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Information about 7 popular antivirus programs. The best antiviruses for Windows. What is the system resource requirement?

You are looking for best free antivirus, which will provide your computer with complete protection against viruses, malware and other threats on your Windows 7, 8, 8.1 and Windows 10? This detailed guide will help you choose the best free antivirus as per your requirement and system specification.

Good antivirus software should prevent you from downloading viruses and protect you from opening unsafe files. This is why it is important to have antivirus software installed on your Windows computer with the latest updates.

Antivirus is a tool aimed at intrusion detection, searchvulnerabilities in the operating system or application. Although Microsoft provides built-in anti-malware protection called Windows Defender, still cannot protect against all malware and especially adware, as they become more “smarter”. That's why we need special antivirus software to protect our computer from all threats of this kind. A selection of free antiviruses in the section: Antiviruses

A good antivirus program should not only be able to eradicate existing malware, but also prevent intrusion into your computer. What could be better if we get an antivirus program for free.

How to choose the best free antivirus?

So what are we waiting for when choosing the best free antivirus? Useful search functions:

The antivirus product must scan files on the approach, and prevent you from running a malicious program, as well as scans the entire system on demand or according to a set schedule.
Blocking access to malicious hosting and URLs to avoid trouble. Protects users from fraudulent, phishing sites that try to steal login credentials.
Detection based behavior, a feature of some antivirus products, is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it can detect malware that has never been seen before. On the other hand, if not done correctly, it can frustrate the user with a message about a perfectly legitimate program.
Other useful features include how to prevent USB threat attacks, scanning for routers, and cleaning up browsing history traces.

7 best. Free antivirus for Windows 7, 8 and Windows 10

Below is a list of 10 best free antivirus programs that provide protection against a wide range of online and offline PC threats, these antiviruses have all the features mentioned above.

1. Avast free antivirus

Avast is a popular choice of millions of people when it comes to free Avast antivirus software. It is easy to install and has a simple interface that makes it easy to use. Avast performs a quick scan and identifies any potential threats on your computer. Avast has minimal impact on your system's performance.

Avast Free has some useful extras. Software Updater alerts you to new updates you missed, and Browser Cleanup provides an easy way to remove unwanted add-ons from your browser. You can scan on demand the entire PC or selected drive, including external storage devices like USB flash drive, SD card, etc. There is a provision of a boot time scanner that will help you find and remove any boot sector virus. Official download page: https://www.avast.ru/index#pc

2. Avira Free Antivirus 2019

Avira is another leading antivirus product that provides complete protection against viruses, malware, Trojans, worms, spyware and rootkits. According to AV-Test, Avira offers strong protection against both widespread and zero-day malware. However, computers with small RAM can cope quite well and do not affect performance in any way. The effectiveness of Avira Free Antivirus and its wide range of features, including a mobile settings portal, make Avira one of the best choices.

Avira's user interface is not as simple as Avast or AVG, it has tons of controls and settings settings that give you more control over the antivirus. During the scanning process, compared to other free antiviruses, you may notice a slight drop in performance. Go to the download page: https://www.avira.com/ru/free-antivirus-windows

3. Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Free - free anti-malware 2019

There are hundreds of new threats spreading every day sometimes these threats are missed by your main antivirus and get into your computer, to deal with such a threat this is where the free anti-malware program Malwarebytes comes to the rescue, which is not technically an antivirus software but is a great addition to any antivirus program.

Although Malwarebyte has a very simple interface, it can detect and remove malware from your PC. According to AV-Test, Malwarebyte is one of the best programs of 2017 with many additional features that protect against known and unknown malware. Official website: https://ru.malwarebytes.com/

4. Panda Free Antivirus 2019

Like Avast, Panda scores highly for virus protection in the AV-Test report. Panda also has a nice feature called USB Vaccine- this prevents virus attacks that occur when connecting an infected USB drive. Panda Free Antivirus 2017 is a free antivirus, after installation on your Windows computer, it immediately automatically performs URL and web filtering using behavioral protection analysis.

Panda is a cloud-based antivirus engine that protects while you are using your computer and will not notice any performance lag, all these features make this antivirus the best free antivirus. Download Panda Free: https://www.pandasecurity.com/

5. Bitdefender Free Edition Antivirus

The unique anti-virus engine makes BitDefender, as one of the best free antivirus according to independent testing laboratories, The free version of Bitdefender does not affect computer performance at all. The program is ultra-compact, downloading and installing takes less than a minute. A very simple interface provides effective on-demand and automatic scanning, Anti-Virus and anti-phishing protection in real time.

