What antivirus program to install. The best virus removal utility according to users. Independent laboratory tests

Antivirus is a utility for detecting malicious objects that penetrate the computer system via the Internet and removable media. During the period of excessive hacker attacks and the constant emergence of new viruses and spyware, antivirus software developers improve and optimize their products for device security and secure web surfing. Internet. Competition in the antivirus market is high.

Some utilities create protection for the entire system and automatically recognize and send viruses to quarantine, others protect individual PC components, ensure a safe stay on the Internet, and some carry out a one-time scan to identify "pests" and are portable. antivirus utilities with various functionality and computer protection.

A popular antivirus with over 230 million users. Works on Linux, Windows, Mac OS, for PDAs based on Android, Windows CE, Palm. Program toolkits protect Wi-Fi network v mobile devices with the preservation of passwords and confidentiality. Four types of scans quickly detect and respond to embedded malicious junk. Protective screens carry out a comprehensive check of unknown sites, opened files, P2P connections and received messages.

A popular program that scans not only the computer system, but also removable media connected to the PC. The utility shows statistics on spam and malicious infiltration, monitors the file system, has a "parental control" mode, blocks dangerous websites and checks email.

A utility from the well-known company "Kaspersky Lab" with basic tools for reliable computer protection. Blocks unknown sites, applications and malicious scripts. Has fast, complete, selective and external device verification. Can work together with Kaspersky Security Network. Does not provide protection of personal data, so antivirus will not be enough for financial and confidential work.

A program that scans the system in a few minutes, providing a detailed report on the threats found and their location paths. It is possible to schedule the next check with the indication of the day of the week and the start time. " Parental control»Blocks inappropriate content.

Competitive antivirus that performs well-coordinated and decent computer protection without stressing the system. The program modules detect and eliminate ad trolls, rootkits and spyware, provide email protection and identify dangerous links. Identity theft is minimized.

Powerful utility that protects your computer in real time. Has configurable options for network security, checks downloads and scans your Facebook wall before downloading unknown links from it. Antivirus scans emails and can be password protected.

High-quality anti-virus utility with a large base of protection against more than 200,000 types of viruses. The program module monitors the movement of suspicious files, an innovative scanning method protects against previously unknown macro viruses, and later versions of the antivirus block ad spam and spyware.

Antivirus scanner for scanning objects that enter the computer from removable media. Automatically checks USB sticks, tablets, media players, SD cards, smartphones and digital cameras for threats, and if detected, offers to send viruses to quarantine or deletion. It has a mandatory check and guarantees the protection of confidential data from interception. TO additional opportunities includes scanning of potentially dangerous URLs, deleting dangerous and temporary files, and restoring damaged objects.

Powerful utility that protects the system even in minimized mode. Has full, spot, fast and rating checks. It is possible to schedule a scan and set the depth of the scan of files. Checks removable media, protects email, and continually updates versions to keep your device up to date.

Powerful free antivirus with five optimized engines and protection against various kinds of viruses. The program protects web surfing, checks Wi-Fi and removes programs without leaving a trace. In offline mode, two engines are turned on and the antivirus continues to work. Also, it is possible to check software, restore the system after attacks and failures, analyze media and protect the webcam. The antivirus product analyzes the operation of suspicious files and has an antivirus sandbox.

An antivirus program with a unique heuristic mechanism that detects unknown threats and activates the utility even if it is blocked. Blocks malicious sites, anti-rootkits and spyware attacks. Does not conflict with other programs and antiviruses and constantly updates the database.

A program that detects adware, malicious plugins and unwanted software on websites. Detects objects that "flew" into the system when installing some programs, blocks unwanted toolbars and "pests" that change the home page in the browser. Does not require installation on a computer and can be used portable from removable media.

It turned out that most antiviruses provide over 95% protection against the desired 97%. In addition, experts have dispelled several myths about antivirus software - including the belief of users that paid programs always better than free ones.

The study, which took place in one of the best test centers in the world, involved 23 of the most famous antiviruses - both paid and free versions - from developers around the world. These include Bitdefender, Norton, AVG, ESET, Avira, Avast, Panda, McAfee and Sophos. For the first time, the international ICRT study included two Russian developments at once - Kaspersky and Dr.Web Antivirus, which indicates the high popularity of these antiviruses.

