Free PC Antivirus
How to choose a top free PC antivirus
These days, if you have a PC, you need an antivirus on it. Windows Defender on its own is just not enough. It’s enough to keep your protected while you go online and download a top free PC antivirus. This should be your first priority, literally, as soon as you have powered up your computer and sorted out your internet connection. To help you find the right free PC antivirus for your needs, here is a guide to choosing a top free PC antivirus.
Do your search from a protected PC or mobile device
Obviously, you’ll want to do some research before choosing your free PC antivirus so do it from a PC or mobile device which is already protected. Basically keep your new PC offline until you’ve decided which free PC antivirus you want to use. Then go online to download and install it and only then do any other surfing. This may sound like being overly cautious, but it’s actually just cautious. To begin with, a lot of “free PC antivirus” products are actually viruses themselves so you could end up thinking you’re downloading a product which will protect your new PC from viruses only to have it fall victim to a virus.
Search for free PC antivirus products which work for your specific operating system
Even if you’re using Windows 10, it’s usually a good idea to add the name of your operating system to your search, since this should ensure that you only get relevant results, which in this case means that you’ll be spared a long list of products which haven’t been updated in a long time but are still floating around the cyber ether. With older operating systems, you’ll be spared a long list of products which only support the newest operating systems. Either way, it’ll save you some precious time.
Look for cloud-based PC antivirus products
PC antivirus products are based on databases of “malware definitions”. Basically these are descriptions of the various forms of malicious software known to be in existence along with instructions about what to do to neutralize them. These databases are now huge and they are getting bigger all the time as malware developers keep coming up with both new versions of existing threats and entirely new forms of threat. It therefore makes sense to host them in the cloud rather than on local PCs as they can be a drag on the performance of even the most powerful computers. They can really slow down budget-level PCs and older PCs.
Check that a free PC antivirus offers protection against all known forms of malware
The term “antivirus” is a throwback to the days when viruses were the only problem computer users had to worry about. Sadly, those days are long gone. Viruses are most certainly still a big problem and you most certainly still need protection against them, but at this point in time, they are just one of a large and growing range of threats and you need all of them.
For example, spyware, as its name suggests, can allow a cybercriminal to spy on your computer and use their access for whatever purpose they see fit, such as stealing your data and/or turning your computer into a “zombie” which they can use to mine cryptocurrency and/or commit other cybercrimes. Adware bombards you with adverts, some of which might contain malicious software or try to trick you into clicking on links to malicious software. Lockware and ransomware hold either your computer or your files “hostage” until you pay for their (hopeful) release.
Look for a free PC antivirus product which has an integrated ad blocker
Picking up from the previous point, adverts are now more than just a minor inconvenience. They are a security threat and possibly the biggest problem with them is that people do not realize just how easy it can be for legitimate websites to be used to host malicious adverts, even though there have been “malvertising” attacks on some very high-profile sites. Possibly the most notorious example was the attack on Spotify, in which the malicious software was activated just through an advert being shown on screen.
Look for a free PC antivirus product which comes from a reputable brand
The key point to understand is that your free PC antivirus isn’t really to protect your PC. It’s to protect your sensitive, personal data and the sensitive, personal data of any contacts on your computer. This is a responsible job and you should only entrust it to a brand with a proven track record. Click here to download Comodo free PC antivirus and get all the protection you need from a brand you know you can trust.
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