6. Comodo free antivirus 2019

Comodo Antivirus scores very well among malware blockers and does an excellent job of detecting and removing a wide range of malware and viruses.

It has a feature plus Auto Sandboxing technology that isolates any unknown and potentially dangerous files. The sandbox limits damage from unknown programs. It also has host intrusion prevention, behavioral blocking, and virtual desktop.

However, it does not have such an impressive result in the malicious URL blocking test. It received mixed ratings from independent laboratories. Additionally, the default auto Sandbox does not work well every time, and it can prevent the installation of unknown programs and are sometimes identified as legitimate programs as malware. Download the program: https://antivirus.comodo.com/free-antivirus.php

7. AVG antivirus free 2019

AVG antivirus 2017 offers good protection against malware and spyware intrusion, the latest version has AVG Zen™ Dashboard where all devices can be controlled from one screen, also available for Mac and devices. The remote protection feature allows you to scan and remove PC threats from your mobile device and it scores well in independent lab tests.

You can do both scheduled and manual scans whenever you need, Downloading and installing the free version is a little more complicated than it looks, be careful when installing otherwise install the Pro trial version, so select Custom installation when installing. The latest edition of AVG AntiVirus Free has earned good ratings from independent laboratories. AVG is an editor's choice for free antivirus. Download: http://www.avg.com/us-en/free-antivirus-download

The free antivirus programs presented above can protect your computer and other devices from various threats, both online and offline. Recommended for detecting viruses, malware and other threats.

The Windows operating system, unlike GNU/Linux, cannot fully protect against malware with its own capabilities. No matter how much the developers praise Windows Defender, it is far from ideal, so you have to use external software. This article reviews the 2019 antivirus ratings.

Which antivirus to choose

Each antivirus product offers users, in addition to the function of detecting and eliminating viruses, a set of additional features. Typically, they are related to advanced PC management, network security, Wi-Fi protection, etc. The most important criteria for choosing an antivirus include:

cloud analysis. Ability to scan files in an isolated environment;
firewall Blocking unwanted Internet resources;
protection of personal information. First of all, these are banking data and some other personal information.

If an antivirus lacks any of these points, this does not mean that it is bad. The effectiveness of a program is discovered in practice when it performs its main function well. The rest depends on the additional needs of the user.

Antivirus rating 2019

There is a large number of software offering their services to combat viruses and Trojans. Each of them has its own pros and cons. Depending on your needs and capabilities, you should choose the most suitable product.

Name	Cloudy analysis	Protection personal data	Firewall
Top antiviruses 2019
	Yes	No	Yes
	Yes	No	Yes
	Yes	Yes	Yes
	Yes	No	No
	Yes	No	No
	Yes	No	No
	Yes	Yes	Yes
	No	No	No
AVG	Yes	No	No
ESET NOD32	Yes	Yes	Yes

Short review

Let's look at each of the antiviruses presented in the table, comparing their advantages and disadvantages.

In addition to the standard security function, the antivirus offers a built-in security gateway when connecting to open Wi-Fi networks and a special password storage for saving personal data in the cloud. There is also a gaming mode that turns off program notifications and reduces the load on the processor during a gaming session.

Advantages

Wi-Fi protection;
the presence of a game mode;
password container.

Flaws

no firewall;
lack of protection against interception of input data.

A free version of well-known antivirus software created specifically for users in post-Soviet countries. The program provides online protection and has the necessary functionality to ensure PC security from the introduction of malicious code.

Advantages

powerful core;
checking attachments in instant messengers;
built-in VPN service.

Flaws

lack of protection against interception of banking data;
high consumption of PC resources.

Product from Chinese manufacturers. It has become widely known in the Russian-speaking segment due to the combination of the capabilities of anti-virus software and an optimizer. It runs several engines. A key factor in its spread and popularity is the large amount of advertising.

Advantages

wide functionality;
there is a firewall;
several antivirus engines work;
optimized consumption of computer resources.

Antivirus in a minimalist style. It has a small number of settings and a simple menu. Additional functions of the program include only the ability to force scanning of a specific folder. Suitable for those new to using a computer.

Advantages

simple settings;
Convincing virus detection rate.

Flaws

limited functionality;
lack of Russian localization.

The first product with a free license that implements a cloud analysis algorithm. When scanning files in an isolated container, the collective scanning method is enabled, which means that the scan results of other users are taken into account.

