Down antivirus

Read this ultimate guide to find out what malware is, how it works, how it spreads and what you should do to protect yourself. Have you noticed your Windows PC behaving strangely?

Find out how to detect and remove viruses and other malware in this complete guide. Is your router infected with malware? Learn how to check a router for malware and viruses, and how to remove any malicious software you find. Find out how to check for and detect keyloggers. Then learn how to remove them to protect your personal information and sensitive data. Ransomware is a serious threat to individuals, businesses, and even hospitals.

Learn how ransomware works and block hackers from holding your files hostage. How do you report identity theft? If you think your identity has been stolen, find out how to report it to the FTC, the police, or the government. Find out which one is the most suitable for you. Worldwide English. In order to view this page correctly, you must have a JavaScript-enabled browser and have JavaScript turned on. We apologize for any inconvenience.

Learn how to enable it. No slowdowns or interruptions. Easy to install, effortless to use. Get essential antivirus protection.

Avast Free Antivirus scans Windows devices, like your laptop or desktop PC, for privacy, security, and performance issues, then tells you how to fix things instantly. Over million users worldwide trust Avast. Join them. Intelligent Antivirus Detect and block viruses, malware, spyware, ransomware and phishing.

We use smart analytics to stop threats before they affect you. CyberCapture Automatically send suspicious files for analysis in the cloud, and push a cure to all Avast users if it's a threat. Wi-Fi Inspector Automatically detect weaknesses in your home Wi-Fi and strangers piggybacking on your network. But in the US government prohibited Kaspersky security cloud software on federal government computers because of alleged ties between Kaspersky and the Russian government. But as with China-based Huawei , the question remains: If the federal government doesn't think the products are safe enough for its own devices, should consumers avoid them as well?

In a statement sent to CNET, the company said, "Kaspersky Lab has no ties to any government, and the company has never, nor will ever, engage in cyber offensive activities. Kaspersky Lab maintains that no public evidence of any wrongdoing has been presented by the US government, and that the US government's actions against Kaspersky Lab were unconstitutional. In Kaspersky's favor, it continues to earn top scores and awards for virus and malware detection and endpoint protection from independent testing labs.

And it's reasonably priced. In the end, even though no one has ever publicly produced a "smoking gun" linking the company to Russian intrigue, we think any of the options listed above are a safer bet. And if you are a US government employee or work with the federal government, you'll want to steer clear of Kaspersky internet security products -- and perhaps use one of the antivirus software products mentioned here instead. Picking the best antivirus software for Windows means finding one that keeps your PC safe, doesn't take up a lot of system resources, is easy to use and stays out of the way till you need it.

Here's what to look for. Antivirus software runs virus scans for known viruses and malware, of course, and can offer real-time protection. And it watches for shady websites and suspicious links to keep you out of trouble. It can also offer ransomware protection and monitor unexpected behavior that may be a sign of new and not-yet-identified viruses and malware.

You want antivirus software that can successfully identify these unknown online threats without flagging too many false positives. Light on system resources. You don't want antivirus software that taxes your PC's resources.

If after you install the program, websites open slowly, apps download or open sluggishly or file copies take longer than expected, you may want to try another service.

The good news is, all our picks offer a free trial to let you try out the antivirus program, so if your system feels sluggish after installation, you may want to keep looking. Cost and discounts. Don't just pay the sticker price for antivirus protection. Before you buy, check for discounts on a company's website.

Another way to save: The prices we list above are for 10 devices -- if the company offered that package -- but you can trim your cost with antivirus packages if you need to cover three or five devices. You may also find discounts on an app's Amazon page. To be effective, antivirus software needs to monitor what's going on with your PC, check in with company servers about unusual behavior and should provide sound banking protection.

The companies say they anonymize this technical data as much as possible to protect your privacy. But if you want to know more, the security companies on our list post privacy policies on their websites, so read their privacy statements to learn what the companies do with the information you share.

Protection for other platforms. Microsoft is by far the biggest target for viruses and malware. While the Mac does come under attack via side-loaded apps, it's rare, and if you download apps only from the Mac and iOS app stores and keep your guard up when clicking links and download files, you should be OK without an antivirus app on Apple devices.

CNET editors pick the products and services we write about. When you buy through our links, we may get a commission. Best free Windows antivirus Microsoft Defender. Jump to details. See at Microsoft. See at NortonLifeLock. See at Bitdefender. Best on-demand Windows malware removal Malwarebytes. See at Malwarebytes.

Solid subscription antivirus alternative McAfee Total Protection. See at McAfee. Another good subscription option Trend Micro Maximum Security. See at Trend Micro. See at ESET. Support Close-icon. Spitzenprodukt des Jahres Kostenlos erhalten! Spitzenprodukt des Jahres AVG Internet Security. Von Experten empfohlen, bei Verbrauchern beliebt Jeden Monat stoppen wir, dank eines konkurrenzlosen Netzwerks zur Erkennung von Bedrohungen, mehr als 1,5 Milliarden Cyberangriffe auf der ganzen Welt.

Folgen Sie den Anweisungen auf dem Bildschirm. Wie werde ich einen Virus los? Was macht AVG zu einem der besten kostenlosen Antivirenprogramme?