware protection for Mac
• AVG PC TuneUp® for Windows - Allows you to free up disk space, speed up performance and extend battery life.
• AVG Cleaner™ PRO for Android - Helps free up disk space, extend battery life and find duplicate photos.
• AVG Cleaner™ for Mac - Frees up disk space and finds hidden duplicate files.

8th place - Avast.

And again the Czech Republic. The main advantages of Avast products are low computer load and high scanning speed. The product line is as follows: Avast Mobile Security, Avast Business, Avast Free Antivirus, Avast Internet Security. Well, the advanced version for home use is Avast Premier.

Avast Premier - more equipped Avast version Internet Security, which, in addition to such security tools as protection against all kinds of threats, network attacks, the presence of cloud technologies, an automatic sandbox and a safe SafeZone environment, offers the user additional functions for remote connection to a PC, permanent deletion files, as well as a fully automatic software update manager.

But that's not all. Are Avast Premier features not enough for you and want the most? No problem! Everything you need to protect and effective work PC, in one easy-to-use premium Avast Ultimate package! This includes Avast Premier for maximum protection against malware and ransomware. Complete privacy when browsing websites, banking and shopping online. Simple and secure password management and data protection. The best cleaning tools that speed up your PC in minutes. Four solutions in one package - a great combination.

6th place - Emsisoft.

The sixth place in the ranking of antiviruses is taken by an Austrian product based on its own developments - Emsisoft. It is able to protect the user's computer both from ordinary viruses, Trojans and spyware, but also blocks access to dangerous sites, checks everything executable files and the course of already known programs. According to the developers, users will not even feel the load on the system from the antivirus. The company offers products for both home and business.

This Emsisoft Anti-Malware Home and Business Security. Also have Anti-Malware Free, which offers free antivirus protection for home PCs with a number of restrictions and Anti-Malware Home & Mobile, which allows you to use the antivirus not only on a PC, but also on a mobile device. For business there is Enterprise Security, extended version business security, which added comprehensive protection for Windows Server s. In general, according to tests, Emsisoft products look quite convincing and you should not deprive them of attention.

The products of this company are not familiar to most Russian-speaking users and are not represented in our stores.

5th place - Antivirus.

Kaspersky Free- Free Kaspersky Anti-Virus with cloud technologies kaspersky security network. The solution offers file antivirus, web antivirus, VPN, network attack protection and activity monitoring.

Kaspersky Internet Security is a comprehensive Kaspersky Anti-Virus for universal protection against all Internet threats. Includes application control, secure payments and new features: protection of data collection and control of changes in the operating system.

Kaspersky Endpoint Security for workstations provides comprehensive protection of endpoints based on Windows, Windows Server (computers, laptops) from known and new threats, network and fraudulent attacks and other unwanted information.

2nd place - Bitdefender Antivirus.

In second place in the top 10 antiviruses is a range of software from a Romanian company, whose antivirus engine is in first place in terms of the number of licenses sold - it is used by many companies around the world when developing their own antiviruses.

There are protection options for personal computers, mobile devices, corporate networks. Antivirus from Bitdefender, including its free version, provides real-time scanning and protection, virus control, malware detection and neutralization, as well as web protection and anti-rootkit. And all this requires very little system resources during operation thanks to SmartScan technology. The company's product line is so wide that a whole article is not enough to tell about everything.

But the most popular ones cannot be ignored.

Bitdefender Internet Security- solves all the problems of ensuring security when working on the Internet. It provides protection against viruses, spyware, spam, phishing attempts, intrusions, and malicious web content. Powerful comprehensive antivirus to protect your computer from malware, important information from online threats and network attacks. Among the novelties of the version are a new generation firewall and an improved Parental control(total protection of your children's access from unwanted websites). OneClick security no questions asked. A unique Bitdefender Central account will allow you to install and administer security products on all your devices.

Bitdefender Security for Endpoints- the best solution because it provides the best combination of leading performance and protection according to independent tests, an advanced remote management console, plus value for money. Powerful central management console. Manage any number of computers with ease using new console control center. It allows you to use advanced filters, group policies, custom roles and privileges, plus more.

