Cybercriminals are always altering their strategies, so you need a complete antivirus program to protect yourself from the most recent threats. A good antivirus program will search for, detect and eliminate trojans, viruses as well as worms, spyware and trojans. Some antivirus programs come with additional security features, such as virtual personal networks, password management and parental controls, as well as phishing protection.
Antivirus software should also shield your computer from keyloggers and rootkits that secretly track all the information that you type into your keyboard, including passwords and credit card numbers. It should also guard against ransomware which can hijack your computer and take files hostage until you pay a ransom.
The best antivirus software has a high detection rate of malware that is known and is consistently rated high in independent labs for testing. A good security suite comes with additional safety features like a detection system based on algorithms that look for the types of behavior that viruses are known to exhibit. It should also come with a firewall and some programs include a sandboxing feature that allows you run suspicious programs in a setting where they are not able to cause harm.
A good antivirus program will update frequently, typically every day or more. It should also work with a wide variety of devices, ranging from PCs and Macs to smartphones and smart homes. Pricing for antivirus programs varies, with some offering low introductory rates. Some offer monthly or yearly subscriptions in addition to charging on a per-device basis. The cost of an antivirus program should be measured by the amount and types of devices it covers and the frequency of updates as well as how easy to use, and what other security features it comes with.