The best antivirus programs for Windows 10

As a result, in the top of the rating best antivirus the paid version of the Romanian program Bitdefender Internet Security turned out to be, scoring 4.593 points out of 5.5 possible. In second place is Kaspersky Internet Security, which is only 0.2 points behind the leader (4.371). Third place goes to Bitdefender again, this time to the free version of Antivirus Free Edition (4,367 points). The fourth place was taken by the English antivirus BullGuard Internet Security (4.364 points), the fifth - by the American Norton Security Deluxe (4.313). In addition, the top ten included Avast Free Antivirus.

The top ten antiviruses include:

ICRT experts selected paid and free programs- both built-in and offered separately. Based on selection principles, the most expensive versions were not included in the study. software products from these brands. In addition, only one paid product could be represented in the rating from one brand. The second product could only be ranked if it was free.

As part of the study, experts checked the level of protection against viruses, usability and the effect of the program on the speed of the computer - in general, each program was evaluated according to 200 indicators.

The experts conducted four groups of malware protection tests: the online general protection test, the offline test, the false positive rate test, and the on-demand auto scan and scan test. To a lesser extent, the final rating was influenced by checking the usability of the antivirus and its effect on the speed of the computer.

The main conclusion made by the experts was that the majority of tested antiviruses provide protection to the user in excess of 95%. However, this figure is considered the lower limit of resistance to malware - 97% is considered a good indicator.

At the same time, as the study showed, almost all programs do a good job of protecting against spyware and protecting against phishing (Internet fraud, the purpose of which is to obtain user identification data). They differ in the presence or absence of one or another function in the tested version, which means that in order to choose an antivirus suitable for a specific user, you need to familiarize yourself with the comparative table presented on the Roskachestvo website.

Built-in Antivirus: Windows 10 Defender

The experts also checked the standard Windows Defender preinstalled in the Windows 10 operating system (as of February 2018, the 10th version was installed on 43% of owners of computers running the Windows operating system). As the study showed, Windows Defender is seriously lagging behind competitors - the program scored only 3,511 points and took 17th place in overall ranking(including 4 free programs bypassed it).

It earned this rating because it showed satisfactory results in terms of online protection, but did not pass the phishing and anti-ransomware test, while anti-phishing protection was claimed by the antivirus vendors. In addition, the antivirus on Windows 10 did a poor job of protecting your computer offline.

Experts consider this protection only "decent" and believe that Windows Defender can be relied on if the user has regular updates enabled, his computer is connected to the Internet most of the time, and he is advanced enough not to visit suspicious sites.

Early versions of Windows are left unprotected

The experts also noted that users of earlier Windows versions(and such 48% of all users of this OS) remain practically unprotected, since these versions operating systems do not have built-in protection, which means that they absolutely need computer protection.

A detailed study of antivirus for macOS will be available in summer 2018.

About Roskachestvo and ICRT

For reference: Roskachestvo is a national system for monitoring, comparative testing and confirmation of the quality of goods and services, established by the order of the Government of the Russian Federation on the initiative of the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Russia.

Roskachestvo conducts regular research on consumer goods. Also, the department, in accordance with the Decree of the Government of Russia, is the operator of the state quality mark issued to the best domestic goods based on the results of the research. The research results are published on the portal www.roskachestvo.gov.ru. Also Roskachestvo since 2017 is the secretariat of the Government Prize in the field of quality.

International Consumer Research & Testing (ICRT) conducts thousands of product tests per year and has the ability to inform an average of 30 to 40 million people through publications of ICRT member organizations around the world. Since 2016, Russia has been represented in ICRT by Roskachestvo.

If a lot of unnecessary advertising materials appear in the browser, files disappear somewhere on the desktop or other incomprehensible things happen, and the antivirus is powerless against them, a virus removal utility comes to the rescue.

This concept means a small program that simply finds and removes viruses and their remnants.

This is an inferior antivirus, such as Doctor Web or Kaspersky, and a small part of them that only scans the system and removes all malicious programs.

Such utilities do not require installation and, most often, are distributed completely free of charge.

Several antivirus giants are releasing such utilities so that users can fully appreciate the full power of their software.

An example of such is the same Doctor Web and Kaspersky.

The first "giant" has such a utility called, and the second -.

These two programs are the most popular of their kind, but far from the most effective. But they are distributed free of charge!

On their example, you can consider the main functions and features of the utilities for removing viruses.

And then let's move on to reviewing those programs that really work effectively against ad viruses and other unnecessary programs.

• Several ways: How to clean your computer from viruses absolutely free

No. 6. Dr.Web CureIt

No. 5. Kaspersky Virus Removal Tool

There, by the way, you can download this very utility.

On the forums, you can find reviews that Kaspersky Virus Removal Tool does not find most adware viruses that Dr.Web CureIt can easily deal with.

