Antivirensoftware test 2012

So what's stopping you from forgetting the rest and simply getting Defender up and running? Well, those features mentioned above are all pretty basic and aren't up the standard of those offered by most of the security suites above. And it probably goes without saying that Defender is only available on Windows PCs - forget protecting your Mac or smartphone - and some features only play nice if you use Edge as your browser. In truth, Avira is probably best known for its Avira Free antivirus option which is among the best out there - see further down this page , but its premium packages should not be sniffed at — especially when you consider the incredible price you can now pay for its Antivirus Pro package.

The interface is smart and the various features — including the free but limited to 1GB monthly VPN — are now better integrated within the UI overall. The caveat here is that the ratings of the antivirus engine from independent test labs are only middling at best — but the app does provide a decent enough level of protection.

Upgrading to the Internet Security or Prime plan adds further features like a full password manager, and the Pro version of Software Updater which provides automatic updates for your apps , plus Prime gives you the unlimited usage version of the VPN and mobile app support. A real bargain. McAfee takes an interesting approach with its security range, as all the offerings are variants of its core Total Protection product, with the main difference being more devices are supported at higher tiers.

McAfee Total Protection Single Device is the entry-level antivirus product, and as the name suggests, it covers one device. There are also a ton of features on offer, particularly for a baseline product, and even if not all of them are of the highest quality, you get a lot for your money.

That includes an intelligent firewall, an integrated TunnelBear -powered VPN with unlimited data, a quality spam filter, secure file vault, and some PC speed-up options.

The main stumbling block here is that the antivirus engine itself is not the best out there — although some results from independent test labs come out better than others — but this has to be something of a concern. Further up the Webroot range, SecureAnywhere Internet Security Plus expands coverage from Windows and Mac PCs to mobile devices, also providing a password manager courtesy of LastPass and covering up to five devices rather than three.

And at the top of the tree is Internet Security Complete which introduces an automatic backup tool with 25GB of secure cloud storage and additional online privacy features. SecureAnywhere AntiVirus gives you everything you need, really, although Internet Security Plus is our top pick for the most rounded package. Sophos Home Premium covers up to an impressive 10 devices Windows and Mac computers.

Sophos provides capable virus protection, and worked well in passing our own anti-ransomware tests. For the antivirus software on offer — and given the 10 device ceiling — Sophos Home Premium could work out as a great value proposition for those who want to protect multiple computers.

Just note that Sophos no longer offers a long-term free version to new users. You'll see on the website you can download it for free, but that's just a trial version rather than an all-singing all-dancing free antivirus package.

We've tested all of the biggest names in internet security, we've found that the very best antivirus software in is Bitdefender. It's a superb bit of software - from its entry-level Bitdefender Antivirus Plus and its cast-iron malware defenses, excellent threat detection and genuinely value-adding extra features, right up to its all-singing, all-dancing Total Security that adds an array of maintenance tools and can be used to protect your family's computers, tablets and phones.

An antivirus app sits on your device like a guard dog, watching over the entire system and sniffing out any intruders malware , or indeed anything suspicious. In short, it offers real-time defenses against viruses or other threats, which if detected are immediately dealt with, preventing them from carrying out their destructive payload. As well as this automated protection, you can run manual virus scans whenever you wish. Think of these as the fingerprints of malware, and if something is spotted coming onto your system that has a matching fingerprint, the antivirus leaps into action, quarantining the offender.

For more details on this topic, see our full breakdown of exactly how antivirus software works. The obvious answer is staring you in the face Consult our rankings in this article, which is based on our expert knowledge and thorough, continually updated reviews of the top antivirus players. That said, obviously you also have to bear in mind your own particular needs.

Or at the other end of the scale, maybe you have a large family with a ton of devices to protect, and you need a package to cater for that.

Or maybe you want a VPN service as well as antivirus, so a bundled package will save you a lot of money on subscription fees. In short, our recommendations are here as firm guidance, but modify these appropriately based on your individual requirements. For more thoughts on this, check out our article exploring how to choose the best antivirus. The good news is that the best antivirus products are getting cheaper and cheaper to purchase, and free products are getting more and more effective A good free antivirus — like the ones we recommend on this page below — is a perfectly reasonable option for protecting your PC, with Microsoft Defender now the best we've ever seen it.

That said, premium antivirus programs offer extra features above and beyond the fundamentals. A robust system of parental controls could be a huge win for those with kids, for example. Or a dedicated anti-ransomware layer of protection that only comes with the paid-for product could help catch one of the most dreaded infections and halt it in its tracks.

For more on this, read our full piece on whether free antivirus is enough to protect you. Or just keep scrolling as we reveal today's best free antivirus software providers Paying for a premium service means you get more features like spam filters, parental controls, system scans and advanced firewalls. This makes them more suitable for power users, those who want a bit of extra security and anyone who needs their system to run as smoothly as possible.

