Recent antivirus tests are bad news for paid security suites
If you’re worried about malware infecting your PC, you may subscribe to a security suite. But AV-Test’s recent evaluation of the top antivirus software reveals a free service, Avast, at the top of the heap—and Windows’ own Windows Defender just a shade behind.
The implication? First, that Microsoft’s own built-in protections are no longer the joke they once were, and second, that consumers may be overspending for protection that other services provide for free.
The best modern security suites offer a number of benefits that go beyond strictly antimalware, of course: securing your PC against ransomware, providing a built-in firewall to replace Windows’ own, protecting payment information and passwords, and using AI-like behavior to block zero-day attacks as they occur. Some even tack on VPN services, too.