Some write that it works for a very long time and heavily loads the computer's memory.

It is often impossible to run other programs in parallel with Kaspersky Virus Removal Tool. Although, all Kaspersky products suffer from this.

In any case, although the Kaspersky Virus Removal Tool is the brainchild of one of the best antivirus products of our time, it lacks even a quarter of the power that Kaspersky antiviruses are famous for.

Therefore, it is better to use one of the utilities listed below.

No. 4. AdwCleaner

In any topic on the forums, where we are talking about free utilities for removing viruses, will appear.

And this is not at all surprising, because many choose this particular program as an alternative to the promoted and.

Although, if you take all the many reviews and posts, then it can hardly be considered the most powerful of its kind. But AdwCleaner was created, as they say, with a soul and for people.

After the standard and the same for all virus removal process, AdwCleaner shows recommendations on how to avoid similar problems in the future.

As for the use, this curing utility is practically no different from the aforementioned similar programs.

The AdwCleaner window is shown in Figure 4. All actions are concentrated in the section with the appropriate name (highlighted in the figure).

To start using it, you need to press the "Scan" button, and then wait until the end of the check.

The "Results" section (located immediately below the "Actions" section) will contain the scan report.

There you can select all found threats or some specific of them and click the "Remove" button.

Of course, the algorithms for checking and deleting are different for all such programs, but the method of use is practically the same for all.

As for AdwCleaner, judging by the reviews of people that they left on the forums and in social networks, this curing utility works better than the products of Kaspersky and Doctor Web.

There were cases when the same Kaspersky Virus Removal Tool did not find anything, but AdwCleaner found several dozen viruses and easily removed them from the computer.

No. 3. Anti-Malware

# 1. HitmanPro

It is quite possible that HitmanPro will be our winner today!

At least the reviews about this utility are so positive that it is quite possible to consider HitmanPro the most powerful of its kind to date.

Yes, the program is paid, but it has a trial period of 30 days. During this time, it is quite possible to completely clean the system of all kinds of viruses and never remember them again.

The very fact that HitmanPro removes not only existing viruses, but also leftovers remote programs and the so-called tails of viruses already speaks volumes.

At the same time, the HitmanPro developers did not repeat the mistakes of the people who created Anti-Malware.

They did not decide to sacrifice the main function, that is, virus removal, for the sake of a beautiful design and a wide range of additional functions.

We can say about HitmanPro that it is really powerful! In tests conducted by various sites, this particular utility has shown itself to be the best.

What other similar programs did not pay attention to, HitmanPro detected very quickly and immediately reported their existence.

By the way, if we talk about speed, this is another indisputable advantage of HitmanPro.

Thus, we can highlight the following main advantages of HitmanPro:

• Work speed (according to this parameter, HitmanPro is clearly better than all its today's competitors);
• High-quality virus removal;
• High-quality detection of viruses and even their remnants.

And the disadvantages of this utility are as follows:

• Paid license (there is a trial period for 30 days);
• A minimum of additional functions.

Basically, the choice between good virus removal and a beautiful interface is quite obvious.

That is why HitmanPro is the best virus removal utility and the winner of our today's competition.

Although very few people know about this program.

If the trial period has expired, and there is no way to buy a license, Spybot Search & Destroy, Anti-Malware or the popular AdwCleaner can handle viruses well.

But HitmanPro is still better!

More information about HitmanPro can be found in the video below.

Both products receive very good scores in antivirus labs and PCMag's own tests, and include several additional security components. Avast, in particular, includes a built-in password manager and a vulnerability scanner home network... If you have a specific budget for computer security, the best commercial solutions will provide more effective and comprehensive protection. Otherwise, you can safely choose among the free solutions presented here.

Free protection against various types of threats

New computers and laptops these days come with antivirus protection. As a rule, devices are preinstalled trial versions commercial antivirus software from well-known brands. If the trial expires and you ignore the reminders to purchase your subscription, Windows Defender will keep your PC safe. However, you can get better, better protection with third-party solutions... Don't worry if your budget doesn't include buying a paid antivirus. You can get really good protection without paying a dime. PCMag tested 17 free antivirus software to help you choose the right solution to protect your computer.

Your antivirus should definitely do a great job of cleaning up existing infections, but its main purpose is to protect your PC from ransomware Trojans, botnets, Trojans, and other types of malware. All antiviruses in this collection offer real-time protection. Some solutions additionally offer web protection to prevent visits to fraudulent sites and web resources with malware.

Free or commercial antivirus?

