Some take the fight to the browser, working to ensure you never even browse to a malware-hosting site or get fooled into turning over your credentials to a phishing site.īelieve it or not, some of these freebies even beat all but the best for-pay equivalents. All the free antivirus programs we've selected here offer real-time malware protection.

Your antivirus should certainly have the ability to root out existing malware, but its ongoing task is to prevent ransomware, botnets, Trojans, and other types of nasty programs from getting a foothold. Well, good news! You can get effective antivirus protection without paying a dime.

It seems unfair that you have to pay money for programs to protect you against malware attacks. They steal and sell your personal data, or weasel into your financial accounts to siphon out cash, or trash your important files and demand a ransom to restore them. People who write malware are in it for the money. Since 1982, PCMag has tested and rated thousands of products to help you make better buying decisions.

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