Leading protection and performance. WITH advanced technologies threat detection and optimization, such as Bitdefender Photon, Security for Endpoints leads the way in independent tests, demonstrating superior protection and uncompromising performance. Content and web filtering. Instead of additional protection services, you can use all the benefits built into the Security for Endpoints product right from the start. Anti-phishing, web filtering, search advisor, user and web controls are already included.

1st place - Antivirus AVIRA.

Well, the first place is occupied by AVIRA anti-virus software from the German company of the same name. The software of this company received the best scores in all indicators - virus detection, performance, real-time protection and malware removal. AVIRA has both a free version for private use and a paid one, which, however, differs from the free version only in web protection and mail checking. Moreover, with the help of AVIRA you can even find a lost phone or block it in case of danger.

For normal user except free version The company can offer the following products:

• Avira Antivirus Pro- simple, lightweight and reliable antivirus. Includes comprehensive protection against viruses, identity theft and financial losses. This excellent set of security tools is ideal solution to protect the user, computer and important data. The new Avira Antivirus Pro uses advanced and powerful antivirus protection features, including cloud-based detection technologies. The basic solution from Avira offers reliable protection which really works.
• Avira Internet Security Suite is an anti-virus solution that meets high security and speed requirements. Uses Avira's reliable and effective cloud-based protection against all types of malware and Internet threats. Internet Version Security Suite includes an easy-to-use tool for tuning and optimizing System Speedup, protecting Android devices.
• Avira Prime- Avira Prime includes Avira Antivirus Pro (antivirus and firewall), Avira Phantom VPN Pro (encryptor), Avira System Speedup Pro (cleaner and optimizer) Windows work), Avira Software Updater Pro (application and driver updater), Avira Password Manager Pro (password manager). It is currently the most advanced version of Avira's antivirus software.

For the corporate segment The software package is as follows:

• Avira Antivirus Pro - Business Edition is an easy to use antivirus software solution, which is ideal for commissioning in small and medium-sized enterprises. A simplified scaling system gives you the ability to expand antivirus protection as your business grows. Multifunctional resource does not require the cost of Maintenance. Signature-based attack detection, heuristic analysis, and cloud-based scanning provide comprehensive malware protection. Enhanced Web Protection enables employees to search the Internet safely. Antivirus Pro scans locally installed email clients so employees cannot obtain or distribute malware using Email. All devices on which the solution is installed can be managed using a clear online panel.
• Avira Antivirus for Endpoint- is a comprehensive anti-virus software solution for protecting workpoints and file servers. The package license includes the use of products such as Avira Professional Security, Avira Server Security, Avira Management Console and Avira Update Manager, the price depends on the number of workstations for scaling.
• Avira Antivirus for Small Business is a package solution for protecting the IT system of small organizations. All-in-one comprehensive software is suitable for preventing viruses and malware from infecting individual workstations, servers and e-mail. The package license includes the use of products such as Avira Exchange Security - Small Business Edition, Avira Server Security, Avira Professional Security and Avira Management Console.

Antivirus for Android

Every owner of a modern gadget who cares about the security of their data should think about a good antivirus. In this article, we will talk about the most effective and high-quality antiviruses for Android devices. All applications presented on this page can be downloaded for free from Google Play and do not worry about the safety of your data.

Antivirus for Android is a special application to protect your device from malware. The term "malicious software" refers to all possible types dangerous programs such as viruses, worms, trojans and spyware.

To protect your smartphone and tablet, you need only high-quality antiviruses, which, unfortunately, are not so numerous on Android. Therefore, the list contains only the most powerful and working utilities.

Antiviruses are installed in the same way as any other applications. It is difficult to say with complete certainty which of the antivirus programs for Android is the best, but based on numerous reviews, we have tried to compile the Top 10 best applications to protect your phone.

Pros and cons of antiviruses on the phone

Consider the main advantages and disadvantages of antiviruses installed on Android devices.

Pros:

1. Virus protection when downloading files.
2. Blocking of malicious sites.
3. Additional functionality, such as: Anti-Theft, Anti-Spam, AppLock, autorun manager, as well as the presence in some versions of the possibility of cleaning, speeding up, saving battery, etc.