It also means you avoid annoying pop-ups that try and tempt you to upgrade to the full version. In fact, these days you can get top quality protection absolutely free, with just about every single major vendor out there offering a free antivirus. Avira Free Antivirus is today's best free security download If you're determined to get free antivirus, we strongly suggest that you go for our pick of best security downloads - Avira Free Antivirus.

We've highlighted its long list of features below, together with information on how well it performs at independent testing labs. A very impressive freebie. That's pretty good for a freebie, and why we have no qualms at all in naming it as our 1 best free antivirus download. As well as the essential security smarts, we also love the clean, friendly interface and the fact it has a track record of throwing up minimal false positives.

In fact, the list of features reads more like a fully paid premium package. It throws in identity protection, a password manager, anti-scam protection to prevent phishing attempts, and even a PC cleaner to keep your system spick and span. If there's one thing we'd change then it's the tad overeager badgering - although popups and advertisements are very common to free products, and that doesn;t prevent us from wholeheartedly recommending Avira Free Antivirus.

Review and where to download: Avira Free Antivirus. Avast and AVG haven't yet fully merged, despite the former formally acquiring the latter in mid The newly combined company says the two free antivirus products will remain separate, although there's apparently a joint AV package on the way soon. Obviously, though, Avast now has a lot more data to work with, having expanded its effective userbase and, therefore, its threat detection network to a whopping million users.

The latest edition of Avast's free antivirus - now branded Avast One Essential - adds an automatic gaming mode to mute popups and reduce system load when you're firing up a processor-hungry game, which is very handy indeed, and the interface has been given a clean new overhaul.

There's a password manager, too, which is an undeniably good addition to your security portfolio. It scores well on AV-TEST's widespread malware benchmark and continues a clean sweep against 0-day attacks — presumably that expanded detection network is really helping.

Less impressive is the slight negative effect Avast has on software launch times, and its slightly popup-heavy attitude. Review and where to download: Avast Free Antivirus. Microsoft Defender formerly Windows Defender was generally seen as a bit of a joke in the not-too-distant past. It performed terribly by most measures and was a good advert for why you should really pay for antivirus. But as we explain further up this article, Microsoft Defender has come on leaps and bounds and can now legitimately be mentioned in the same company as Bitdefender, Norton and Kaspersky.

As well as very solid virus protection, Defender has extra bits and bobs like a ransomware shield, webcam protection, privacy tools and even basic parental controls and cloud backup. And the best bit No need to download a thing, just find it in your menu and get protected straight away. There are six additional tests with higher sensitivities, specificities, or both but caution is urged since all of these tests have been studied only once and more than one ShPE test ie, active compression, biceps load II has been introduced with great diagnostic statistics only to have further research fail to replicate the results of the original authors.

The belly-off and modified belly press tests for subscapularis tendinopathy, bony apprehension test for bony instability, olecranon-manubrium percussion test for bony abnormality, passive compression for a SLAP lesion, and the lateral Jobe test for rotator cuff tear give reason for optimism since they demonstrated both high sensitivities and specificities reported in low bias studies. Finally, one additional test was studied in two separate papers. The dynamic labral shear may be sensitive for SLAP lesions but, when modified, be diagnostic of labral tears generally.

Conclusion: Based on data from the original review and this update, the use of any single ShPE test to make a pathognomonic diagnosis cannot be unequivocally recommended.

Slow scan: Most users said that they would appreciate a bit quicker scans. In case it detects something strange, it stops it before it performs any undesirable activity. Expert knowledge required — some users find it difficult to install and understand some features like Comodo KillSwitch and powerful Task Manager. It takes a lot of time to load: Comodo is quite a robust software, which is why it needs some time to load. Avira Antivirus Server Avira is one of the most used antivirus software, not only for home PCs but also for the office devices.

Besides, the software is always up-to-date which is crucial for preventing new viruses from getting into the system. Network protection — this antivirus will prevent the most common cyber-attacks , hackers and webcam spies from potential information stealing. On-demand protection — in order to provide an additional layer of safety, Avira allows you to schedule manual scanning whenever you want to.

Anti-Botnet: Botnet is considered one of the cruelest cyberattacks we know, but Avira can help prevent them from being executed. It will block the communication between your device and the command center, keeping your endpoints safe from malicious intents.

Microsoft Windows Server not supported — Avira requires at least Windows with the newest updates, and Windows is not yet supported. Needs update of protection capabilities: Avira sometimes fails to recognize malware that could jeopardize your endpoint and permits it to enter the system.

Kaspersky Endpoint Security Cloud Plus Kaspersky must be mentioned when it comes to antivirus software — and again, it has to offer an exceptional cloud-based service which will protect your business server from all potential ransomware and zero-day attacks.

Patch management — patch management is one of the most important parts of any antivirus — that means that Kaspersky will automatically download and install necessary patches and update the software which prevents the hackers from exploiting malware.

