What criteria should an antivirus program meet in UK and Ireland

Every user of the World Wide Web wants to be sure that he does it safely. Cybercrime does not sleep; every day virtual scammers are looking for new ways to steal other people's personal data and financial resources. Therefore, it is important to have a reliable cyber security solution to protect your gadgets. If you simplify and explain why do we need antivirus software, the answer is simple - to protect the system and data from digital attacks.

Most users look at free antiviruses to avoid spending money on purchasing a license. However, if such a solution is relevant for protecting a home PC, a licensed program is needed to protect office computers. Among modern cybersecurity solutions, there are many excellent software with a large set of functions.

Why do you need an antivirus in UK and Ireland?

You use a PC at home and work, never let go of your mobile device, and your internet connection is almost uninterrupted. In this case, you face data streams that go to and from your devices daily. Imagine that a certain threat can get to you through these virtual threads. It is not just a virus that can destroy your system but also spyware that can steal your data or money and blackmail you.

These are unpleasant prospects and not all threats that can get to you from the Internet, so it is important to reliably protect all your gadgets. You must understand why do you need an antivirus software because the consequences of cyber attacks can be very sad. Antivirus is a program that carefully monitors all data streams and identifies potentially dangerous files, photos, documents, letters, and so on. Such software actively monitors the activity of the file system, processes, and network connections to detect and block threats immediately.

Top 7 best antiviruses 2024 in United Kingdom and Ireland

It is quite difficult to make a choice quickly because there are now many antiviruses for any OS. Developers carefully study the needs of smartphone, PC, laptop, and tablet owners, so they offer more diverse software for each. To find the perfect solution for your needs, we have collected the 7 best antiviruses 2024.

1. Kaspersky. This antivirus deserves the first place because it provides excellent protection against malware with several configuration options. Its advantages include a moderate impact on system performance, simple download installation, a clear interface, and many functions (system protection, VPN service, password storage, data encryption, etc.).
2. Bitdefender. This antivirus is very easy to use, with quick setup and autonomous operation. If it detects malicious software, it will notify you about it. This is a great choice if you need system protection on the principle of "install and forget." The program will not interfere even if you edit photos, watch a movie, or play games.
3. Windows Defender. Its advantage is that it is already integrated into Windows, and its minimal impact on system performance. Many users call it one of the best antiviruses for Windows because it is simple, reliable, understandable, and powerful.
4. Avast. This comprehensive solution for protecting the system from any virtual attack is ideal for home and corporate use. Avast quickly searches for any dangers and promptly offers to get rid of them. Among the features, the application has a password manager, VPN, network scanner, improved browser, and so on.
5. AVG. It is simple free antivirus software with clear functions to protect any device. It does not have many additional features, but it performs real-time updates, scans the system for viruses and other threats, and blocks and removes potential dangers.
6. McAfee. If you need more than just system protection from viruses, but a more powerful program, then you can choose this solution. There is identity protection, a password manager, increased device performance, and much more. This one of the best antiviruses for PC will protect against existing and new online threats such as ransomware, viruses, malware, spyware, unwanted programs, etc.
7. Avira. This cybersecurity solution has a firewall manager, Dark Web monitoring, adware, and spyware protection. As a free antivirus, it is not a bad choice because it has many additional features. Of the minuses, users noted a strong impact on system performance.

There are also other cybersecurity solutions with more extensive capabilities, such as parental control. Choose the program that can perform all tasks to protect your home PC, work laptop or smartphone. Purchase a license and connect several devices to protect all your gadgets.

How to select the most suitable antivirus in UK and Ireland?

If we talk about why we need antivirus in computer, we have already determined that this is the maximum protection against any malicious programs. But how to choose among the huge selection of different cybersecurity. Will the free application be as reliable as the paid licensed version? Definitely, not. The free version is a set of basic functions, the license gives you more useful functions for protection.

5 essential criteria in finding the perfect antivirus

1. Decide for which devices you need an antivirus program. Will it be only a PC or do you want to install a licensed application and connect a laptop, tablet or smartphone to it.
2. You need a free or paid version for a PC or smartphone. Perhaps you want to try the capabilities of one antivirus. If it does not suit you, then you will replace it with another. Almost all modern system protection programs have free trial versions.
3. What features do you need, and what do you expect from such an application? Is it just protection for safe surfing the Internet, or do you need a reliable VPN, password manager and storage, mail protection, and so on? For office work, it is better to choose more advanced features.
4. Study the top 5 best antiviruses for PC computers to better understand the functions of each of them. Read reviews to find out where and how this or that antivirus is used. Which one is better for a smartphone, which one for a PC or tablet. Modern smartphones have built-in protection, but they do not provide 100% of all modern cyber threats.
5. Pay attention to the system requirements. Is the program you have chosen suitable for your device's system? Also, look at the description of each antivirus to see how it affects the system's performance. If you work a lot on the computer, you do not need an application that will cause the PC to "freeze".

Install antivirus for PC and smartphone in United Kingdom and Ireland

Most modern antiviruses are designed not only for PCs but are also adapted for smartphones, tablets, and laptops. You can easily find the best antiviruses for Android or Mac; all of them are installed quite quickly and easily. When choosing, find out whether the selected cybersecurity solution is suitable for your device before downloading it.

Look for the installation file on the official websites of the developers or from reliable antivirus software providers. Many users are looking for the best free antiviruses because they do not want to buy a license. But this is not right; the free version is very limited in functions and will not give your system maximum real time protection. Cybersecurity experts advise you on choosing licensed software that will provide you with advanced features.

Is it necessary to install an antivirus on a smartphone?

Smartphone owners often want to know why we need antivirus if the device already has built-in protection. This is true; modern gadgets have built-in protection, but cyber fraud casts its nets very widely. These can be not only virus programs but also spyware, threats to mail, your applications with personal data, and so on. The more programs and applications you have and the more often you use public networks, you should think about installing a full-fledged antivirus solution.

Many comprehensive cybersecurity solutions offer more options. For example, in case of theft or loss of your device. If you often lose devices or are afraid that someone will steal yours, invest in additional protection. Some people have switched to remote work and cannot do without a smartphone or tablet in which they store important data on clients and products. Imagine what would happen to a brand if such a database was stolen. With an antivirus program, you will protect all your company's personal data, correspondence, and other important information. Study the best antiviruses ranking and choose the most ideal option for your device.