The annual data breach reports reveal that the overall compromises and reported incidents are 68% higher in 2021 compared to that in 2020. In 2022, a soaring 13% increase in ransomware attacks has been reported — more than the last five years combined.
Personal information such as National Insurance number, Social Security number, credit card information, email address, and other personal data are at risk more than ever. Not to mention, the financial incentives of these data breaches are alarming and are enough to ruin your financial life.
The cost of a data breach is even higher at an enterprise level. Five hundred data breaches were studied in the Cost of a Data Breach, and the average cost of a data breach stood at $4.24M.
So, how can you protect yourself and your business from becoming a data breach victim?
The first step to securing your data is the right antivirus software at home and in your business. The current antivirus software has advanced to not only detect the virus in your devices but to create a firewall to prevent any malware from breaching it.
With hundreds of antivirus software in your arsenal, it can be overwhelming to decide which one is the best option for you. So, we have investigated the available antivirus software, and here are our top five picks.
The Top 5 Antivirus Security Software
1. McAfee Total Protection (best deal here)
Specification
| Scan Type | On-demand and on-access |
| Firewall | Yes |
| Blocks ransomware | Yes |
| Blocks spyware | Yes |
| Parental control | Yes |
| VPN | Full |
| Backup | No |
| Best Deal | $49.99/year (5 devices) |
Best price for McAfee Total Protection is available here.
What we like
- Real-time scanning of threats
- Easy-to-use software
- No-limits VPN
- Security for every device in your household
- Excellent phishing protection
What we don’t like
- Long scan durations
- McAfee collects a substantial amount of information about the user
- Some features are not available yet
McAfee Total Protection Review
McAfee Total Protection offers every internet security feature you need — malware protection, anti-phishing protection, password manager, encrypted storage, a VPN, and parental control. It includes three types of protection — PC, web, and identity. So, covering all aspects of your device and providing complete protection against malware attacks.
McAfee Total Protection includes both real-time and on-demand scanning options. The real-time scanning feature will scan your computer as you open, download, and access files. You can also do a full scan, quick scan, custom scan, and even schedule regular scans on your devices. However, your device may slow down during real-time scanning or a full scan.
It also includes Wi-Fi protection and anti-phishing protection to ensure complete safety while browsing the internet. The VPN will keep your data safe and encrypted from possible man-in-the-middle attacks. Its parental control is also one of the best in the market, including location tracking on top of content blocking and filtering.
2. Norton 360 Deluxe (best deal here)
Specification
| Protection type | Real-time |
| Firewall | Yes |
| Anti-phishing protection | Yes |
| Privacy protection | Yes |
| Password manager | Yes |
| VPN | Unlimited use |
| Cloud backup | Windows only |
| Webcam protection | Windows only |
| Best deal | $34.99/year (5 devices) |
Best price for Norton 360 Deluxe is available here.
What we like
- Powerful and effective firewall
- Virus and malware protection
- No-limits VPN
- Cloud storage for backup
- Complete protection against malicious and fraudulent websites
- Streamlined mobile apps
What we don’t like
- Online backup features limited to Windows
- Parental control unavailable on macOS
- Limited security protection on iOS devices
Norton 360 Deluxe Review
Norton 360 Deluxe offers unbeatable virus and malware protection that works well across all operating systems. Norton 360 has four plans available starting from $19.99/year. Norton 360 Deluxe plan, the best-value plan, comes with additional features on top of malware protection — parental control, no-limit VPN, dark web monitoring, and up to 50 GB of cloud storage. This plan allows you to install the protection on five devices under a single license.
Norton’s antiviruses have performed extraordinarily in the past, and Norton 360 is no exception. It has obtained perfect scores across multiple operating systems, including macOS, Windows, and Android. However, Norton’s identity protection LifeLock hasn’t been integrated on Norton 360 Deluxe.
Norton 360 also comes with an easy-to-use interface that offers an at-a-glance status report across all of your devices. Its browsing protection and proxy server also keep you safe on the internet. It also analyzes all web downloads and sends a report on their safety after scanning.
3. Kaspersky Total Security (best deal here)
Specification
| Protection type | Real-time |
| Firewall | Yes |
| Antispam | Yes |
| Tune-up | Yes |
| Parental control | Yes |
| VPN | Limited |
| Backup | Yes |
| Best deal | $89.99/year (3 devices) |
Best price for Kaspersky Total Security (3 users) is available here.
