Thebestanti-virusistheoneyoualreadyhave
A question I get asked frequently is "which anti-virus should I use?"
There are so many anti-virus suites to choose from, and each is more expensive than the other. Plus, you see ads for them all the time, each one claiming they protect you more than the other one. So people naturally assume that there must be a major difference between them, and that investing in a better one will keep you more protected. Hence the question.
But that's a type of logical fallacy called an appeal to status. There's a natural assumption that if I pay more for something, then it's better than cheaper alternatives.
The truth is, anti-virus software is largely all the same. And there's a free one built into Windows called Windows Defender. I've recommended it for years, and there are several reasons why.
First and foremost, it's free.
Second, it's built into Windows, so it's already installed. By necessity, anti-virus software must dig its heels deep into the lowest levels of your operating system. If a virus can install itself at a level lower than the anti-virus can see, then it can't combat it. So having the anti-virus made by the company that makes the operating system means the two can work together at the very lowest levels.
The only problem with this is that sometimes manufacturers like Dell or HP enable a free trial of something else. They do this because those anti-virus makers pay them to pre-install it. It forces you to remove that trial junk. Fortunately that's not too difficult.
Next, Defender uses less memory than other anti-virus software, because the others want to constantly let you know how good they are. "We found this." "We stopped an intrusion." "Look at everything we're doing for you." The reason? So that you'll renew the subscription. That's it.
And finally, it's as good as the paid stuff. Against viruses never seen by researchers before, any anti-virus is only about 50% effective.
The single most effective way to avoid infections is by user behavior.
Surfing unsafe sites, downloading sketchy software, using out-of-date browsers. These are the things that can get you infected. It's just like going to the sketchy part of town and doing sketchy things. You're never 100% safe in the good part of town, but being in the bad part increases the odds that something bad might happen.
So feel free to use whatever anti-virus you want. Do you prefer a paid app because that makes you feel safer? Fine, keep using it. Just remember, anti-virus can only assist you, trying to help when you make a mistake. So try not to make a mistake.
