Good Antivirus For Windows 8.1

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Good Antivirus For Windows 8.1 8,7/10 3023 reviews

When it comes to antivirus software, Windows Defender is the natural choice. In fact, it’s not so much a choice as just the standard state of things, as it comes pre-packed with Windows 10. (In previous Windows iterations it was known as Microsoft Security Essentials.) It’s, therefore, tempting to just leave it as is and say to yourself that things will probably be fine, right?

But is Windows’ built-in tool enough, or do we still need to rely on the big guns of antivirus software to keep us safe online? Read on for the lowdown.

Note: this analysis is based on tests carried out in December 2018. Results will inevitably vary over time, but we’ll be doing our best to keep on top of them.

Windows 8 and 8.1 are the most recent windows from Microsoft and for the best protection from viruses and infected files, you need to install a updated and best antivirus on your windows PC. There are numerous antivirus software available nowadays that promise you to secure every bit of your PC but only some live up to the promise. Considering Windows 8.1 was released recently and the new year is coming up, 2014 editions of most antivirus software have already been released. Here’s our picks for the best free antivirus software for Windows 8.1! 5 Best Antivirus Solutions for 2014 Compatible with Windows 8.1 Avira Free AntiVirus 2014. Hii.please suggest me a good antivirus for windows 8.1 (protection wise,performance and overall).i'm currently using Windows Defender. The best antivirus is your behavior on your computer. So don't click on everything don't go to suspected websites don't stick every USB in your computer etc.

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How Does Windows Defender Compare?

Talking about Windows Defender in isolation won’t get us anywhere. What we need to know is how it stacks up to the biggest antivirus programs that you’ve probably downloaded or even paid for over the years – the McAfees, AVGs and Bitdefenders of the world.

Thankfully, there are several sites dedicated to comparing antivirus software on a monthly basis.

AV Test

AV Test helps users make educated decisions about what antivirus they should use. They rank each antivirus on three factors using a scale from 0 to 6, where 6 is the best. The three elements they test for are Protection, Performance, and Usability. So how did Windows Defender fare?

Pretty well, it seems.

In April 2018 Windows Defender scored 5.5 across the three categories, but the tests from December 2018 actually showed an improvement in protection – giving it full marks. That technically gives it the same “Protection” and “Performance” ratings as antivirus giants like Avast, Avira and AVG.

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In real terms, according to AV Test, Windows Defender currently offers 99.6% protection against zero-day malware attacks. Out of 1.5 million samples, Defender detected seven legitimate bits of software as malware in November, which was a little worse than the industry average of five.

So Windows Defender is certainly capable of mixing it up with the big boys, which may come as a surprise to those who knew of it several years ago as a somewhat rudimentary solution.

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AV Comparatives

It’s hardly representative to look at just one website, though, as AV Tests’ means of testing and criteria will differ slightly from another. On that note, another popular website for antivirus testing is AV Comparatives. Can Windows Defender carry its impressive form over to this site?

Looking at the real-world protection tests, the results are again pretty good. AV Comparatives carried out its tests using a mix of malicious URLs, drive-by downloads, and URLs redirecting users to malware. Windows Defender had a 0% compromise rate, which was better than the 0.5% rate with Avast and AVG, and up there with the flawless scores of Avira, Bitdefender and McAfee.

Compared with previous years, Windows Defender has drastically improved in blocking “user-dependent” malware – so malware where Windows gives a warning to the user but still gives the option of executing it. In April 2018 the rate of user-dependent malware was 3.6%. In July through November 2018 this dropped down to an average of 0.8%

Where Windows Defender has slipped quite badly is in detecting false positives, where it now has by far the highest rate of all the major antivirus software out there. It clocked 106 false positives from July through November 2018 – more than double that of the second-worst AV in this regard.

These two trends could be correlated, with an increase in false positives and a much better blocking of user-dependent malware being the result of tighter security measures through Windows Defender. Of course, other software shows that you can score well in both these categories, so that’s the next thing Microsoft should be aiming for – cutting down false positives while maintaining high security.

Much Better than It Used to Be

Small hiccups aside, historical data on both AV Test and AV Comparatives shows a marked improvement in Windows Defender’s performance over the years.

Back in October 2015, Windows Defender received the joint-lowest rating for Protection (3.5/6), amounting to just 95% protection against 0-day malware attacks. (This was an alarming 80.5% in September 2015.) The industry average at the time was 97.2%, so Windows Defender was decidedly trailing the pack.

At AV Comparatives, meanwhile, Windows Defender had a 3% compromise rate from July through November 2016. That has been almost directly replaced by the possibility of “user-dependent” security compromises in 2018, which still isn’t perfect but a huge improvement. Morrowind overhaul download.

