In the present escalating cybercrime situation, a simple antivirus program is not enough to secure your devices. A top-quality antivirus suite will offer additional protections that go beyond malware detection, including a VPN, performance optimization tools and password managers. You should also consider an antivirus that is compatible with all operating systems and will not slow down or consume your system’s resources.

The best antivirus software can detect and block a variety of threats like viruses, trojans and worms, ransomware spyware such as adware rootkits, adware, and keyloggers. They can also protect your computer from phishing attacks by identifying fake links and malicious websites.

There’s a vast array of antivirus software available and a majority of brands allow you to try their program with a free trial or money-back guarantee. Many also provide 24/7 customer service and a comprehensive online knowledge base to help you troubleshoot any issues that arise.

Microsoft Defender is the most popular antivirus software available for Windows (which is included in the latest Windows computers). It’s been rated very highly by independent labs techlifehacks.net AV Test and AV Comparatives. It is lightweight and unobtrusive to use, however it isn’t as sophisticated as the sophistication of premium standalone products.