Check out the best antivirus software – 2017 Review

Internet security available in 2017 can help you to detect and remove any threats before they cause harm.

Why is antivirus software so important?

Almost every day we hear of attacks on internet security.  It could be ransomware, where the hackers encrypt all your files and demand a ‘ransom’ for their release, or a browser hijacker who gets into your search page.  All devices, even smartphones, need the best antivirus software available in 2017.

Window Defender

Microsoft’s Windows Defender is available, and it is free and not difficult to use, but its protection rates can be as low as 95%.

Choose the best antivirus software 2017

You don’t need to use expensive software to get better protection, because you can combine various antivirus tools that are free.  However, most commercial tools will give you the best protection, including password managers, web filtering, anti-phishing technology, and other products.  In order to gain maximum security, you may need to spend some money.

Let’s look at eight of the best antivirus software packages available in 2017.

Bit Defender Antivirus Plus 2018

Bit Defender Antivirus will provide you with good, reliable protection.  It is accurate with a password manager.  It will grab more resources than others and could conflict with some other programs you are using, but it is one of the most accurate and reliable antivirus software on the market.

The web filtering feature will block access to malicious sites.  There is a feature that keeps your online financial transactions safe, as well as a password manager which can autocomplete credit card details if you are using web forms.  The anti-phishing feature provides alerts to malicious links and blocks access to dangerous sites.

At present, it will cost $US39.99 for 1 year’s protection on one device, and $US119.99 for 3 years on 3 devices.  There is a further edition available, ‘Total Security 2018’, which adds a firewall, parental controls, file encryption, and anti-spam, among other features.  It will cover up to 5 devices and iOS will be available soon.

ESET NOD32 Antivirus

When looking for the best antivirus software for 2017, ESET NOD32 Antivirus operates at a more expert level and is probably best for the experienced user.  ESET NOD32 Antivirus is more focused on the fundamentals.  There is no firewall, password manager, file shredder, or any of the other extras you find in other packages.

It has real-time protection against malware, a layer for anti-ransomware, protection from exploitation, and URL filtering, which will block malicious websites.  In addition to these features, it also has a module that will reduce the risk of infection from other devices, such as USB sticks, external hard drives, and devices connected by Bluetooth and FireWire.  If you regularly plug other devices into your PC this could be very useful.

As one of the best antivirus software for 2017, the protection provided is above average, but it isn’t aimed at beginners.  There are some very advanced features included in this tool.

The cost is $US39.99 for 1 year on 1 device or $US59.99 for 1 year on 3 devices.

F-Secure Antivirus

In this group of the best antivirus software packages for 2017, F-Security Antivirus provides a particularly user-friendly platform and is of good value.

The F-Secure Antivirus is a straight forward protection package.  There are no extra features that you don’t need, and it offers simple protection for real-time browsing.  Despite its simplicity, it still provides good internet security.  It scores high when tested against other antivirus software.  Reports suggest that it may generate more false positives than other programs, but the impact of that will depend on how you use your computer.

A feature of this tool is the interface.  It will have minimal effect on the performance and generally, you can leave it alone to protect your PC.  If you do need to do anything, F-Secure can resolve most issues with a couple of clicks.  Although other competitors may offer more features and better protection, F-Secure Antivirus is one of the best available in 2017 because it is fast and compatible with other security tools.

It is good value, costing $US39.99 for 1 year on up to 3 devices.

Kaspersky Antivirus 2017

Kaspersky Antivirus 2017 is one of the most trustworthy antivirus software for both experts and beginners.  It is one of the best performing antivirus available in 2017.  It is extremely easy to use.

Kaspersky focuses on basic essentials, including web filtering and blocking dangerous URLs.  Kaspersky Antivirus 2017 is able to detect and remove threats.  Its modern technology is able to track and reverse malicious activities. Although basic, it works extremely well and that is why it is one of the top antivirus software in 2017.  It regularly receives top ratings on comparison sites and is one of the best for blocking malware, and then removing it.

The interface is well designed and easy to use.  It is not too basic, but not too intimidating either – the onscreen instructions are clear, and beginners will find it easy to work with.

The price is $US31.00 for 1 year on 1 device and $US88.00 for 2 years on up to 3 devices.

In addition to this, they have another product, ‘Kaspersky’s Total Security’.  Its full security package includes the protection of privacy, encryption, parental controls, and more.

This is one of the best antiviruses for internet security on the market in 2017.

Norton Antivirus Basic

Norton Antivirus Basic is one of the top-quality programs available.  It has a high-quality malware feature which automatically protects your PS on its own.  As well as this, it offers lots of options for those uses who want more for their internet security.

Norton Antivirus Basic has one of the best blockers to keep malicious websites away.  If you are experienced you can run scans on-demand and even customize them to run at certain times.

Despite all this, some of the browser extensions can have some problems.  In particular, there seem to be some difficulties with the password manager, which is part of a bundle called ‘Norton identity Safe’.

However, the basic package is good and has a good reputation for protection and internet security.  It has been specifically designed to have the smallest impact on performance.

Prices for Norton Antivirus Basic are reasonable, $US31.00 for 1 year on 1 device.

Panda Antivirus Pro

Another of 2017’s best antivirus tools is this one from Panda.  It has all the features you would expect from a top internet security software, including real-time malware detection capabilities, cloud-based scanning, filtering for malicious websites, and much more.

The firewall is a simple two-way design, and there is an application control system that manages what is run on your PC – it can even stop some of the very latest malware.  It features a virtual keyboard that protects your confidential data.  To top all this off, there is a feature that helps to build a bootable USB rescue disc.

These bonus features tend to be basic, including the Panda firewall.   It is good, but not as good as a standard firewall.  If you are not a beginner, you might want more.

It is simple and very easy to use.  Options are clearly organized and most are just a click or two away.  Although there is not much information about Panda on comparative websites, it does deliver protection and internet security which is above average.

The prices range from $US20.00 for 1 year on 1 device to $US42.00 for 1 year on 5 devices.

Trend Micro Antivirus+ Security

Trend Micro Antivirus+ Security is another of the best antivirus software available in 2017.  It is a capable package and is simple to use.  It is effective for antispam and blocking ransomware and is rated highly on testing labs for its level of protection.  Some testing labs report a high number of false positives, but others report no issues at all.  One possible problem is the impact on performance.  One performance report placed it at the bottom of a list of 15 products for performance.  Others have not had the same experience.

You are able to run a trial for 30 days so you can see for yourself if there are any problems.

The cost is similar to others and is $US39.95 for 1 year on 1 device or $US64.95 for 2 years on 1 device.

Webroot SecureAnywhere Antivirus

Webroot SecureAnywhere Antivirus is one example of a product that will provide good internet security in 2017.

This product is truly ‘lightweight’.  The installation will only take seconds, and will only use up to 2MB on your hard drive.  The RAM is tiny with few signature updates.

It has the basic antivirus protection, with smart behavior monitoring, real-time anti-phishing, a firewall, monitoring of network connection, enhanced anti-ransomware and more extras.

Webroot SecureAnywhere has not been compared with other programs very often, but most reviewers score it well and it seems to provide good internet security.  It includes a 70 day 100% money-back guarantee which shows confidence in its capabilities. It is not overcomplicated.

Prices range from $US29.99 for 1 year on 1 device to $US37.49 for 1 year on 3 devices.

Internet security is essential today, and these are the best antivirus software available in 2017.

See the best antivirus software 2016 review

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