Minuses:

1. For the security of the device, any antivirus must always be in a running state, which is why it will take up some computing power (RAM).
2. As a rule, all antivirus programs for android are shareware, and for full functionality you need to purchase the Pro version.
3. Periodically, all antiviruses react to normal applications from the Play Market as malicious.

It is up to you to install an antivirus on your Android or not, but we can say with confidence that by installing a good antivirus program on your smartphone or tablet, you definitely won’t make it worse.

10 Best Free Antivirus for Android

1. Avast Mobile Security

Additional functions:

• Firewall.

2. AVG AntiVirus Free

Antivirus detects 100% of threats in real time.

Additional functions

• Anti-theft: remote blocking, cleaning and searching for a mobile device.
• Blacklist and block incoming calls from unknown numbers.
• Protection against dangerous sites and phishing.
• Wi‑Fi network security check.

Antivirus detects 100% of threats in real time.

Additional functions

• Anti-theft: remote blocking, cleaning and searching for a mobile device.
• Protection against dangerous sites and phishing.
• Protect apps with a fingerprint scanner.
• Module for finding lost smart watches.

Antivirus detects 100% of threats in real time.

Security Master is not just an antivirus for your Android phone. This app has a full set of powerful features, including:

• Smart diagnostics - antivirus, junk removal, phone boost, power saving, CPU cooling;
• SafeConnect VPN - fast and secure VPN proxy;
• Wi-Fi security - scans Wi-Fi networks for threats;
• Anti-theft alarm - protects your phone from theft by issuing an alarm signal;
• Message security - hides the view of notifications;
• App lock - locks and password-protects apps on your phone;
• Intruder Photo - Takes pictures of intruders using your phone. Main functions:
  Intelligent Diagnostics
  Antivirus: Security Master is a free virus removal software for android phones, which protects your phone and privacy from the vast majority of viruses and malware with the #1 antivirus engine.
  Junk Cleaner is a storage cleaner that allows you to smartly scan and delete files with just one click. junk files, including system files and application cache files.
  Speed ​​up your phone, save power and cool down the CPU - remove background apps that take up a lot of memory, overheat the CPU and drain the battery. Safe Connect VPN
  Bypass firewalls and seamlessly access blocked sites and videos that are not available in your country, all anonymously and without being tracked.
  Hide your IP address and use a virtual location, secure your online activities to prevent internet banking information, private messages and browser history from being leaked. WiFi security
  Security Master is the most reliable protector for your phone. It detects and detects phishing in WiFi networks, checks network speed and securely protects your phone's online security. Anti-Theft Alert
  The anti-theft alarm protects your phone from theft by turning on an alarm sound signal when someone moves the phone. Message Security
  Message Security allows you to timely hide notification previews to protect your privacy. It allows you to consolidate all chat notifications, making them easier to read and manage. Application Lock
  Locks Bluetooth and Wi-Fi switches, apps, photos or any personal data with a pattern, PIN or fingerprint. Protect your phone from viruses, malware and other security threats with Security Master - free antivirus for Android. Protect your privacy with App Lock, SafeConnect VPN, Wi-Fi Security and more.

6 Norton Mobile Security

Antivirus detects 100% of threats in real time.

Additional functions

• Anti-theft: remote blocking, cleaning and searching for a mobile device.
• Blacklist and block incoming calls from unknown numbers.
• Protection against dangerous sites and phishing.
• Protection against dangerous sites and phishing.
• Protection against leakage of data about your contacts to third parties.

Currently, the use of antivirus is an integral part of working on a PC, laptop or mobile device. Of course, you can neglect this software, but then Internet surfing is associated with a huge risk of not only losing all the information available on the computer, but also hopelessly ruining the hardware. Many modern viral programs are often compared to a baseball bat in terms of surprise, strength and accuracy of impact. Is it worth the risk? For those who answered negatively to this question, there is a special software. This article lists the TOP-10 of the best and most popular antiviruses on the Russian market. In addition, you will learn how to choose the right programs for PC on Windows and Mac platforms, as well as mobile phones on the Android platform.

