Everybody has their own favourites when it comes to virus protection. We all expose ourselves to different viruses, so we all need different levels of protection. Some of us are careful, and wind up needing little more than a free program or two (the second one just to go over again and make sure the first one did its job!). Some of us aren’t quite so savvy to common infection sources for computer viruses, and we tend to download more than our fair share, in which case, we’ll need something a little more powerful.
Others will be satisfied with something that is incredibly easy to use, sacrificing configurability and options in favour of a simpler user interface. Still, there are some who don’t mind taking an extra minute or two to get their options just right. Some people want a full package that includes pop up and spam blocking, while others are only worried about viruses, as their email client already does a good job of killing spam.
So what we’re listing below are simply our own favourites in the free virus protection arena. You may agree, or you might have your own favorite you’d like to promote, but these are the ones we’ve always found to be pretty reliable…
McAfee Security Center
The great thing about McAfee is that it is a full package. It does everything, from killing viruses to spotting Trojans to blocking spam and popups. At fifty dollars, some may find it a bit pricy, but when compared to similar packages this is actually a pretty low price. More importantly, it does all of this well, by way of a constantly updating database of known viruses and spam sources. So, even if it’s not a free program, it is the only package you’ll ever need for all of your security needs.
Avira AntiVirus
This may well be the very best of all available free virus scanners. It can spot and destroy around 98% of all viruses, and the 2% that gets by it won’t last long, as Avira is updated at least one time every single day. These updates do not require that you restart your computer or anything, they just, simply, add themselves to the program as it’s running.
AVGFree
AVGFree is another good free one, and while it’s not quite as powerful as Avira, it is a little easier to use, requiring very little in the way of configuration on your part. You simply install it, and it’s ready to run, killing off the vast majority of viruses. It isn’t updated as often as Avira, but it does get regular updates, and it will get the job done if you don’t want to hassle with complicated customization.
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