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Every computer connected to the internet is vulnerable to viruses, but you don't have to pay to stay safe while you surf. It's possible to get legal, professional-quality antivirus software and other protective programmes for free. Here's our rundown of the best free antivirus and free internet security software.
Always be careful to check any software you put on your computer is suitable and compatible with your existing set-up. No liability can be accepted for any individual problems caused by acting upon the information given.
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Internet security software to protect your computer is a must these days. But you can boost your level of protection, without any new programs.
If you're not protected and someone gets hold of your passwords, or accesses your bank account or other financial products, you may find it harder to get your money back.
The burden of proof's on the bank to show you didn't act with due care, but it's best to be safe. For more on what to do if you think you've been defrauded, read the ID Fraud Protection guide.
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Pay for antivirus software from biggies like Norton and Kaspersky and it'll cost you £25+ per year. Yet you can get free software which, while not quite as effective or full of features as paid-for programs, still keeps on top of threats. Regardless of which route you take, remember:
Hackers develop new bugs constantly. All these free antivirus programs offer regular updates, so make sure you get them.
It's not just about how up-to-date your software is though. If you're not using it, what's the point? Try to fit in a full 'on-demand' scan once a week, where the virus scanner goes through all the files on your hard drive. That should make sure nothing slips through the net.
Something to bear in mind. The software listed below will protect your computer from viruses, but it won't generally offer the same level of functionality as paid-for software. While some free software does include extras, if there's a specific feature you want such as Wi-Fi protection or secure shopping, it's worth checking both free and paid-for options before making a choice.
There are plenty of free downloads available for Windows – here we separate the wheat from the chaff.
Microsoft Defender Antivirus comes pre-installed on all 'genuine' versions (ie, not installed on more than one computer or counterfeit) of Windows 10.
It runs in the background and tells you when you need to take specific action. You can use it anytime to search for malware if your computer isn’t working properly, but reviews are mixed on how thorough the scans are.
Russian software firm Kaspersky offers several well-reviewed ‘Security Cloud’ software packages which offer a suite of security and antivirus functions.
The free option appears to offer strong protection against a wide range of malware foes, particularly ransomware and phishing attacks.
It allows you to add a toolbar to your internet browser which highlights potentially dangerous links on webpages.
It’s been praised by tech site PCMag UK as a top choice for free antivirus protection.
While it's been owned by Avast since 2016, AVG Antivirus Free remains an antivirus stalwart in its own right and is seen to offer decent protection with few bells and whistles.
AVG will have little impact the performance of most systems, and while it is light on extra features it includes a file shredder that allows you to permanently destroy infected folders - plus any files you wouldn't like to see recovered by another party...
The company behind Avast Antivirus Free boasts over 400 million users, which may be due to this well-reviewed piece of software offering decent protection and a lot of features.
One of these is called CyberCapture, which detects and analyses unusual or suspicious files based on the firm's huge database collated from its users.
The free antivirus software of choice for many techies, Avira Free Antivirus features in the top picks of tech publications like Tech Advisor and TechRadar by being thorough and offering more than just virus detection.
If you have the know-how, it has extra features you can take advantage of, but it's best for those that know their way around a PC.
Panda Security's free antivirus has been praised by reviewers for being easy to use, though the protection it offers was found to be so-so in independent tests. Yet it includes features not often found in (free) antivirus software.
For example, it prevents USB drives running software automatically when inserted into your computer – as well as vaccinates your own USB sticks against infection from other PCs – and a monitoring function to highlight security information about processes currently running, which have accessed the internet and those which have been blocked.
While it's been owned by Avast since 2016, AVG Antivirus Free remains an antivirus stalwart in its own right and is seen to offer decent protection with few bells and whistles.
AVG will have little impact the performance of most systems, and while it is light on extra features it includes a file shredder that allows you to permanently destroy infected folders - plus any files you wouldn't like to see recovered by another party...
Simple to set up, Sophos Home Free runs in the background, providing real-time protection and antivirus scans.
It's phishing protection in particular has been praised by tech site PCMag UK, although TechRadar found it lacking in terms of options and settings.