Why you should use antivirus software

Viruses are commonly referred to as malicious programs capable of self-replication and self-copying. Along the way, they harm the device itself and (or) the information placed on it, infecting files. The main methods of distribution of spyware and virus programs:

• through external information carriers(memory card, removable disk, flash drive, etc.);
• via e-mail (in attachments);
• through messengers and social networks;
• through web pages. An alien program instantly recognizes weak links in the protection of a computer device and integrates into the system.

The task of antiviruses is to prevent the malicious activity of such software and signals. In addition to the protective function, their direct duty, they also have the following list of features:

• blocking access to potentially dangerous web resources;
• parental control (protection of minors from unnecessary information);
• protecting users from ads.

Where to buy and how to install

Buy a licensed product or use "pirated" products - the user decides. Of course, the first option is preferable, since the buyer will not have any problems either with the operation of the antivirus or with the law. Best Places purchases - official websites of manufacturing companies, as well as trusted computer equipment stores.

A matter of seconds after accessing the Internet. Viruses that spread on flash drives and other removable media are also on the alert. A number of worms are able to use wireless connection WiFi. Given all this, the issue of choosing an antivirus becomes especially acute and urgent.

What you need to know to choose the right antivirus?

Of course, you should choose an antivirus among the most famous, reputable and proven programs. Indeed, the creation of an antivirus capable of effectively detecting and neutralizing all types of viruses, as well as promptly tracking the emergence of new threats is not an easy task, which can only be experienced and big company. There are several such antiviruses, among them you should choose. At the same time, the share of personal preferences is high in choosing an antivirus. Each specialist will warmly recommend their favorite brand to you, accusing the rest of inefficiency, gluttony of resources, etc. These statements should be sensibly assessed, they are largely subjective. All presenters are quite effective, although they differ in the nuances of work and settings. Therefore, it would be wise to try several of them and choose the one that suits you best. Remember that you should not run several anti-virus programs at the same time - they will interfere with each other's work. Before installing and starting the antivirus, the existing one should be stopped and uninstalled.

So, here is a list of noteworthy programs from which you can choose an antivirus.

Leading brands of Russian origin - Dr. Web and Kaspersky Anti-Virus. These products High Quality which are appreciated not only in our country, but also abroad. In addition, domestic antiviruses, as a rule, respond faster and better to new threats that appear in our country.

Kaspersky Anti-Virus is the leading product on this moment. Heuristic that allows you to detect even previously unknown threats, update the database several times a day, check the contents of archives, etc.

Dr. Web is also a fairly powerful anti-virus tool, loved by users for its careful attitude to computer resources. A good choice for equipment with insufficient power.

ESET NOD32 is a relatively young and promising antivirus program that is quickly gaining popularity among users.

Panda Antivirus is also quite a popular and effective product.

Avast! - an antivirus that has an important advantage over others: for individual non-commercial use, the full-featured version is completely free. The reason is not the excessive kindness and generosity of the creators of the product. It's just that in order to fight network epidemics, it is more effective to provide users with powerful protection for free than to try to neutralize massive virus attacks from millions of infected computers.

Historical reference

The first documented computer virus appeared in 1981 (it was created by 15-year-old schoolboy Richard Skrenta), and in 1984 the first anti-virus programs were written, which were a set of several dozen signatures (virus code samples). In subsequent years, with the development of technology, viruses turned from rather primitive programs into complex intellectual developments that can cause entire "epidemics", infecting users' computers around the world and causing serious damage.

Other types of malicious software have also appeared - worms, Trojans and others. As a result safe use computer without antivirus installed on it has become extremely difficult.

As for antiviruses, they all work on approximately the same principle.

If you look from the outside, the antivirus can be mistaken for a virus, but only "useful". The work of antiviruses is to monitor network traffic, listen on ports, control services, modify and delete files, collect statistics and send data to the software developer. All actions of antiviruses are aimed at protecting the user, - Sergey Kuzmenko, a specialist in testing information products of the Center for Digital Expertise of Roskachestvo, emphasized.

