Antivirus software is an essential part of protection on any Windows PC. In an Internet where malware is only becoming more and more profitable for organized crime, you don't want to be without it. Good antivirus program.

But there are many myths about antivirus software. Let's break them down.

Fiction: You the need To install antivirus on Windows

You don't need to install antivirus software on Windows because Windows already comes with antivirus software.. In fact, Windows has had pre-existing antivirus software since Windows 8, and it's still included in Windows 10 and Windows 11 today. Microsoft Defender is part of the built-in antivirus. Windows Security Suite of Tools. It's as basic as it comes, but completely free and runs automatically in the background, even if you never think about or install antivirus software.

Now, you may prefer another antivirus — other antiviruses have additional tools, protection features and options, and they use different detection engines. But the good news is that every Windows PC has a baseline antivirus package. We're long past the days of Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP forcing you to install antivirus software when you set up a new PC.

Microsoft's antivirus gets out of the way when needed, automatically disabling its automatic background scanning features if you choose to install a third-party antivirus. You just don't have to think about it.

Myth: Only Windows is vulnerable to malware.

Malware (including viruses, trojans, worms, rootkits, Ransomwareand all sorts of other horrible things) is a problem on all platforms.

Yes, even Linux is vulnerable to malware — just check it out. The recent XZ Utils backdoor saga Which almost saw a rootkit slip into a critical piece of open source software. Or, consider the Linux distribution labeled Ubuntu. A malicious app that steals people's cryptocurrency. As “safe” Linux malware often Target Server SoftwareAs Linux is much more popular in data centers than desktop.

I'm not trying to pick apart Linux here! The reality is that malicious software is a problem on all platforms – even Linux. No platform is above the field.

People may say that Macs don't need antivirus, but Apple actually has an antivirus-style system built into macOS. It has been named. X Protect. Various companies also make them. Antivirus program for Mac.

Further reading: Windows includes built-in ransomware protections. Here's how to turn it on.

Myth: Antivirus will dramatically slow down your computer.

Antivirus software runs in the background, scanning files as you download them and before you open them. Before an application is launched, your antivirus quickly checks it and warns you if it appears malicious.

Now, obviously it will use Some System resources Your computer is doing a little extra work. But we're not in the 90s or early 00s anymore. At that time, PCs were very slow. Antivirus software felt so heavy to use, and you can. felt This sometimes slows down your computer. I remember well! But that was a long time ago.

Modern antivirus applications should not significantly slow down your computer. If an application takes 2% longer to launch, would you notice? Not really. They shouldn't be a constant slowdown, either – it should be when you launch an application and the antivirus is checking it, not every time you work on your computer.

Also, unless you've gone out of your way to disable its background scanning (I recommend against it!), Microsoft's Defender Antivirus is already on your computer. Running in the ground, scanning for malware. When we Benchmark PCs here at PCWorld, we leave the standard defense antivirus running. So, even if you chose to replace the built-in Defender Antivirus with another antivirus, you'd just be trading one antivirus for another. no Add an additional performance value on top.

In some cases, antivirus software can reduce the workload: if you're compiling software, for example, and you have a folder where a large number of files are being created, you might You may want to “exclude” such a folder from your folder. Antivirus scanning. This is the most you need to do.

When antiviruses do their heavy full system scans, it will definitely slow things down even more while they are running. But those scans are usually scheduled when you're not using your PC. You should not pay attention to them at all.

Myth: You must run antivirus software manually.

No need to regularly open your antivirus program, click the “Scan” button, and wait for the results. Your antivirus is automatically scanning in the background to protect you, checking files on download and launch. It's also performing this type of comprehensive system scan on a schedule — in the background — when you're not using your PC. Your antivirus will let you know if it finds a problem.

Chris Hoffman/IDG

Chris Hoffman/IDG

Chris Hoffman/IDG

Save yourself the hassle and time-consuming manual scans – unless you're worried your system might have malware and want to check all the files on your PC's storage right now. Scanning like this is one of many. Obsolete security procedures that you no longer need to follow..

Myth: Antivirus will protect you from all threats.

Antivirus software is not completely perfect. Now, I know that's an obvious statement. But I have seen many people. the process As anti virus will provide them perfect protection and get into trouble.

You should think of your antivirus software as the last line of defense. If all your normal security precautions fail or the application you use is dangerous. Zero-day error that allows an attacker to gain access to your computer, your antivirus program is there to pick up the slack and prevent malware from running.

But it's not perfect. Antivirus software catches malware in several ways. For example, it looks for known-risk application files—programs that have been seen before that the antivirus knows are bad—and uses heuristics to try to predict whether any The newly visible file is dangerous or not. No one method will capture everything. And Windows Security doesn't even try to protect users from phishing email attacks or from surfing potentially dangerous websites (although many premium AV suites get away with it).

While antivirus is an important layer of protection, it's not a good idea to rely on it completely. In particular, pirating software and games is a very bad idea — if you're running pirated application files, cracks, key generators, and the like, you're exposing yourself. Lots of potentially dangerous things. Antivirus is not guaranteed to protect you from all of them.

Myth: If you're careful, you don't need antivirus.

On the other hand, some people believe that antivirus is only necessary for less experienced computer users, without ideal security methods. The idea is that, if you're smart and smart, you can bypass the antivirus and get back a bit of performance.

But this is not really true. Malware isn't the only thing you get infected with when you're not careful. Attackers can exploit zero days in the applications you use, and you can be infected just by looking at a compromised web page. This is just a bug in your web browser.

Chris Hoffman/IDG

Chris Hoffman/IDG

Chris Hoffman/IDG

Also, take a look at Steam: Steam developer accounts recently. Compromised and used to deliver malware via Steam game updates. – And Mod updates. Hopefully Steam's update system won't deliver malware to your PC, but it goes to show that it doesn't matter how careful you are. A solid antivirus can provide a good layer of protection against such attacks.

Myth: Antivirus will protect you completely.

You don't just need an antivirus to protect yourself — and your computer — online. This is an important piece of the puzzle, but you need more than that.

Scam websites and phishing emails are dangerous on every device — not just Windows PCs, but smartphones too. You still need to browse carefully, keep an eye on it Fraudulent emailsAvoid downloading dangerous junk, and don't be tricked into giving passwords, payment information and other personal details to wrong websites. Antivirus programs and web browsers have phishing protection—but, like antivirus scanners, it's not perfect.

Oh Good password manager is particularly important. It's extremely important to use strong, unique passwords everywhere. But, unless you have a photographic memory, you probably won't remember dozens (or hundreds) of strong unique passwords for all your accounts. A good password manager is the solution to keeping your accounts safe.

By the way, even if you install another antivirus on your Windows 11 or Windows 10 PC, you don't have to pay for one. There is Great free antivirus program If you don't want to pay for one of them, you can install it. PCWorld's Favorite Antivirus ProgramsPremium versions, however, offer protection against more types of threats (such as malicious links, webcam hacks, and privacy monitoring) and offer additional features (such as VPNs and parental controls).

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