Although Windows 10 has improved security dramatically,
it's still important to have proper security software to block the multitude of
threats that your computer is exposed to as you use the internet. Protection is
doubly as important on laptops, where they can leave the safety of your home
and connect to strange networks.
To find out a bit more about each bit of
software, we're deep-diving into the score results to find out the quality of
protection for each. When you've finished reading the results, you'll know
which software is best at protection and whether or not you should stick with
what you've got or switch to another package. Even so, results are only part of
the picture, and features, quality of product and price all have an important
part to play. So, using our first-hand knowledge of each product, we've put
together our chosen list of software. These are the all-rounders that have the best
price, features, and protection. However, if you're already running software
that gives the level of defense that you need, our results could confirm that
you're good to stick with what you've got.
VERSION AVERSION
The test results
that we're using come from between July and September 2019. Each test was
performed after upgrading the software to the latest version, including
downloading the most recent malware database files. It's worth
pointing out that the level of the threat changes over time, as does the
performance of products.
What we have here is a snapshot of a particular time;
it's a brilliant indicator of how good each piece of software is, but we have to put in the caveat that performance can
vary over time. It's also worth mentioning product versions. Typically, each manufacturer will have multiple versions of its security software, each with
different features.
For example, Kaspersky Anti-Virus gives you basic security
protection, but if you upgrade to Kaspersky Total Security, you get Safe Kids
for blocking bad content, a password manager, and the encrypted Money browser
to protect online transactions. The base level of protection remains the same
throughout all versions, so it's really about looking into the extra features
that you may or may not need. To keep things simple, we've listed the best
version based on price and features in our table.
THE PRICE IS RIGHT
Security software is purchased with a
license that gives you access to software and virus-detection updates for a set
period, usually a year. When the license expires, your software no longer
updates and you're locked at a protection level that becomes more and more
outdated as the time passes. You'll often get a better deal by buying 'boxed'
software from retailers such as Amazon but not from the security vendors
themselves.
In the box, you'll get a license code, which you can use to unlock
the software that you download from the internet. It can save a lot of money,
too. However, if you shop online, you can find that you can buy a
brand-new license at a lower cost, which is well worth doing. With the license
code that you get, you can either enter it into the software to unlock another
year's use, or you may find that you have to uninstall and reinstall to achieve
the same effect. However, given the savings on offer, going for the cheaper and
slightly more complicated option is well worth it.
We recommend that you set a calendar reminder a month or so before your renewal is
due so that you can buy the new software you need and have it ready before your
old software expires.
FREE RIDE
There are plenty of free anti-viruses
applications available, including Windows Defender, which is built into the
Windows 10 operating system. So should you just use one of these, or should you
stump up the cash for a more feature-packed paid-for version?
Free security the software can be very good. In fact, this year, Microsoft Windows Defender
scored a Protection Score of 99 out of 100, and the other free software wasn't
far behind. For basic protection, free software is undoubtedly better than
nothing.
That said, the paid-for software delivered better results, and you get
more features, particularly with the higher-priced packages. For example, if
you want to protect your children from malware and bad websites both on a
computer and mobile phone, free software just won't cut it, but the paid-for
packages will give you these features.
PHONE HOME
Many security suites are also
available for smartphones, and you'll often find that if you buy a
multi-license key you'll get support for phones alongside desktops and laptops.
Smartphones are built to be more secure than desktops, so they are generally less
vulnerable, as its virtually impossible for a website, for example, to install
malicious software on to a phone. However, that doesn't mean that your Android
phone or iPhone is completely secure, and antivirus software can offer that
extra level of protection.
It's the extra features that you get that can make
the software useful. For example, if you want web filtering to extend to mobile
phones in your household, this is the way to do it. Security apps also tend to
give extra features, such as call filtering, where you can choose who can and
can't be called, and additional security features, such as remote wiping and
secure tracking.
With phone apps, it's worth looking at the full feature set
and working out what you do and don't need, rather than focusing on security
alone.
FULL PROTECTION
There's a growing number of security suites that are
built to install on routers, such as Netgear Armour, which is designed for the
Orbi mesh system and some other high-end routers. With Netgear Armour, you get
an additional level of protection, with the blocking of fake and malicious
websites, a security scan of your home network to detect vulnerable devices,
device management with warnings for unauthorized devices trying to access your
network, and protection from ransomware.
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