Any activity on the Internet can be potentially dangerous, even if it is a simple ordering food at home, paying for utilities remotely, downloading a picture or reading an email. To protect against digital threats, learn about the best antivirus for Windows in 2022 and choose the right defender for leisure or remote work
The Internet space is teeming with viruses. Some of them can “kill” the system in just a second, others block access to important data and give the attacker a reason for blackmail and extortion, and some are created for the sake of a cruel joke and frighten users with a sharp sound at the most unexpected moment. One thing unites them: no one would want to shelter them on their personal computer.
There are also relatively harmless viruses. They do not care about the confidentiality of the victim – these types either simply clog up and slow down the system, or secretly use computer resources and extract cryptocurrency for the real owner. These are the so-called “miner viruses” that have appeared recently with the rise in the price and popularity of bitcoin. Few people are happy with them either, because they accelerate the wear of individual components, degrade performance and take up space on the drive.
The All-Tech Guru compiled a rating of the best antiviruses for Windows in 2022 and spoke about their strengths, weaknesses and main functions.
Editor’s Choice
ESET NOD32 Internet Security
100 million people have chosen ESET NOD32 for its reliability and pleasant interface. These characteristics are confirmed by independent domestic and European studies1. Antivirus always notifies you of a potential threat in time, provides useful and unobtrusive hints on how to prevent and eliminate vulnerabilities.
This version has parental control function, webcam and private Wi-Fi protection, data encryption during transactions and the Anti-theft function. The latter helps to find a stolen device and significantly increases the chance of catching an intruder.
Antivirus saves battery power when the device is not connected to power. This is useful for a laptop if you need to use it often on the road or carry it to school.
Also, the user is provided with a guarantee: if a dangerous program passes through the protection of the antivirus and harms the system, the owner of the device will be refunded an amount equal to the annual license.
Top 10 best antivirus for Windows in 2022 according to The All-Tech Guru
1. Bitdefender Internet Security
Over the past three years, the program has received numerous awards from independent research laboratories. According to Roskachestvo2, Bitdefender Internet Security is the most reliable antivirus that detects and eliminates threats more successfully than others. This program is effective for scanning, repelling hacker attacks and protecting in real time.
Bitdefender Internet Security has a standard set of functions: webcam, transaction protection, network traffic control, spam filtering and data deletion without a trace. To protect children from inappropriate content, parental controls can be activated.
Unfortunately, the manufacturer has not added an optimization and acceleration feature to the Internet Security package. To get them, the user needs to buy the Total Security version.
2. McAfee LiveSafe
Many people are familiar with the free version of this antivirus, which appeared on the computer when installing other programs and was removed with great difficulty. But licensed McAfee LiveSafe is unobtrusive, practical and highly secure. It is a reliable program that helps you surf the Internet, download files without risk, and optimizes system resources to speed up applications.
Antivirus almost never falsely triggers and restricts access only to dangerous sites. If the user needs to completely delete the secret file without the possibility of recovery, he can use the Shredder function. The QuickClean option cleans up all residual, useless and temporary files to free up disk space and improve system performance.
3. AVAST Premium Security
In recent years, the developers have fixed all software bugs, allowed hiding notifications and removed annoying ads: Now the antivirus is easy to use and eliminates all types of digital threats, so the paid and free versions of Avast are included in the tops of independent research ratings. The real-time scanning and verification efficiency of this version is close to 100%.
Antivirus protects the most vulnerable points of the system from dangerous programs and blocks access to fake sites. It also prevents potentially dangerous programs from changing files on the owner’s computer, so attackers cannot delete or block access to sensitive data.
4. Kaspersky Total Security
Protects your personal computer from external threats and warns of potentially dangerous Wi-Fi networks. The antivirus also hides banner ads and potentially dangerous ads from fraudulent sites.
The Total version has a password manager for secure access to accounts and secure storage of all logins and passwords. The program also analyzes the complexity of the password and reports weakness if the user comes up with an option that is too easy to crack.
Safe Kids parental control system restricts access to inappropriate content for children, allows a parent to customize the list of allowed sites and track the child’s location via GPS for maximum safety.
However, there is a drawback: the software will only work stably on powerful computers.
5. AVG Internet Security
One of the best antiviruses in terms of security and threat detection. Detects and blocks fraudulent emails and spam that may contain links to fake phishing sites. The program also encrypts all payment data and protects the confidentiality of banking transactions.
Repeated system scans are faster because the antivirus remembers and skips safe files if they have not changed since the last scan. AVG Internet Security is regularly updated with information about new viruses, bug fixes and improvements to certain features.
The disadvantages of the program are not the most user-friendly interface and false positives. Sometimes the antivirus will not allow you to visit safe sites and find non-existent threats.
6. Dr.Web Security Space
Dr.Web anti-virus protects money, confidential data and the system from all kinds of attacks and threats. The program has a large, updated database with data on viruses of all types, which is constantly updated by users and virus analysts.
The owner of the licensed program can check a suspicious link or file in a special cloud at any time. To do this, you do not need to update the program, moreover, such a check does not load the PC. A cloud service is also needed for a quick online check of sites in parental control mode.
One of the features of Dr.Web Security Space is an effective anti-spam system that detects suspicious messages in any language and dangerous bulk mailings.
7. Panda Dome Premium
Antivirus with broad functionality and low computer load. Part of the operations takes place in the cloud, which reduces the consumption of system resources. All virus signatures are also stored in the cloud service, so there is no need to manually update the databases.