Advantages

efficient collective verification algorithm;
minimum number of notifications;
pre-analysis of flash drives.

Flaws

small functionality;
Dependency on internet connection to work effectively.

Unusual anti-virus software that is most effective when connected to the Internet. The ClamAV offline kernel is used for scanning, in parallel with which suspicious objects are analyzed by twelve VirusTotal engines. SecureAPlus works easily on a PC with other security software.

Advantages

highly efficient cloud scanning;
software analysis based on a trusted list;
works in parallel with another antivirus.

Flaws

the proactive core is not powerful enough;
lack of protection of personal data.

A very effective free tool. It has the ability to protect personal data, a built-in firewall, and even a task scheduler. It stands out for its high efficiency of cloud analysis.

Advantages

convenient functionality;
availability of plugins for data protection in browser forms;
built-in firewall and task scheduler.

Finding a lightweight antivirus for Windows 7 and older versions of this OS is considered a fairly popular topic today, because not every user has a powerful PC capable of “coping” with intensive applications. Any gadget and device needs an antivirus, since without it the risk of the device becoming infected with malware increases significantly. Various companies offer fast, lightweight, yet extremely reliable antiviruses that are ideal for budget computers.

As mentioned earlier, not all people have the opportunity to buy a PC with the latest configuration, a powerful processor, a solid amount of RAM, the latest video card, and so on. Therefore, many people opt for lightweight antiviruses for computers with medium and low configurations.

To finally determine whether a particular security program is suitable for a weak computer, it is necessary to analyze a number of aspects by type:

simultaneous work with demanding utilities;
downloading information from the Internet;
threats from dubious resources;
speed of copying or transferring information to the HDD;
background functioning.

The best lightweight antiviruses for Windows 7

Many users have already been able to understand that on weak PCs, powerful antiviruses eat up almost all system resources, which is why the computer begins to slow down. Some companies took care of owners of budget devices and offered lightweight antiviruses for weak computers, which guarantee data protection without slowdowns or system overloads.

Comodo Internet Security

It is a well-proven free antivirus designed for budget PCs and consumes a minimum of RAM and other resources. It is able to provide protection both from threats from files and from the Internet. This program includes an antivirus with a firewall and a behavioral blocking system, so the virus will not penetrate the user’s PC in any way.

The following advantages of this utility can be highlighted:

one service capable of monitoring all devices;
full protection from spyware applications and Internet attacks;
blocking dubious resources and downloads;
assistance in locating devices that have been stolen or lost;
ability to work on a PC with minimal requirements.

The above-described advantages distinguish this program from all others.

Trend Micro Internet Security 2016

The main feature of Trend Micro Internet Security 2016 is its extremely specific design. The antivirus interface and transitions between windows are considered animated. It is possible to choose one of the proposed design themes or even set absolutely any image as the background of the program.

The antivirus works quite smoothly on weak computers and includes a number of the following features:

online scanning. We are talking about a file antivirus that monitors the file system around the clock;
deb filtering. A special web screen created to filter HTTP traffic opens. Despite the fact that the above program automatically installs its extensions, even without them web protection works fine;
checking the computer's performance. The utility checks for the latest updates for Windows OS, analyzes account and firewall settings, allows you to edit the list of software that downloads automatically, finds “garbage” in your PC and clears history;
privacy scan. In this case, the social systems account is configured to make personal data available exclusively to friends.

G Data Internet Security

This antivirus uses Bitdefender's custom engine along with the new cloud-based CloseGap system to ensure immediate and ongoing protection against viruses, spam, online threats, and more. Regional threats are also taken into account, the firewall works in the background and does not bother the computer in any way, even when playing games. The presence of parental controls allows you to protect the younger generation from sites with dubious content.

Among the main advantages of the antivirus are the following:

high level of detection of infected files;
protection against theft of personal information in the form of passwords, e-mail, etc.;
the ability to freely surf the web, do online banking and make online purchases;
ease of installation and use;
fairly fast startup;
delete confidential information with one click.

F-Secure Internet Security

It is a comprehensive software that includes protection against threats on the Internet. The program runs on the Bitdefender engine, uses cloud technologies, proactive protection, anti-phishing, has the possibility of parental control and safe work with Internet banking.

The antivirus itself:

protects against infections and spyware. E-mails are scanned regularly;
There is a Firewall, advanced network protection, application analysis, intrusion elimination and network connection monitoring.

