Do you want Antivirus on a brand new windows computer or laptop? Free Antivirus

 Do you want Antivirus on a brand new windows computer or laptop? Free Antivirus

 Malware attacks are in the news these days, with ransomware proving a scary new way to lose your data. But is Windows 10 secure enough to be used with just the built-in security software included by Microsoft? This is what you need to know to keep your PC (and your information) safe

 

For many years, the perceived wisdom when it came to Windows PCs was that you needed to install antivirus software if you wanted to keep your computer and data safe.

 

But, with the security enhancements being pursued in the Windows operating system itself, is this still the case? We explain whether you should install anti-virus apps on your Windows 10 PC or laptop.

 

Doesn't Windows 10 have its own built-in security software?

There is indeed one: Windows Defender. Windows has had virus protection for many years, and the latest iteration found in Windows 10 is more powerful than ever.

 

 

A lot of people stick with Windows Defender as their primary security software, and when combined with a few precautions, we think it's an acceptable approach. It's nearly pretty much as great as the free antivirus contributions from AVG, Avast, and Bitdefender

Microsoft's offering has the advantage of being integrated into the operating system, so it has a low drag factor when it comes to system resources. The result of this is that you shouldn't see much performance drop if it is running in the background. And you don't have to install or configure it first, which is a bonus too.

 

The advantage of dedicated antivirus software, however, is that they generally provide a greater range of functionality in terms of how they protect your system.So you are looking at the compromise of performance rather than safety.

 

Is Windows Defender sufficient on its own?

Although Defender is a competent tool, which is updated regularly, in tests done by UK Security Analysts SE Labs, Defender (also known as Microsoft Security Essentials) received a Total Accuracy score of 94 per cent.

 

It may sound high, but you can get higher protection from ESET and Norton which received 100 and 99 per cent respectively.

 

It's not just about the scores, however. We've already mentioned the features: Defender now has an 'Exploit guard' which helps protect your files from ransomware, but only if you've updated Creator (or a newer version of Windows 10).

 

Paid antivirus software often has features earlier, and many now employ artificial intelligence for better threat detection. And you'll likely get extras like password managers, as well as email and web browser plugins that can alert you to risky email attachments and websites.

 

Do not use an Administrator account

On Windows, it is a good idea not to use an account with Administrator privileges. This simple modification can eradicate many threats, like malware, spyware, which will not be able to install on your PC.

 

To do this you will need to create a new Administrator account (and you will want to have one in your system) and then change the existing one to a Standard account.

 

This can be done in Settings> Accounts> Family & other people, where you add either a family member or a generic account.

 

Set it to Administrator, then log out of your existing account. Log in to the new one, click on your normal account and when the option to Change account type appears to click on it. This opens a window where you can select to make either a Standard or Administrator account.

 

With that fixed, it should offer a sufficient amount of protection against accidental downloads with hidden malware.

 

On the off chance that you see that specific projects that you use routinely require more significant level access, at that point you can generally give it an exceptional pass.

 

Have a dedicated browser for Flash or Java

Another common weak point on Windows comes from external software. Flash and Java are both known to be the route that many malware programs take to reach your system, so it is wise to limit their use.

 

In some cases, this is difficult, since you might have specific websites that need it - bank sites were a prime example for a while - meaning you can't turn off programs completely.

 

Our advice is to download another browser - Chrome, Firefox, Opera, etc. - and to have Java and Flash activated on that one. Then when you need to use the website that asks for them, you can open that browser, but the rest of the time online you will be in a secure browser instead.

 
Pay attention to where you click

A lot of the ways people are compromised these days come by getting tricked into clicking links in emails, which then download the malware, or by clicking on fake versions of websites that then ask you to log in, thus stealing your account details.

 

A decent dependable guideline is to consistently explore to a site yourself. If you receive an email saying that your account password needs to be changed, or even that there are good discounts, then don't click on the link. Instead, go to your browser and type in the site address. If the reduction is real, then you will find it.

Be very careful with links in emails or social media posts too, since they can be just that dangerous. Basically, treat every link or download as suspicious, and you can avoid a lot of trouble.

 

Make regular backups

The last essential part of protection is to make regular offline backups. Yes, using online services is a good idea, and as you will see in our 2017 Best Cloud Storage Gathering there is a lot to choose from, but with ransomware becoming more of a threat we would also recommend creating your own backups. local, also offline.

 

So I don't need any other antivirus software at all?

Yes and no. If you are a careful user, who doesn't click on things without reading them first and stays on the main roads of the internet, then using the methods outlined above should keep you safe. Make sure you configure Windows Defender correctly, enabling its SmartScreen and Ransomware features, and it will serve you well.

 

But, and this is important, there will always be a chance that something goes through the net. If you want the highest levels of defense then do everything above but add a full security suite on top.

 

We've created a guide to the Best Antivirus that you can use to make your decision, as long as you remember that no software is going to stop you from giving out your account details if you're not careful online.