Malware comes in many different ways, but they all aim to make money in some way. Some steal and sell your personal data. Your antivirus should definitely have the ability to root out existing malware. To ensure better protection, every PC owner needs effective, reliable antivirus software. However, there are plenty of free antivirus software solutions for windows 7 and 8 on the market, many of which are just as capable as their commercial cousins. So if you’re tired of annual subscriptions, read on – we’ve picked out 5 of the best free antivirus of 2015 to deliver great security.
All of the antivirus programs in this collection offer real-time protection against malware attack. Some take the fight upstream, working hard to ensure you never even browse to a malware-hosting site. Here you can also get free antivirus download for pc.
1. Avast Free Antivirus
You don’t have to spend long with Avast Free Antivirus to realize why it’s one of the most popular security tools around.
The program is simple to install; a straightforward interface makes it easy to use; a quick first scan should identify any potential threats on your PC, and this all has minimal impact on your system performance.
These aren’t just subjective opinions, either. Independent testing by AV-Test has found the program to be a good all-rounder, and it was one of AV-Comparative’s “Products of 2012.”
Avast Free has some useful extras, too. A Software Updater alerts you to program updates you’ve missed, for instance, while its Browser Cleanup tool provides a simple way to remove unwanted add-ons from your browsers.
Avast recently added a “Grime Fighter,” which the company says supports 12 additional languages and offers an advanced console for more user control.
2. 360 Internet Security 2013
Qihoo is a Chinese software company which has had enormous success in its home market (it claims 450 million users), but now it’s branching out with its first international release, 360 Internet Security 2013.
Despite its name, this isn’t a full internet security suite – there’s no spam filter, firewall or parental controls – but installing the program does get you no less than three antivirus engines: BitDefender, its own QVM II, and Cloud 360.
These delivered accurate results for us, and the independent testing labs have also reported positive results for Qihoo products in the past year (AV Comparatives has certified it as “Windows 8 approved”, for instance).
360 recently upgraded the free software to include a “Check Up” feature for mobile devices. The new feature provides users with anti-malware, vulnerability fixing, trash clean up and a memory cleaner.
360 Internet Security does a reasonable job of blocking access to malicious websites, too, and on balance it’s an effective entry to the free antivirus world.
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3. Panda Cloud Antivirus Free
Small and simple, Panda Cloud Antivirus is a lightweight tool which provides free real-time antivirus protection, and can be used alongside many other security tools without problems.
It’s the free version of a commercial product, and so has a few missing features. The Pro edition helps to protect you at public wifi networks, for instance, while its “USB Vaccine” function reduces the risk of malware infecting a USB drive.
Panda recently released version 3.0, which includes a bevy of new features for Pro users. However, users of the free software will be able to access a new interface, the ability to schedule scans, and automatic USB vaccinations.
The core antivirus protection remains the same, though. And while that doesn’t deliver the top detection rates, independent testing shows it’s very capable, with the program winning certification in AV-Test’s latest report.
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4. ZoneAlarm Free Antivirus + Firewall
We have one or two concerns about ZoneAlarm Free Antivirus + Firewall, notably that its antivirus database is only updated daily (hourly updates are reserved for the commercial version), which leaves you more exposed to the very latest threats,
The program does provide plenty of functionality, though, with a capable, AV-Test-certified antivirus engine, an easy-to-use firewall and some browsing protection.
It does its best to keep things simple. Open the Preferences dialog, say, and you’ll find only 10 buttons and settings (and most of those you’ll never need to use).
The database update means it wouldn’t be our first choice, but if you’re a fan of ZoneAlarm, or just want a firewall and antivirus tool from the same company, this could be a good choice.
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5. AVG Free Antivirus
AVG Free Antivirus is a solid package with a good range of features: an antivirus engine, email scanner, identity theft protection, and LinkScanner Surf-Shield to keep you safe online.
At first glance this makes the program seem more complex, as there are lots of tiles, buttons and menu entries. Smart interface design means you can carry out most common actions in a click or two, though, so you’ll soon feel at home.
AVG Free Antivirus gets mixed reviews on its effectiveness: AV-Comparatives rate it as average, AV-Test say it’s better than some commercial suites. Our view: it’s a capable, feature-packed tool, and one of the stronger free antivirus packages.
To boost its offering, AVG recently released the AVG Zen tool, which the company claims is designed to help provide added protection across desktops and mobile devices.
Why isn’t Microsoft Security Essentials in the list? It’s small, simple, and won’t slow your system down – but it’s also just not reliable enough to justify inclusion in our best free antivirus software round-up.
When Security Essentials was last included in an AV Comparatives File Detection test, the program managed a file detection rate of 94.9%, placing it 13th out of 15. AV-Test’s opinion was even lower. In its analysis of 2012 products for Home Users, Microsoft Security Essentials delivered the lowest “average protection score” of all, putting it bottom in a list of 20.
We are sure that this article “ Best Free Antivirus Softwares for PC and Laptop “ will help you to protect your PC from mallwares and Spywares.