Internet protection is also offered:

allows you to restrict children’s access to dubious sites;
thanks to protection when surfing the network, pages with questionable content are blocked and security information is displayed;
Banking transactions are protected, which protects clients from malicious actions when using online banking and making transfers.

Total Security

This is a free anti-virus program, which in its functionality is no worse than many paid programs, and in certain parameters even surpasses them. The program includes a free antivirus, PC acceleration, system cleaning, device scanning and a number of other additional features.

The antivirus offers several scanning modes (we are talking about fast, full and selective):

quick scanning allows you to check system settings, running programs, startup software and basic system information in just a couple of minutes;
a full scan differs only in that it also includes files stored on the PC. Therefore, the analysis completion time may vary - it all depends on how many files are stored on the user’s HDD;
Selective scanning involves the ability to select files, folders or drives that are scanned for malicious elements.

Also, using this program, you can significantly speed up your computer by optimizing startup, scheduled tasks, utility utilities, critical system services and network connections. All this is done automatically.

The computer cleaning function involves searching for temporarily stored files created while surfing the Internet. All garbage that appears while watching a video and other unnecessary information is also removed.

A few more reasons to choose Qihoo to download antivirus for a weak PC

There are a number of main reasons why you should choose Qihoo to download a security application on a weak PC:

the ability to simultaneously operate several engines at once (one of them is Bitdefender);
the presence of additional functionality with which the program makes the operation of a weak PC faster;
special plugins that are built into the browser and monitor dubious sites, as well as other signs of threats;
work in background mode, so the user is not distracted from performing key tasks due to the constant pop-up of windows.

Important! It should be emphasized that it is recommended to download everything for weak computers exclusively from official resources. Only in this case will it be guaranteed that you will receive a full-fledged antivirus without code changes that could harm personal information and Windows 7 itself.

Antivirus installation instructions

Let's look at detailed instructions for installing an antivirus using the latest example, 360 Total Security from Qihoo. The installation of other antivirus utilities is similar, the only difference can be in the installer menu, with which you can easily and quickly install any antivirus.

Important! If your device already has an antivirus, you should remove it before installing a new one.

Go to the official website of the utility developer using the link: https://www.360totalsecurity.com/ru/.
Left click on the “Download for free” button.
Run the downloaded installation file from the “Downloads” folder of your browser.
Check the box to accept the license agreement, additional items if necessary, click “Install”.
Wait for the installation process to complete. After the installation of the program is completed, offer to download additional software, click “Start” or close the window by clicking on the cross in the upper right corner.
After installation, the antivirus will open automatically. Select the function you need from the list and click on it. We recommend performing a full test of the device by clicking on the large “Test” button.

Video - How to install 360 Total Security antivirus

All the antiviruses presented above are free!

Thus, to start using the antiviruses described above, all you need to do is download them to your computer and install them. After installation, you will need an Internet connection to update the anti-virus database - thanks to this, the protection will always be up to date. At the same time, weak PCs use a minimum of system potential and often miss viruses that are very difficult to detect.

Video - Top antiviruses. Choosing the best

Which antivirus to choose

cloud analysis. Ability to scan files in an isolated environment;
firewall Blocking unwanted Internet resources;
protection of personal information. First of all, these are banking data and some other personal information.

Antivirus rating 2019

Name	Cloudy analysis	Protection personal data	Firewall
Top antiviruses 2019
	Yes	No	Yes
	Yes	No	Yes
	Yes	Yes	Yes
	Yes	No	No
	Yes	No	No
	Yes	No	No
	Yes	Yes	Yes
	No	No	No
AVG	Yes	No	No
ESET NOD32	Yes	Yes	Yes

Short review

Let's look at each of the antiviruses presented in the table, comparing their advantages and disadvantages.

Advantages

Wi-Fi protection;
the presence of a game mode;
password container.

Flaws

no firewall;
lack of protection against interception of input data.

Advantages

powerful core;
checking attachments in instant messengers;
built-in VPN service.

Flaws

lack of protection against interception of banking data;
high consumption of PC resources.

Advantages

wide functionality;
there is a firewall;
several antivirus engines work;
optimized consumption of computer resources.

Advantages

simple settings;
Convincing virus detection rate.

Flaws

limited functionality;
lack of Russian localization.

Advantages

efficient collective verification algorithm;
minimum number of notifications;
pre-analysis of flash drives.