However, despite the obvious benefits of antiviruses, it is not recommended to install two (or more) on one device at once. First, the programs will begin to conflict, as each will try to establish control over all the processes occurring on the computer. Secondly, they will try to block each other with certain components, considering them to be malicious. Taking into account that the anti-virus software market is highly competitive, manufacturers are constantly conducting custom research in laboratories, private organizations make their own ratings, which are then widely publicized by the winners to attract buyers, and marketers come up with new advertising moves, like a consumer without special knowledge to make a choice in favor of one product or another?

The research conducted by Roskachestvo will help in solving this problem.

Study parameters

Roskachestvo, together with the International Assembly of Consumer Research and Testing (ICRT), conducted a study of antivirus programs, testing 35 products from 19 manufacturers, including both paid and free versions. 25 antiviruses were intended for the Windows operating system, 10 for macOS. The study took place in two leading accredited laboratories in Europe, whose objectivity and impartiality have been proven by numerous studies, the results of which are published in more than 50 countries around the world. In the same laboratories, the world's main manufacturers of antiviruses test their products. In order to avoid possible pressure from manufacturers, as well as the impact on the test results, their names are not mentioned in the text.

Antiviruses were evaluated on 365 indicators, which can be divided into three main groups: protection against malware (65% of the total score), usability (25% of the total score) and resource consumption (10% of the total score).

Malware Protection

Each product has been tested with laboratory instruments for its ability to combat various types viruses, worms and Trojans (Trojan-Banker, Trojan-PSW, Trojan-Ransom, Trojan-Spy, Trojan-Downloader

Lab experts searched 40 locations around the world for malware to find the latest versions at the time of testing. The tests took place in four stages and lasted a total of about a year.

Ilya Loevsky

Deputy Head of Roskachestvo

“More than 90 million malicious programs appear every year and spread through various channels, most often through mail services: incoming emails from unknown senders contain attachments with viruses. Trojans, ransomware, spyware, and other malware are the most common. In most cases, infection with a virus entails the loss of personal and payment data of users, extortion Money, as well as the complete loss of performance of a computer or local network.

FOR REFERENCE

Malicious programs are programs designed to cause damage (to a computer, network, server) and installed without the consent of users.

Viruses. They spread by illegally embedding their code into another program, they are able to “infect” many files on a computer, corrupting data, attacking the operating system, or giving hackers access to the computer.

Worms. Unlike viruses, such programs do not require human intervention to spread: after infecting one computer, worms spread to other devices through computer networks. Many worms "eat up" system resources, slowing down computer performance, and also contain malicious "components" designed to steal or delete files.

Trojans (Trojans). Disguised as useful (legitimate) files or software. Once launched, the Trojan gains control over the computer, making changes to the system without the owner's knowledge. More often than not, a Trojan-Downloader infection installs additional malware on the machine. In addition, Trojans can steal user accounts (Trojan-PSW), encrypt user files and demand a ransom for their decryption (Trojan-Ransom), steal user data accounts electronic banking systems, electronic payment systems, plastic cards (Trojan-Banker), as well as conduct electronic spying on users (Trojan-Spy).

Backdoors (bots). A piece of code that a developer intentionally inserts into a program in order to gain access to a computer or to protected functions of the software.

It is important to note that antiviruses have been tested for their ability to resist malware in both real-time and on-demand system scans. Thus, Roskachestvo has expanded the traditional testing methodology used by international organizations to test antiviruses in all possible situations.

All products were tested in parallel and at the same time, and were completely updated.

Real-time testing was conducted to evaluate the ability of an antivirus to prevent infection from the Internet. The test program included opening links leading to malicious sites, including phishing sites (safe browsing is disabled), plugging in a flash drive with malware (all types of malware were used) and running them, and installing ransomware (771 programs) . New this year was the test on the user's solution, as some antivirus programs often shift the responsibility for opening links or running unknown programs to the user.

FOR REFERENCE

They call one of the types of Internet fraud, the purpose of which is to obtain logins and passwords of users. Most often, attackers forge incoming emails in mailbox, inserting in them direct links to a site that is outwardly indistinguishable from the real one. Once a user lands on such a page, the scammers try to oblige him to enter his username and password in various ways in order to gain access to real accounts and bank accounts.

