Virus scanner reviews 2011

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. And Trend Micro does a good job of not taxing system resources. Free version? It earns high scores for usability and offers solid virus protection. The free antivirus version of Sophos Home gives you virus protection for three Windows PCs -- using the company's high-scoring anti-malware tool -- plus a day trial of the company's malware-removal tool.

Test after test, Avast Antivirus for Windows performs well for malware detection with options ranging from Avast free antivirus software to Avast Premium Security. And we've included its antivirus in our list of recommended security app options before.

But Avast was in the news for several months for its non-antivirus business, so we looked at the company, specifically reports at the end of that Avast allegedly collected user data with its browser plug-ins and antivirus software and then sold data it collected through its Jumpshot subsidiary in early In response to the reports that his company gathered and sold the details of its customers' online activities, Avast CEO Ondrej Vlcek said in a statement that he understood that his company's actions raised questions of trust in his company.

To address that, Avast terminated Jumpshot data collection in January and closed its operations because the data collection business wasn't in line with Avast's privacy priorities. These newer reports follow another in from Avast that its internal network was breached , possibly to insert malware into its CCleaner software, similar to an earlier CCleaner hack that occurred prior to Avast's acquiring the Windows utility. Avast is now saying the right things about taking its customers' privacy seriously , but it only came to that point after reacting to investigative reporting that revealed the Jumpshot practices.

The CCleaner revelations, while concerning, were self-disclosed, which is important to building user trust. We hope Avast's more privacy-friendly policies mean that there will be no further Jumpshot-style activities and it returns to glory as one of the best antivirus software. In the meantime, we'd recommend using one of the many other solid choices in this realm listed above. Because the company has been in the news the past few years, let's talk about Kaspersky Lab -- specifically about the federal ban that blocks US government agencies from using Kaspersky Antivirus products.

Based in Moscow, Kaspersky Lab has for years produced some of the best antivirus software for business antivirus needs and home customers. But in the US government prohibited Kaspersky security cloud software on federal government computers because of alleged ties between Kaspersky and the Russian government. But as with China-based Huawei , the question remains: If the federal government doesn't think the products are safe enough for its own devices, should consumers avoid them as well?

In a statement sent to CNET, the company said, "Kaspersky Lab has no ties to any government, and the company has never, nor will ever, engage in cyber offensive activities. Kaspersky Lab maintains that no public evidence of any wrongdoing has been presented by the US government, and that the US government's actions against Kaspersky Lab were unconstitutional. In Kaspersky's favor, it continues to earn top scores and awards for virus and malware detection and endpoint protection from independent testing labs.

And it's reasonably priced. In the end, even though no one has ever publicly produced a "smoking gun" linking the company to Russian intrigue, we think any of the options listed above are a safer bet. And if you are a US government employee or work with the federal government, you'll want to steer clear of Kaspersky internet security products -- and perhaps use one of the antivirus software products mentioned here instead.

Picking the best antivirus software for Windows means finding one that keeps your PC safe, doesn't take up a lot of system resources, is easy to use and stays out of the way till you need it. Here's what to look for. Antivirus software runs virus scans for known viruses and malware, of course, and can offer real-time protection. And it watches for shady websites and suspicious links to keep you out of trouble.

It can also offer ransomware protection and monitor unexpected behavior that may be a sign of new and not-yet-identified viruses and malware. You want antivirus software that can successfully identify these unknown online threats without flagging too many false positives.

Light on system resources. You don't want antivirus software that taxes your PC's resources. If after you install the program, websites open slowly, apps download or open sluggishly or file copies take longer than expected, you may want to try another service.

The good news is, all our picks offer a free trial to let you try out the antivirus program, so if your system feels sluggish after installation, you may want to keep looking.

Cost and discounts. Don't just pay the sticker price for antivirus protection. Before you buy, check for discounts on a company's website. Another way to save: The prices we list above are for 10 devices -- if the company offered that package -- but you can trim your cost with antivirus packages if you need to cover three or five devices.

You may also find discounts on an app's Amazon page. To be effective, antivirus software needs to monitor what's going on with your PC, check in with company servers about unusual behavior and should provide sound banking protection. Update: You may prefer to read my best antivirus reviews. There are so many antivirus programs on the market these days that it seems like they are almost equal in number to the number of threats they prevent! Like the studios that write video games, the security vendors also like to be quick off the blocks with their new products and so it is that, as we come to the end of summer , the new line-up of antivirus products for are beginning to appear.

BitDefender Antivirus — Good value and many useful features. Kaspersky Antivirus — The gaming mode will appeal to many users. While an online virus scanner can not replace your antivirus which runs offline continually in the background, it can be helpful for quickly identifying infections. A virus scanner is a web service that scans your device from a remote server.

However, not all virus scanners are the same, and very few are actually free, web-based services. They also vary considerably in terms of accuracy, customization, and added features.

To evaluate which are truly the best online virus scanners, we used a device with several known malware infections and tested it using the most popular and robust online virus scanners we could find. We compared many virus scanners, including Kaspersky , Trend Micro, and MetaDefender Cloud, and found that, though these are good free online scanners, the ones on this list provided better all-around protection.

It runs a thorough scan to pick up any threats, and then explains how to fix them. The scan takes only a few seconds and provides a high level of accuracy when identifying system vulnerabilities across all platforms. While many antivirus companies claim to offer a web-based scanner, the fact is few actually do. While not technically considered a full-scale antivirus, this online scanner offers a quick and easy to use cloud-based solution.

VirusTotal is a free online scanner that analyzes suspicious files and URLs for suspected malware by referencing a large online database of known infections. I was impressed with how quickly VirusTotal worked and how detailed the analysis report was. It ran one.

After performing the online scan for malware, it automatically shared the results with its community of users, thereby checking in with a real-time database of global security threats. This download-only scanner provided flawless accuracy when identifying infections and was able to name and locate every suspicious file on our testing device.

Although the scan took 30 minutes — which is longer than other scanners — it thoroughly explored the operating memory, auto-start locations, and local drives. ESET lets you delete or quarantine an infection, which is not an option with some virus scanners. The major drawback? Although it takes longer to scan, the level of detail of the scan and the results are worth the wait.

I was disappointed that a download was required for this virus scanner, but ESET is a high-quality service, and it is definitely worth it. The amount of customization is also notable. You can specify which features you want to use, and you can set up automatic scans. This package offers continuous, real-time protection before having to commit to a subscription or payment. When tested, it removed the majority of malware on our device. The whole process was impressively fast for a download service, taking less than a minute.

You can see information about any infected files with links to get more details online.