The Best Antivirus

Many times my clients ask me which is the best antivirus protection for their computers. So first, let’s define the threats. Malware, short for malicious software, is any software used to weaken security, disrupt computer operations, gather sensitive information, destroy data, gain access to private computer systems, or display unwanted advertising. Malware is a term used to refer to various forms of hostile or intrusive software, including computer viruses, worms, trojan horses, ransomware, spyware, adware, and other malicious programs.

It can come cloaked in an altered version of a well-known application, like a web browser installer. In this case, the malware tricks the user into giving it full permission to modify the system configuration, disabling the security settings, and preventing the user from re-enabling them. After that, the malware can download more malicious code from the internet with unrestricted access to the system and sensitive data.

You need to know how to protect your computer against any threats. So, which antivirus is the right one to prevent all these kinds of malware? First of all, it is crucial to have your operating system updated because it runs your antivirus and any other software you use. An updated OS brings the most advanced security features and fixes all known flaws from the previous versions. An outdated OS contains known bugs exploited by hackers. The same advice goes for browsers and applications: always update all of them.

You can rely on your default OS security software if the system is updated. Apple macOS has an excellent reputation for security, and Microsoft Windows has a comparable level of protection. Both of them do an excellent job of stopping malware. macOS relies on Gatekeeper to block suspicious applications, and Windows comes with the built-in protection Windows Security that takes care of everything. The newest version of both systems comes with protection against malware and a firewall to block unauthorized external connections.

You can also add an extra layer of protection against Malvertising (Malware in Advertising). Malvertising loads a fake ad with malicious code in your browser, which can crash, slow, or infect your computer. To prevent this, you should use an ad blocker. I recommend the AdGuard extension. It offers straightforward customization, easy to set up.

Another way to protect yourself is to uninstall unnecessary plugins. You probably don’t need that Java plugin anymore. The same goes for the Adobe Flash Player.

It is important to note that no security solution will stop all threats. If you download and install an infected application, you give the viruses a free pass to your system.

Don’t forget to follow these tips:
1. Update your system and security software.
2. Avoid unknown and suspicious files and websites.
3. Only install an application if necessary and it comes from a reputable source.
4. Use a password manager to boost the security of your accounts.

Related: Google Chrome engineer says Windows Defender is the only well-behaved AV

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