The purpose of the on-demand testing was to estimate how much malware would be detected by the antivirus offline, on the web (through the cloud) and at run time (file opening). In addition, the products were tested for false positives and tested for their ability to block phishing sites (800 links).

At the same time, it was first evaluated whether the anti-virus program would be able to recognize and stop the virus without an Internet connection, that is, without access to the manufacturer's cloud. If the program was unable to do this, the computer was connected to the Internet. If the antivirus did not recognize the malicious program even with the cloud, then it was launched, making it possible to infect the computer.

Based on the results of all four stages of testing, which lasted about a year in total, the antivirus had to stop 40,000 malicious programs found on the Internet no more than four weeks before the test. In addition, just as many programs were safe. They were used to evaluate antiviruses for false positives.

Those viruses that were not "caught" after all four stages of testing were launched again. This was done in order to understand whether antiviruses had learned to recognize relatively outdated malware, and whether among the viruses found on the open network there were those that turned out to be stronger than antiviruses.

Ease of use

In addition to assessing how well antiviruses cope with their main function - protecting the system - such an important indicator as ease of use was also studied. The fact is that it is not always easy for an ordinary user to understand the settings and interface. Despite the fact that manufacturers are constantly improving this parameter, there are still objective leaders and outsiders here.

The international laboratory studied four main groups of indicators: the help section, interface and navigation, convenience and personalization of settings, as well as the process of installing and uninstalling an anti-virus program.

Experts assessed whether it is easy to find the necessary information in the program, whether notifications about a risk to the system arrive in a timely manner, and whether the antivirus provides clear and understandable instructions in case a question or problem arises. Ease of installation and use in day-to-day operations, as well as the ease of understanding messages when malware is detected, also impacted the score. Thus, the greatest number of points for this parameter was received by those antiviruses whose operation was almost imperceptible in the absence of threats, and when they occurred, clear instructions were given that were understandable to any user.

Resource consumption / Impact on PC speed

Antivirus tests for this parameter were carried out both on a powerful computer and on a machine with low performance.

The influence of the product on the speed of the computer was evaluated (turning on and off the device, opening websites, copying and downloading files, archiving and unzipping, installing and running programs), the required volume random access memory, and how much space it takes up on your hard drive.

Results

Antivirus for Windows

According to the results of the study, the top five antivirus programs designed for the Windows operating system included:

Bitdefender Internet Security- 1 place. According to the results of the tests, it turned out to be the best in the ability to protect the computer from malware.

ESET Internet Security- 2nd place. Well protects the computer, one of the most convenient to use.

Bitdefender Antivirus Free Edition- 3rd place. The free version of the program, which turned out to be on the first line. Protects your computer almost as well, but many features have been cut.

Norton Security Deluxe- 4th place. It protects the computer well, while consuming few resources, and is quite easy to use.

Avast Free Antivirus- 5th place. Less convenient than the previous four, while protecting the computer well and consuming few resources.

Places from 6th to 10th went to Trend Micro Internet Security, Avast Internet Security, F-Secure Safe, AVG Antivirus Free And AVG Internet Security.

Antivirus for macOS

According to the test results, the top 3 best antiviruses for the macOS operating system included:

ESET Cyber ​​Security Pro- 1 place. One of the best in terms of malware protection and ease of use.

Kaspersky Internet Security- 2nd place. Protects the computer best of all, convenient, but consumes quite a lot of resources

Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac- 3rd place. Well protects the computer, convenient to use.

Rounding out the top five G Data Antivirus for Mac And Norton Security Deluxe.

It is worth noting two programs installed by default on Windows and Mac. Built-in macOS virus protection remained in last place in the ranking, as it was last year. At the same time, her overall score decreased, as this time she performed worse, not stopping almost a single virus.

At the same time, the built-in protection against Windows, on the contrary, improved its performance, showing itself worthy in the Internet threat protection test and stopping all ransomware viruses.

This result is due to the fact that the antivirus has an extensive client base and can learn quite quickly, replenishing the cloud with new types of malware. However, it is not able to fight phishing or provide protection without an Internet connection.

Paid or free?

As can be seen from the results of the study, free antiviruses can cope with their tasks as well as paid ones. However, there are several nuances here.