The Premium version has access to unlimited VPN. This feature hides the real IP address, encrypts incoming and outgoing data, and enhances user privacy on the network. VPN allows you to securely exchange documents at a remote work and without the risk of surfing the Internet using public Wi-Fi.
In terms of protection, Panda lags behind the top antiviruses and cannot provide 99.9% elimination of threats. However, additional features and speed can be the main arguments in favor of this product.
8. Kaspersky Internet Security
Has all the benefits of the Total version except for data backup and password manager. This antivirus copes with Trojans, worms and hidden malware, as well as prevents keyloggers from recognizing keystrokes, suppressing even the most obscure ways of data theft.
With Kaspersky Internet Security, no suspicious program will gain access to the webcam, so the user can be sure of the confidentiality of his personal life.
9. ESET NOD32 Antivirus Platinum Edition
Basic antivirus ESET NOD32 protects against worms, Trojans and ransomware. Unlike the more expensive versions, it does not protect online payments, does not prevent surveillance through a webcam and keystrokes. Best of all, this package of services is suitable for a stationary PC – you do not have to overpay for protection on a public Wi-Fi network, power saving mode and other functions for laptop owners.
This version is also suitable for gamers: the program does not overload the system, and in game mode it hides all notifications so that they do not distract the user.
The antivirus is covered by a manufacturer’s warranty. The company will refund the money to the client for a one-year license if the virus passes through the protection and damages the system.
10. Dr.Web Katana
The program detects viruses using a non-standard method, without detecting signatures. It blocks and removes threats only when they are activated, but does not touch potentially dangerous inactive files. Because of this feature, Dr.Web Katana is best used in conjunction with another antivirus that can thoroughly scan the system and recognize hidden viruses. The software is compatible with any antivirus software from other developers.
The main advantages of Dr.Web Katana are low system load and fully automated protection. For correct operation, the user just needs to install the program.
How to choose an antivirus for Windows
The choice largely depends on a person’s personal preferences, because popular antiviruses have a similar set of functions and level of protection. Therefore, the first thing worth paying attention to is convenience. If it is unpleasant to work with the program, it is unlikely that the user will use all its capabilities and will be pleased with the purchase. To evaluate the program superficially, just install the free version or see screenshots of the interface. Perhaps already at this stage it will become clear whether the antivirus is suitable or not.
Next, you should pay attention to the quality of protection. This is an objective parameter that is regularly monitored by dozens of independent research laboratories. They put antiviruses in the conditions of real everyday PC use for several months and then record the results. You can find data from such tests to determine the choice.
It is also important to choose a program with a suitable set of functions. And here it is worth noting that companies usually offer several paid service packages at once. In this case, the site always adds a comparative table with the capabilities of each version and a brief explanation of why they are needed. Based on this, you can choose the appropriate antivirus.
Another criterion is the load on the system. The owner of a weak PC should focus on unpretentious and light programs, otherwise the antivirus will slow down the entire system. Antiviruses with the cloud are the least dependent on computer resources, because some of the processes take place on remote servers.
If the household has more than one computer, one license can be purchased for multiple devices. It also helps to take care of the digital safety of children. Family devices are linked by one account, and a parent can create a list of acceptable sites for a child.
Popular questions and answers
What parameters should an antivirus for Windows have?
For comfortable use, an antivirus must strike a balance between analysis depth and performance. In other words, the anti-virus software should not stop all other processes on the computer due to lack of system resources. Also, an important feature of the antivirus is the ability to make emergency updates. In the event that especially dangerous or rapidly spreading viruses are detected on the network, the manufacturer himself notifies users of the need to download the update, said Alexander Shchukin.
Experts added that in addition to the classic gentleman’s set – searching for malicious code using databases and templates – the antivirus should have protection against phishing, ransomware and ransomware. The program should provide a “sandbox” for downloaded files, allow you to configure firewalls, provide parental control functions, organize secure storage of passwords and allow you to safely shop online.
Is the functionality of free antiviruses sufficient?
It is quite possible to limit yourself to using only free antivirus software. In this case, the user himself must comply with elementary information security rules. No need to launch files and follow links obtained from unknown sources. Also, do not visit dubious sites and enter into correspondence with spammers, warned Alexander Shchukin. In the vast majority of cases, a free antivirus will also cope with all other cyber threats.
Experts agree with this opinion and believes that in most cases the difference between the paid versions and the free ones is minimal. It should be understood that the use of antivirus should be profitable for developers. This is achieved by broadcasting advertisements to users, or selling the history of their activities to third parties. Thus, when installing the antivirus, you must carefully read the license agreement. Commercial versions have a more convenient monitor for planning and work execution, the ability to fine-tune the program, advertising messages are disabled in them. In addition, it should be remembered that the databases and functionality of the paid versions are updated first, and the free ones are used as “control groups” to determine the most effective methods of responding to emerging threats.
Can I get by with built-in Windows?
You should not rely only on the built-in security systems of the Windows operating system. They provide only basic protection functionality. In addition, the production of anti-virus programs is not a business of Microsoft, so installing even the latest updates does not guarantee against virus infection, Alexander Shchukin shared.
According to experts, if a person is an advanced Internet user, can distinguish a fake website from a real one, does not indiscriminately download dubious applications and his activity is critically independent of the computer, then the built-in antivirus is enough for him. Built-in protections are powerful and reliable. However, if there is a need for a guaranteed and prompt consultation on restoring a workstation, protecting mail, payments and a convenient tool for managing all these activities, the expert recommends installing a paid version of the antivirus.