If free antiviruses are really effective, why would anyone pay? First of all, many of the antiviruses offered in the rating are free only for non-commercial use - if you want to protect computers in an organization, you will have to purchase a paid version. In this case, it is recommended to buy a comprehensive antivirus product because business security is at stake.

Even for personal use, many commercial tools offer much more. functionality than the corresponding free versions. For example, Kaspersky Free will not include the powerful "Activity Monitor" component that is available in the paid version. This security module monitors suspicious activity and allows you to roll back harmful changes. Paid version Adaware Antivirus comes with a similar behavioral detection tool as well as an anti-malware component that you won't find in this vendor's free antivirus. Panda also reserves some advanced protection features only for customers of the commercial solution, such as firewall, software monitoring, and detection of unsafe wireless networks.

In addition, many companies do not offer complete technical support customers of the free version. If you need expert assistance in cleaning up stubborn infections, you may regret not being able to do so.

Independent laboratory tests

Researchers at independent labs spend a lot of time and effort testing antivirus software. Some organizations regularly publish test reports. PCMag tracks the results of 4 main laboratories: AV-Comparatives, AV-Test Institute, SE Labs and MRG-Effitas. Certification by ICSA Labs and West Coast Labs is also noted.

Typically, antivirus developers pay to participate in testing. In turn, labs provide vendors with detailed reports that help improve products. Thus, the number of laboratories testing a particular product is an indicator of the value of this decision. In any case, two conditions must be met for antivirus testing: the laboratory must consider the product to be sufficiently important, and the developer company must be satisfied with the cost of participation. Labs are not required to test free products, but many vendors include full protection in free solutions, adding only advanced features to paid products.

PCMag tests

In addition to thorough analysis of laboratory test results, PCMag conducts its own amateur anti-virus testing to block malware. Each antivirus encounters a set of different types of malware, after which the product's response to the threat is recorded. Typically, antivirus removes most of the samples at once and detects several more instances of malware when it tries to run it. Based on the test results, the product can receive from 0 to 10 points for blocking, depending on how well the system protects against test samples.

The test collection has been in use for months, so the malware blocking test does not measure the ability of antiviruses to detect the latest threats. A separate trial attempts to download malware from 100 online sources up to a day old provided by MRG-Effitas. During the testing process, it is noted whether the product has blocked access to the network location, cleaned up the malware payload at boot time, or ignored the threat. Norton scored the highest in this test, followed by Trend Micro Antivirus + Security and Avira Free Antivirus in the final table.

Useful functions

Each antivirus product in the collection scans files on access to prevent the potential launch of malware, and scans the system on demand or on a specified schedule. Blocking access to malicious links is another one efficient way avoid trouble. Many products extend protection to prevent you from visiting fraudulent resources, phishing sites that try to steal your credentials. Some solutions rank search engine results by flagging suspicious and dangerous links.

Behavioral detection is featured in some of the products in the collection. On the one hand, this component can detect malicious programs that are unknown threats. On the other hand, behavioral analysis can lead to false positives for reliable programs.

Any antivirus should detect spyware, but some products include separate anti-spyware components. Features such as encryption of personal data and webcam protection allow you to protect confidential information from third parties, but they usually come with paid solutions. However, some free antiviruses have security features in their arsenal. onscreen keyboard to protect against keyloggers.

One easy way to keep your computer as secure as possible is to install security updates for Windows, browsers, and other popular programs. Windows 10 updates are mandatory and fully automated, but there are still a lot of holes in older ones. Windows systems, popular apps and plugins. Scanning for vulnerabilities in the form of missed updates is a feature often found in commercial antivirus products. However, some free antiviruses offer similar functionality.

Who is not represented in the rating

This rating contains information only on free antivirus solutions that have received at least a “Good” rating based on the results of PCMag reviews - from 3 points or higher. According to the results latest review Windows Defender Security Center received just 3 stars and performed better than last time. However, it is rather Windows components than individual products. The best free antivirus offers more levels of protection.

Some free tools Security is designed solely to protect against ransomware. Cybereason RansomFree, Malwarebytes Anti-Ransomware Beta, and Trend Micro RansomBuster all serve one primary purpose - preventing any ransomware attacks that might be undetected by basic antivirus defenses. Bitdefender Anti-Ransomware tries to trick the ransomware Trojans into believing that the system is already infected. They were not included in the rating because they are not complete antivirus products.

There are numerous free antivirus utilities that exist solely to clean up malicious infections. You turn to the help of these utilities only if you suspect an active infection. Once the problem has been resolved, they are not used because they do not offer permanent protection. Editors' Choice in this category belongs to Malwarebytes Free- This product is worth using in case of malware infection. Since these solutions are usually free, you can use several scanning programs at once. Once the threat has been removed, you will need a full-fledged antivirus for real-time protection.