Firstly, free antiviruses, as a rule, have poorer functionality, and secondly, instead of paying for a subscription, the user usually shares his personal data with the company that developed the antivirus.

In addition, keep in mind that a free antivirus is software with disabled modules that are distributed for an additional fee. So, for example, a free product will most likely not protect against an encryption virus.

Moreover, according to the leading international cybercrime prevention and investigation companies, in particular, Group-IB, there have been cases when even paid versions of the most popular antiviruses did not save from malware, and as a result, various financial organizations became victims of fraudsters.

The fact that no antivirus can protect your PC 100% was also confirmed by the results of our research.

Note that a new study is already starting, the results of which will be published in 2020 - and, for sure, companies that have shown not the best results this year will have a chance to improve.

Provided special programs- antiviruses. The rating of the best free antiviruses is published by amateur and quite authoritative tests with enviable regularity, but it is not so easy to choose a high-quality and functional product.

In addition, it is considered that free programs do not provide the same protection as paid software. In fact, in the segment free apps you can choose the best solution. The rating of free antiviruses is presented below.

Standard antivirus from Microsoft: prevalence and performance

Windows Corporation is the undisputed leader among operating system and related software providers. For 2016 Windows year 7 was installed on 55% of all devices, while Apple's Linux and OS X 10.11 accounted for 2% and 7% of users, respectively.

The rating of free antiviruses rarely includes standard solutions, but they are still acceptable programs to provide the necessary level of security. Windows Defender that comes with Windows systems 8 and 10, recognizes and eliminates up to 95% of common threats and about 85% of the so-called zero-day attacks, i.e. latest viruses against which protection algorithms have not yet been developed.

Will Windows Defender be enough for the average user?

In general, along with the observance of elementary security rules, the use of a modern browser and regular software updates allow you to successfully apply standard antivirus(reviews, Windows Defender rating confirm this opportunity) as the main security solution. But for those who often download pirated content, are an active Internet user, or store important data on their hard drive, it is better to look at other, free, but somewhat more functional programs.

Testing in independent antivirus laboratories

Comparative tests with a large number of samples are regularly carried out by leading antivirus laboratories. Test results allow developers to improve their own products, so participation is usually paid. Mainly in the rating of Windows antiviruses ( operating system is the most common, and therefore tests are carried out on it) include paid versions of programs, but if a free solution provides full protection— the software is also evaluated.

In May 2016, AV-Comparatives conducted dynamic testing of 19 antivirus programs. For the study, the Windows 7 platform was used (with current third party programs, For example, Adobe Flash or Java) and 350 malicious test samples. Below is a rating of free antiviruses according to AV-Comparatives.

Results of practical research

The Free Antivirus rating (Windows 10 and other corporate-based operating systems) was topped by Bitdefender and ThreatTrack Vipre, which did not miss a single threat and worked without false positives. Leading positions were also taken by Trend Micro and F-Secure with 100% malware recognition results, but 7 and 15 false positives, respectively. Rounding out the top five was Kaspersky Internet Security, which missed 0.3% of threats, but passed the test without false positives.

Free analogues of tested anti-virus programs

The free version of Bitdefender - Free Edition - is used as an alternative to many paid applications, provides background protection against viruses and is able to detect spyware. ThreatTrack Vipre is not available in a free version. Trend Micro Titanium Antivirus+ is distributed freely only as trial version(6 months free usage), same as F-Secure (90 days). An analogue of Kaspersky Internet Security is Kaspersky Free Anti-Virus (Free) with a free license, which has somewhat limited capabilities compared to KIS or Total Security, but remains the best solution.

Antivirus rating for Windows: functionality

"Antivirus free" (the rating is compiled by many reputable sources and amateurs) often differs in functionality from paid versions. However, this does not mean at all that free software cannot protect your computer from viruses, malware and spyware.

In general, antivirus programs provide the following features:

scanning for threats at the user's request;

real-time system protection in the background;

scanning file system during computer boot;

an algorithm for detecting the latest malware, the methods of combating which are not yet included in the general version of the application;

work with cloud storage;

network traffic control (firewall or Firewall);

third-party intrusion detection system;

Recognition of malicious attachments;

web protection;

interactive spam analysis and recognition;

automatic update.