Flaws

small functionality;
Dependency on internet connection to work effectively.

Advantages

highly efficient cloud scanning;
software analysis based on a trusted list;
works in parallel with another antivirus.

Flaws

the proactive core is not powerful enough;
lack of protection of personal data.

A very effective free tool. It has the ability to protect personal data, a built-in firewall, and even a task scheduler. It stands out for its high efficiency of cloud analysis.

Advantages

convenient functionality;
availability of plugins for data protection in browser forms;
built-in firewall and task scheduler.

Issues of providing anti-virus protection have always been (and are) a stumbling block for all users of computers running Windows operating systems. Today you can find quite a lot of antiviruses and other security programs. But let's look at which free antivirus for Windows 7 is the best to ensure optimal system protection. Let us immediately note that it will not be possible to consider absolutely all software packages, so we will limit ourselves to a few of the most well-known and popular applications.

Free antiviruses for Windows 7: rating

Antivirus software today is created by many developers. Naturally, it differs from each other in functionality, level of security, and load on system resources. We will not consider the most powerful software products from such giants as ESET or Kaspersky Lab, even though Kaspersky has free products, and ESET programs can be constantly reactivated using freely distributed keys. Kaspersky applications load the system too much, and ESET security products cannot be called completely free. Therefore, we will consider the most lightweight free programs, focusing exclusively on the Windows 7 operating system.

If you make a conditional list of applications that users most often download from the Internet and install on their computers, it might look something like this (sort of like the TOP 5 free versions):

AVG AntiVirus;
Avast!;
Microsoft Security Essentials;
Avira;
Panda Cloud.

AVG AntiVirus

We have a fairly good antivirus that provides protection at all levels. Its main advantage is the presence of LinkScanner and IdentityProtection modules.

The first tool is designed to quickly pre-scan potentially unsafe Internet links to prevent clicking on them and instantly blocking them. The second tool prevents identity theft and monitors various types of messages that may contain rootkits.

Another interesting feature of the program is the presence of the PC Analyzer module, which is a kind of lightweight system optimizer, focused on removing old files and non-working shortcuts, monitoring the system registry, defragmenting the hard drive, etc. It is somewhat unclear why the optimization tool was included in this antivirus, but the fact remains.

Avast!

This free antivirus for Windows 7 in Russian is almost the most downloaded. It is believed that this software product is unlike any other similar product.

In fact, it can even be called a kind of universal harvester, which can not only protect the entire system and user data, but can also load additional tools to perform other actions. In addition, its resource load is minimal, and its convenience and ease of use are excellent.

Security Essentials from Microsoft

This free antivirus for Windows 7, as is already clear, was developed by the creators of the operating system itself. Well, the developers know for sure about all the possible vulnerabilities of their operating system. It is not surprising that the security tool also produces fairly high performance in providing comprehensive computer protection.

The main feature of this package can be called its operating mode. The fact is that it shows maximum activity during periods of computer inactivity, thereby not interfering with the user’s ability to work with programs and documents at the most crucial moment. And this particular antivirus has received many awards and prestigious Checkmark certificates.

Avira

We have before us another lightweight free antivirus for Windows 7. In addition to the main functions assigned to it, it can be noted that this software product does the best job of neutralizing the so-called

As one of the security measures that works in real time, a special resident VirusGuard module is used, which monitors the penetration of potential threats into the system and the possible activation of malicious codes in already installed programs, without stopping its activity even for a second.

Panda Cloud

Finally, let's look at a free cloud-based antivirus for Windows 7. The essence of the functioning of this software product is based on the use of the so-called “sandbox”, into which suspicious objects are sent for analysis even before they penetrate the computer system.

It is noteworthy that the functions of detecting, analyzing and neutralizing threats are clearly distributed: only detection is performed on the computer, and all other actions are performed in the “cloud” (Collective Intelligence technology). Only the main module is located on the computer, and all other tools operate on the antivirus server. This, by the way, allows you to refuse to install constant updates, since the update of the anti-virus databases and the software itself is carried out on a remote server.

The best free antivirus for Windows 7

So, which antivirus can be called the best? Avast and Panda are leaders in all parameters and ratings. Avast could be called the best software in its field, but, unfortunately, it has been known to cause false positives and block even official software. Thus, it is better to use Panda as the most effective, simple and lightweight security tool. But it goes without saying that users may have their own considerations in this regard, so the choice is theirs, since ratings distributed by popularity or functionality can be called purely conditional.