Ransomware and Exploit prevention — Kaspersky identifies and halts any malware and ransomware which could damage your system or steal your data. Mobile protection — this Windows server antivirus offers mobile security as well, and by purchasing the package, you get two mobile licenses per user for free. Advanced vulnerability scans: Kaspersky comes with a unique tool that can detect and eliminate the vulnerabilities that exist in your system, making sure you get the right recommendations on how to fix them.

Weak reporting: Users would like to see improved reporting capabilities that are a must for software that costs as much as Kaspersky. Stronger protection with Microsoft Azure — you can integrate Windows Defender to Microsoft Azure — while Azure controls the traffic on your domain, Windows Defender will monitor your endpoint bringing you and your business more robust security.

Easy to disable — if you want to stop Windows Defender from running, you can easily disable it by making one click. Multiple devices protection — with Windows Defender, you can protect various a more extensive range of devices, servers, and endpoints. Besides, it will keep your business data safe from advanced threats. However, if you install some other antivirus, the Windows Defender will pause immediately, but the software will still be there.

Needs more customization options: Although it comes with preinstalled features that are quite satisfactory, users would like to see more customization options that would allow them to adapt the software to their business requirements.

It helps you detect all unprotected machines in the network, providing a more secure environment. Enhanced intrusion detection options: By providing ultimate network traffic monitoring, ESET will detect any suspicious activity and notify you about it.

LiveGrid uses a worldwide database of suspicious app samples, making sure no threat goes unnoticed. Needs better phishing protection: Some tests have shown that ESET lacks more advanced phishing detection features.

That said, it might fail to protect you from fake log-in websites that may abuse your personal data. Affects system performance: Many users complained that ESET Endpoint Protection used to slow down their systems, which had a negative impact on their workflow. Professional email security: Hackers often use email to spread their malicious activities, which is why AVG has developed excellent email protection. It comes with an Anti-Spam feature that scans and checks all your emails for potentially malicious content and code, making sure no threat penetrates your system.

File server security: AVG secures your essential business files that are kept online, ensuring their safety, and round the clock protection. It will prevent any unauthorized attempt to modify or delete your files executed by malware.

It comes with Wi-Fi Guard that will prevent your device from connecting to false wireless access points set by hackers. Excellent threat protection: VIRUSfighter Server provides a high-level of defense against spyware, Trojans, rootkits, and other sophisticated kids of malware targeted at Windows servers.

An unlimited number of users: Unlike most of its competitors, which determine your final price based on a number of users, VIRUSfighter will generously provide access to an unlimited number of users.

Free email and phone support: Customer support you get via VIRUSfighter is free, which is why you can count on them whenever you have a problem with your software. Available for all Windows Server operating systems: One of the most significant advantages of this product is the fact that it works on every Windows Server OS. Therefore, not all companies will find it convenient for their office. BullGuard Antivirus BullGuard Antivirus is quite an efficient cybersecurity solution for your small business.

Secure browser: A built-in secure browser ensures safer Internet browsing, allowing you to make online payments with peace of mind. Multi-layered protection: Thanks to advanced security measures implemented by BullGuard developers, your business software will be safe from zero-day attacks and common complex threats.

Advanced anti-ransomware features: VIPRE Endpoint Security Server can keep your server safe from ransomware and remove it in case it enters the system. Easy to install: You can install this software in a couple of minutes and run your business with peace of mind. Excellent tech support: The US-based tech support is reliable and ready to solve any problems you might have with the program.

Regular updates: VIPRE delivers regular updates and new versions, ensuring your software stays up to date. Fails to install automatic updates: Some users complain that VIPRE sometimes fails to install automatic updates, which must be managed manually.

Intuitive interface: Despite its robust capabilities and top-notch features, the Panda software has an intuitive and well-executed interface. Excellent malware detection: Panda server antivirus can successfully detect and prevent any known malware.

Easy to configure: You will be able to install and configure the software quickly and easily. Sometimes, even goodware can be marked as a threat. Lack of tech support: Users complain about the lack of appropriate tech support. Fully integrated Endpoint Detection and Response EDR : Users love a newly integrated EDR feature, which cleans threats and isolates affected devices while you identify the threat source. Excellent detection: The Sophos server antivirus has excellent detection capabilities, preventing ransomware and malware execution.

Advanced malware removal capabilities: Sophos Intercept X immediately detects malware and prevents its execution. Confusing user interface: You can easily get lost in the interface, which is not as intuitive as expected. Excellent zero-day attack prevention: You can secure your server against unknown threats, such as zero-day attacks. Delayed detection: F-Secure sometimes may delay detection, which can be frustrating. Limited reporting capabilities: Reports provided by F-Secure are not printable.

You can send a summary report to the site manager, but it is not configurable by an administrator. Good threat detection capabilities: Avast Business Antivirus Pro Plus provides a detailed threat-related report, including information about which mode is responsible for detecting the threat.