At the same time, the best free antivirus for Windows 7 (rated by functionality) does not have to include the entire set of features. The main thing is that the chosen solution meets the requirements and subjective ideas of a particular user.

Rating leader: ESET Nod32 Smart Security

All of the above features include a comprehensive antivirus with multi-level protection ESET Nod32 Smart Security. In addition to the standard protection against phishing, file system security, Internet access, email in stationary email clients, ESET has some other interesting features. These additional features include:

A serious disadvantage of the antivirus is the absence in the free version of protection against software that registers user actions (mouse movements, keystrokes, clipboard, screenshots, and sometimes video recording of the screen).

Free antivirus rating: performance and tests

Another rating of free antiviruses is based on test results and program performance analysis. Panda Antivirus Pro and 360 Total Security have a slight effect on system boot speed, AVG Antivirus Free, Bitdefender Antivirus Free Edition and ESET NOD32 Smart Security are not far behind. Significantly slows down the loading of Avira Free Antivirus (more than three minutes).

Scanning system folders (with equal detection of malware) takes about ten minutes for Avast Free Antivirus, AVG Antivirus Free, Avira Free Antivirus and ESET NOD32 Smart Security. Comodo Antivirus showed the worst result - the scan took more than half an hour.

The smallest amount of memory is used by Avast Free Antivirus and Panda Antivirus Pro (only 40 MB), and the real “heavyweights” are Avira Free Antivirus (175 MB), AVG Antivirus Free (130 MB) and 360 Total Security (120 MB). At the same time, Avira uses the processor by only 5%, while the smaller AVG Antivirus Free - by as much as 16%.

Distribution of places according to the results of the rating

In general, free antiviruses for Windows XP (performance rating), as well as for other platforms (Windows 7, 8, 10), are as follows:

panda antivirus.

360 Total Security.

AVG Antivirus Free and Bitdefender Antivirus Free Edition.

Avira Free Antivirus and Comodo Antivirus.

A Brief Review of Panda Antivirus Pro

One of the main advantages - a small load on the system from Panda Antivirus, while providing sufficient protection - is due to the fact that the program is Software has most of the necessary functions, USB scanning is additionally available, but there are quite a few significant drawbacks.

So, for example, a free antivirus (the rating recognized it as the best solution according to test results) does not provide any protection against data interception by third-party programs, requires an active Internet connection to scan the system, and does not provide web protection. In addition, some users find malware in the installation files of the antivirus itself. The unsightly interface is another shortcoming of Panda Antivirus.

Antivirus Apps for Android

If Windows takes the leading position in the market of computer equipment, then for mobile devices the operating android system is almost a monopolist: 80% of smartphones work on Android. Mobile antiviruses are presented as analogues of the already mentioned extended versions, as well as programs that operate exclusively on smartphones.

AV-Test laboratory tested mobile antiviruses. The rating of free antiviruses for Android was topped by the AhnLab application. The application performs a comprehensive check of the mobile device, prevents Internet threats, and allows you not to worry about the security of files and other personal data. At the same time, most of the programs presented in this rating are not common in the Russian-speaking segment, so you should rely more on real user reviews - there are no reputable laboratories that would evaluate Russian-language applications.

Pretty good solutions for the choice of active users are CM Security, Dr.Web Light and free antivirus (reviews, rating below) CM Security does not load the system and effectively copes with its duties, Dr.Web Light provides powerful protection, but annoys many users with frequent advertising . AVG AntiVirus is also an all-in-one solution, plus many useful extra features become available in the Pro version of the application, but this build consumes a lot of resources, which can make the device run slower.

Finally

Anti-virus is a necessary program, because not always the user's needs can satisfy the standard options for protecting against viruses and malware (especially on mobile devices). The choice of the optimal solution here largely depends on individual needs and subjective judgments, so you can be guided by various ratings, but you should not completely rely on testing. What is the use of an antivirus that, according to research, does an excellent job with its tasks, but is elementary inconvenient to use or significantly slows down a laptop or smartphone? Many users need to try several options first, in order to finally decide on the only convenient one.