List of all tested free solutions

• Avast Free Antivirus. Avast Free Antivirus combines highly effective antivirus protection with an extensive collection of additional tools.
• AVG AntiVirus Free. Free AVG antivirus received an updated interface and new security technologies. Independent lab tests and PCMag's own tests show that protection is even stronger than ever before.
• Acronis Ransomware Protection. If your antivirus is missing the latest ransomware, your data is at serious risk, Acronis Ransomware Protection will add an extra layer of protection for your files and provide 5 gigabytes cloud storage for backups.
• Bitdefender Antivirus Free Edition. The free Bitdefender antivirus includes the same antivirus protection as the paid Bitdefender antivirus, but lacks the additional functionality of the commercial version.
• ZoneAlarm Free Antivirus +. The free ZoneAlarm antivirus combines a high-quality and powerful firewall with a licensed anti-virus protection engine from Kaspersky Lab. It's a great choice for users who don't need advanced security features.
• Cybereason RansomFree. The consequences of a malicious ransomware attack can be catastrophic. Therefore, you should consider the possibility of strengthening protection against this type of threat. Cybereason RansomFree is a free solution to provide an extra layer of protection against ransomware.
• Kaspersky Free. Free Kaspersky Antivirus offers full-featured basic antivirus protection that scores excellent in lab tests.
• Malwarebytes Anti-Ransomware Beta. Malwarebytes A analyzes the activity of programs in search of suspicious actions typical of ransomware. This lightweight utility will identify ransomware Trojans that can bypass basic anti-virus protection.
• Sophos Home. Sophos Free Antivirus allows you to bring powerful corporate antivirus capabilities to ordinary home users for free. Users have access to a cloud console that allows them to control up to three product installations.
• Avira Free Antivirus. Free Avira antivirus gets excellent scores from independent labs, but in amateur tests, PCMag was very slow to scan the test system. Plus, Web Protection only works in Chrome and Firefox.
• CyberSight RansomStopper. RansomStopper offers free advanced protection against ransomware, but PCMag's own tests have shown that the product has not responded to one rare type of ransomware.
• Adaware Antivirus Free. Free antivirus Adaware got a new name and a new appearance... However, its test results are not the best, and competing free antiviruses offer more options.
• Bitdefender Anti-Ransomware. Bitdefender Anti-Ransomware protects your PC from infections by four ransomware families. Tests have shown that the product successfully copes with this task. However, you will need additional solutions to defend against other types of ransomware Trojans.
• Comodo Antivirus. Comodo free antivirus got a new look and showed perfect detection rate in the malware blocking test. However, the product performed worse in other tests by PCMag and in tests by independent labs.
• Panda Free Antivirus. The free Panda antivirus has an attractive user interface and an unusual USB vaccination feature. However, the product did not perform well in tests by independent labs and in PCMag's own tests.
• Qihoo 360 Total Security. Qihoo 360 comes with a powerful set of additional tools, but its basic antivirus protection cannot compete with the best free antivirus software.
• Trend Micro RansomBuster. Built-in folder protection successfully blocks unauthorized changes to protected documents. However, the behavioral detection system needs to be improved.
• Baidu Antivirus 2015. Antivirus long time does not develop and cannot be recommended as the main anti-virus protection.
• Comodo Internet Security Premium. Comodo's end-to-end solution combines standalone antivirus and vendor standalone firewall in one product. As a free product, this antivirus includes a large number of features, but not all of them are effective.
• Windows Defender Security Center. Microsoft antivirus keeps you safe Windows computers 10 that do not have other antivirus solutions installed. In the latest round of PCMag testing, the product performed better than before.

1. Finding malware is a top priority. In order for the program to cope with it better than other alternatives (albeit paid ones), we supplied it with 5 engines at once. Among them, special attention should be paid to the cloud 360 Cloud, which removes unnecessary load from the system, the popular Bitdefender in the world and the System Repair algorithm for recovering damaged data.
   This interaction allows 360 Total Security to quickly find, localize and eliminate any threat to your data.
2. Cleaning hard drives and registry from junk files. Special add-ons allow you to find programs that you have not used for a long time. A powerful free antivirus launches a disk and registry scan with one click, after which the system boots and runs much faster.
3. Another reason to download powerful antivirus is free updates. All subsequent versions will be available to our users on the same terms as now FREEWARE. This means that, unlike licensed software, which requires investments every year, our