The Verdict: A Sturdy Defence

Just a few years ago you’d have been laughed off for suggesting that it was enough for you to sit back, install no third-party AV software, and let Windows take care of defending your PC. While we wouldn’t encourage complacency, Windows Defender is now well-proven as a viable antivirus option unto itself.

However, if you want to err on the side of caution, there would be no harm in adding an extra layer of protection over Windows Defender, just to eliminate the minute possibility that something could sneak through the net.

But do you need to worry if all you have is Windows Defender? No, not any more. However, the malware landscape is always shifting, and we’ll keep an eye out for developments that suggest otherwise.

This article was first published in February 2017 and was updated in February 2019.

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Antiviruses are absolutely essential no matter how you use your computer. Even if it’s not connected to the internet, you still need protection. Sure there’s paid antivirus programs and internet security suites out there that have you covered on all sides, but even if you’re not too keen on spending money on protection, there’s still no excuse for not having a free antivirus solution running on your computer, given the quality of of such software these days. The extra features on paid solutions are most welcome, but if it’s basic protection you want, free antiviruses should do the job. Considering Windows 8.1 was released recently and the new year is coming up, 2014 editions of most antivirus software have already been released. Here’s our picks for the best free antivirus software for Windows 8.1!

5 Best Antivirus Solutions for 2014 Compatible with Windows 8.1

Avira Free AntiVirus 2014

Avira’s Free AntiVirus has always been somewhat of hit and miss. It’s got good malware blocking ability, but cleanup is somewhat sketchy and the interface isn’t too good looking. However, once it’s installed and running, you really don’t have much to complain about as a daily user. Power users might find it annoying that a lot of features are simply greyed out and hidden behind the full version purchase. Essential features like real time protection and blocking are all there though, and there’s a pretty neat toolbar bundled in as well. Be warned though, the free version has no tech support, so you might want to stay away if you’re not comfortable with tinkering around with software.

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avast! Free Antivirus 2014

avast! has been a mainstay in the free antivirus game since many years, and for good reason. Offering decent protection and an attractive UI, avast! Free Antivirus 2014 carries on the legacy with aplomb. It’s one of the few antivirus software that does more than just offer basic protection. The included software updater, boot time scanner, sandboxing abilities and unwanted toolbar removal are great additions and help it gain some advantage over the competition. Which is unfortunately what it needs, because malware detection and removal is good, but not great. Unless you’re actually going to malicious sites and downloading stuff just to test the avast! engine out, you should be good to go.

AVG AntiVirus Free 2014

AVG is probably another name that pops up in your head when free antivirus software is mentioned. Since its revamp a year ago to go with the new Windows 8 tiled interface, AVG AntiVirus Free has been going from strength to strength. Combining excellent protection, an easy to use and good looking interface and a legitimately useful toolbar, AVG AntiVirus Free 2014 retains its spot among the best free antivirus software this time as well. Installation is quite easy, and even malware infested computers can get it done with minimum effort. Once installed though, cleanup, blocking and protection is top notch. The only annoying thing about it is the constant reminder that more features lie behind a purchase. If you’re okay with that, AVG AntiVirus Free 2014 is what you should get!

Ad-Aware Free Antivirus+ 11

Ad-Aware started out as a humble antispyware tool and has evolved into a full fledged antivirus. It might not be as well known as others on the list, but it’s more than capable of going toe to toe with each one of them. The pleasant interface and ease of use is very appealing, and protection is top notch as well. It’s easy to install on any computer, infected or not, uses a reasonable amount of resources and does not do any collateral damage during malware removal. Plus, you won’t have to deal with it flagging legit programs as suspicious. This catapults Ad-Aware’s new free antivirus onto our list and thus makes it one of the most viable free antivirus solutions available today!

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Bitdefender Antivirus Free Edition 2014

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Bitdefender frequently tops lists of the best antiviruses around, so it should come as no surprise that its new free version is one of the best too. However, it’s quite different from its competitors in the sense that it doesn’t offer much freedom. Basically, it automatically configures itself and runs in the background. This can be a good thing or a bad thing depending on the type of user you are. If you like tweaking everything to your liking, you will probably be disappointed. But if you’re the sort who wants protection without having to go through setting screens, this is the product for you. Besides that, Bitdefender Antivirus Free Edition 2014 uses the same engine from its bigger brothers, so offers the absolute best protection.

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In this day and age, it’s unforgivable not to have a good antivirus software installed. So if you’re tackling the interwebz without protection by any chance, go grab one of the above solutions as soon as possible. Let us know your experiences with free antiviruses and what you prefer as well!