Avast Security for Mac is available for Mac users as well as on Windows users. Tech sites PCMag UK and TechRadar both rate it for the malware protection and range of features it provides, though the former also said its phishing protection leaves something to be desired.
This no frills, free offering from the Romanian software firm is a decent free option for Mac users.
It scores particularly highly in blocking ‘malware’ and potentially dangerous URLs.
Antivirus software isn't the only protection your computer needs. If you don't have a firewall, you're leaving all your files and sensitive information vulnerable. Effectively:
Antivirus = the border patrol checking what's allowed in.
Firewall = the fence stopping it getting to the border in the first place.
So why aren't we all going firewall mad? Well, we tend to connect to the web via a router, rather than just a modem, and routers provide a hardware firewall. Make sure yours is switched on and set to a high-enough security level. Consult the manual or search online for the make and model number if you don't know how to check.
While you're there, check you've changed your router password from its factory-set default. You'd be surprised how many connections are hacked (and how much havoc gets wreaked) because the standard password hasn't been changed. Spend a little time to get your settings right here, as router firewalls give a higher level of protection than software ones.
If you don't always connect via a router, or you're just big on online security, here are the top firewall freebies...
Included with Microsoft Defender Antivirus, this should be enough for most people (especially those who already have router firewalls), but make sure it's switched on and your copy of Windows is up-to-date. The firewall can be set on low, medium and high levels of protection.
The free option of this very popular firewall software gets great write-ups from tech site Techradar, which described it as ‘the best free firewall’ for Windows users.
It’s great for identifying potentially unsafe web traffic and disabling malicious software.
It’s worth noting that this free version lacks some of the options of its paid-for counterpart, such as 24/7 technical support. You’ll also have to contend with ads when using the software.
Totally free and compatible with Windows XP (32-bit) and up, Comodo Free Firewall offers a good level of protection according to Tech Advisor and TechRadar. Yet it can be intrusive, providing notifications when files have been cleared as well as blocked, but these can be turned off.
Since the early days, all web-ready Macs have come with some sort of firewall as standard. Which yours offers depends on what version of OS X or macOS you're using. To turn it on/off and change the settings, go to System Preferences > Security or Security & Privacy > Firewall.
Application Firewall should provide you with adequate protection in conjunction with a decent Mac antivirus programme.
Know or use any other free antivirus packages or firewall software? Please share them in the free antivirus software forum discussion.
There are other types of malware you can find on your computer. Often legitimate developers will design programs that have useful functions, but they'll also provide the owner with useful information about you or try to sell you things.
To put your mind at rest, you'll need to download some extra software. In the meantime, there are four basic ways to fight back:
Like most antivirus tools, spyware removers work by comparing what's on your machine to a list of known offenders. As ever, the top anti-ad/spyware programs are commercial, but that doesn't necessarily mean you need to buy them. Try these first:
Adaware Antivirus provides real-time protection, blocking malware as it finds it, rather than waiting until the end of the scan, and it's easy to use. Yet reviewers have said it isn't as powerful as it could, and that most features are locked in the free version, so advise against making it your primary tool.
While the free version only provides real-time protection for 14 days after you download it, Malwarebytes for Windows offers powerful on-demand infection detection. Tech publications recommend using it alongside other antivirus software.
Spybot Free Edition has been around since 2000, and while it's easy to use and features an immunisation tool that blocks websites known to harbour malware, reviews indicate it's fairly processor-hungry, so if your computer isn't the quickest slow it might be an unwelcome addition. Again, should be used in conjunction with antivirus software.
One of our top picks for adware/spyware removal on Windows, there's also a free version of Malwarebytes for Mac, which PCMag UK describes as being handy for use alongside an antivirus tool.
We've all had moments of horror (even in this very office) where due to hardware failure, power cuts or just plain ol' silly mistakes, precious documents disappear. As more and more of our lives are committed to the digital domain, backing up data is becoming increasingly important. Since there are ways to do it free, you'll only have yourself to blame if you don't.
If your PC broke, what files would you miss most? These are the ones you should be backing up as a minimum.
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