What we like
- File encryption and shredding
- Comprehensive parental control
- Backup system
- Light to moderate system impact
- Anti-hacking and antivirus
- Proactive detection of threats
What we don’t like
- Relatively expensive
- Limited storage for backup
- Limited VPN
Kaspersky Total Security Review
Kaspersky Total Security packs a vast number of features in one product to cover every aspect of device and web security. Beyond an antivirus, firewall, and spam filter, Kaspersky has included file encryption, a cloud backup system, and enhanced parental control in its Total Security package.
Similar to its competitors, Kaspersky offers cross-platform services — including Windows, macOS, Android, and even iOS. You will also get a Password Manager and Backup and Restore to keep your data safe in case of a malware attack. Kaspersky Security Cloud interface offers an all-in-one display to manage and check the status of all of your devices.
Kaspersky also does an excellent job at detecting and blocking phishing sites. Its sturdy firewall is extraordinarily effective at blocking port scans and other web-based attacks. Its Data Encryption and File Shredder are handy features to keep your data safe. However, the limited VPN can be a concern for users who use proxy servers frequently.
4. Bitdefender Total Security (best deal here)
Specification
| Firewall | Yes |
| Antispam | Yes |
| Tune-up | Yes |
| Parental control | Yes |
| VPN | Limited |
| Backup | No |
| Best deal | $149/ 2 years (5 devices) |
Best price for Bitdefender Total Security is available here.
What we like
- Excellent malware protection
- Scam protection on Android
- Works on Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS devices
- Ransomware protection
What we don’t like
- Limited VPN (200MB per day)
- No advanced parental control
- No identity protection
- Bitdefender Total Security Review
Bitdefender has an excellent track record in identifying and blocking malware, and its Total Security edition doesn’t offer anything less. It uses a massive malware database combined with machine learning and artificial intelligence to provide maximum protection.
On top of malware and virus protection, Total Security comes with a bunch of bonus features such as anti-spam, webcam and microphone protection, a firewall, parental controls, anti-theft, and OneClick Optimizer to optimize your device storage and speed it up. On top of these, you also get a password manager, a VPN service, the Safepay browser for protecting online transactions, an anti-tracker utility that prevents others from tracking your online activities, a file shredder, and more.
Bitdefender also offers a slick and easy-to-use portal where you can manage your subscription, share your license with other devices, and check your device status. In terms of performance, Bitdefender scores outstanding on both AV-Test and AV-Comparatives with 100% and 99.7%, respectively.
5. AVG Ultimate (best deal here)
Specification
| Firewall | Yes |
| Antispam | Yes |
| Tune-up | Yes |
| Parental control | No |
| VPN | Yes |
| Backup | No |
| Best deal | $39.99 (10 devices, 2 Years) |
Best price for AVG Ultimate is available here.
What we like
- Webcam and data protection
- Slick interface
- Firewall protection
- Excellent score on independent antivirus tests
- Lower price for multiple devices
- Flexible storage zones for sensitive files
What we don’t like
- Slow initial and boot-time scan
- Single device plans are expensive
AVG Ultimate Review
AVG Ultimate is a perfect option for those looking for compact and total protection across multiple devices. It combines Internet Security and Tune-up, which can significantly boost system performance, resolve current system issues, and make devices more resilient to malware attacks. Even its limited free version offers solid protection against malware, ransomware, Trojan viruses, and rootkit infections.
AVG is easy to install and use compared to its rivals. It is also extremely lightweight, with little to no impact on your device performance. It comes with a secure VPN to enjoy privacy on unsecured or public Wi-Fi. Its anti-track prevents third parties from tracking and collecting your online activities.
Apart from the essentials, AVG Ultimate antivirus offers an extensive range of added features, including payment protection, startup optimizer, sensitive data shield, anti-theft, and application to find the best deals on products and services when shopping online. You can manage, use and check all AVG services’ status on AVG’s easy-to-use interface.
Before You Go…
Did you know that 36% of all data breaches are done via phishing emails? This is why you also need to secure your email on top of having the best antivirus software on your devices. Spammers and hackers scour through the internet to gather and spam already visible email addresses on the web. This is why we recommend checking your email address visibility periodically as a part of your email security checkups.
Sniff Email is an online platform that you can use to find out if your email address exists on the internet. Search for your email address on the website, and you will receive a full report on your email address visibility within a few seconds. Based on the results, you can take appropriate action to remove it.