An anti-virus program is one of the most important software you can install in your PC. This is because anti-virus programs protect against intrusion by malicious programs that harm PC’s and phishing software that collect and display personal information without authority.
Top anti-virus programs offer some of the best rated system protection programs available in the software market. A list of some of the top rated anti-virus programs can give an idea of the best anti-virus programs that exist.
G-Data Antivirus
G-Data Antivirus was the leading anti-virus program for 2010 in PCWorld‘s review of top standalone anti-virus software for 2010. The anti-virus program came second in Antivirus Ware‘s anti-virus review for 2011. The German-made anti-virus uses two separate anti-virus engines: BitDefender and Avast, different from most anti-virus programs that only have one anti-virus engine.
The programs’ dual anti-virus engines offer double anti-virus protection with top-notch malicious software (malware) detection as well as a user-friendly interface.
Norton Antivirus
Norton Antivirus from Symantec Corporation presents a user-friendly interface, Internet ready features, near-instantaneous virus definition updates and solid malware protection that make the program rank among the best programs in the anti-virus software market.
The program also features an impressive tool that provides information about your PC’s performance and history of changes, such as information on last installed programs and last run scans. Norton Antivirus is appropriate for people who want a smooth anti-virus program that does not require regular attention.
Kaspersky Anti-Virus
Kaspersky Anti-Virus offers good proactive anti-virus protection, although it has less than average traditional malware detection capability, according to reviews by independent reviewers including PCWorld and Antivirus Ware. The programs’ user interface can at-times be frustrating due to a lack of descriptions for some of its recommendations. Kaspersky, however, runs silently in the background at default settings to proactively protect against a wide range of malware and adware.
Avira Anti-virus
Avira AntiVir Premium version offers good proactive malware detection and disinfection. The program, however, lacks advanced malware detection and behavioral detection features, as well as warning pop-ups used by major competing anti-virus programs, according to results from indipende performance tests by PCWorld and Antivirus Ware. Its user interface could also use a smoother update to be more user friendly.
Eset NOD32 Antivirus
Eset NOD32 Antivirus does a decent job of blocking new malware attacks and offers fast scan speeds. Independent lab tests, however, show that its malware detection and infection cleanup capabilities fall below par compared to competing software programs. The program’s ThreatSense technology, nonetheless, does offer decent protection against new viruses before they can be analyzed.
McAfee Antivirus
McAfee AntiVirus Plus edition offers strong signature-based malware detection, a decent user interface and threat warning pop-ups that display plenty of useful information. Performance tests, however, reveal that the program has a weak proactive protection against new malware that don’t yet have a full signature. The program also has relatively poor malware disinfection and a high false alerts warning on harmless files, according to 2010/2011 reviews by PCWorld and Antivirus Ware.
F-Secure Anti-Virus
F-Secure Anti-Virus has reasonable malware detection and strong malware disinfection capabilities. The program, however, has a few bugs and doesn’t quite keep up with some of its competitors.
Panda Antivirus
Panda Antivirus Pro offers decent anti-virus protection buoyed by positive features, such as a simple tabbed interface and strong traditional malware detection capability. The program, nevertheless, does not stand out from other anti-virus programs and changing its program settings can be troublesome.
BitDefender Antivirus
BitDefender Antivirus also offers decent malware protection, but the program’s user interface isn’t particularly friendly. BitDefender anti-virus, however, does hold its own at protecting against malware.
Trend Micro Antivirus
Trend Micro Antivirus plus Antispyware presents a friendly user interface and clear descriptions for most elements of the application. It also provides helpful documentation about the aspects of the program. Independent lab test, however, reveal the program has below average malware detection and is also weighed down by its behavior of hiding actions it performs from users, such as quarantining and deleting files without giving warning.
Microsoft Security Essential
Microsoft Security Essential from Microsoft Corporation is a free anti-virus program for Windows XP (x86), Windows Vista, and Windows 7 (both x86 and x64) PCs. The Microsoft freeware offers a simple user interface and decent protection against malware, including virus, spyware, rootkits and trojan horses. The programs has a ratings of Good from independent labs.
Anti-Virus Program Updates
Anti-virus programs are constantly updated and improved by introducing new features and malware capabilities. This years’ number one ranked anti-virus program might not be next years number one anti-virus program. Choosing top anti-virus programs such as those listed here, however, can mean reliable system protection because manufactures of the programs have proven record of providing customers with regular software updates that meet new security requirements and technology developments.
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