Norton 360 - Best Antivirus Alternative to Microsoft’s Windows Defender in 2022 If you value the security of your PC and all of your online accounts, you need to invest in higher-quality internet security software. The truth is that Microsoft Defender is closer than it’s ever been to being competitive with third-party internet security suites… but as my tests discovered, it’s still not good enough.Īnd it’s certainly not good enough compared to dedicated antivirus programs, like Norton and Bitdefender, which solely focus on malware protection, blocking the latest internet security threats and improving general PC performance. Lacks additional tools which third-party antiviruses have, like a VPN, password manager, dark web monitoring, or identity theft protection.There’s no cross-platform support (except for enterprise users).PC system health report is basic (no performance boosting or system cleanup).The main user interface is clunky and not easy to navigate.Parental controls are limited to the Microsoft Edge browser.Malware detection rates are lower than many third-party competitors.In the end, I found a ton of issues with Microsoft’s Defender - here are my main complaints: In addition to all of this testing, I measured CPU performance during various situations - like while using high-powered programs during disk scans - as well as testing every single feature to assess its overall ease of use. I also navigated to dozens of phishing sites on a few different browsers to assess Defender’s anti-phishing capabilities, and I simulated exploit and network-based attacks to test Microsoft’s built-in firewall and network protections. I downloaded around a thousand malware files - including viruses, trojans, ransomware, adware, cryptojackers, keyloggers, and rootkits - in order to test the disk scanning and real-time protection functions. I ran Defender through the same rigorous tests that I use for all third-party antivirus products. Is Microsoft’s Defender Antivirus Good Enough? Because Windows Defender now includes all of these useful features, users are wondering whether they can rely on Defender alone to protect their computers or need to use a third-party antivirus. It even includes simple PC performance and health reports as well as parental controls with content filtering, usage limitations, and location tracking. Microsoft’s Defender is pretty good at detecting malware files, blocking exploits and network-based attacks, and flagging phishing sites. There are many reasons to like Windows Defender - especially as Microsoft has worked really hard to improve it over the last few years. Frequently Asked Questions about Microsoft’s Windows Defender.Ībout Microsoft Defender Antivirus (aka Windows Defender).How to Choose the Best Windows Defender Alternative in 2022.Comparison of the Best Alternatives to Windows Defender.Numbers 6-10 of the best Defender alternatives.Avira - Best free alternative with a more effective anti-malware scanner. McAfee - Better web protections (including a customizable firewall & Wi-Fi scanner). 3.□ TotalAV - Easier to use with better malware detection rates (and excellent PC tune-up).2.□ Bitdefender - Better anti-malware engine with a lot of additional features.1.□ Norton - Best antivirus alternative to Windows Defender in 2022.Quick summary of the best alternatives to Microsoft’s Windows Defender in 2022: There are several antivirus programs that are much better - brands like Norton offer more effective malware scanners, more intuitive Windows apps, and better and more advanced cybersecurity protections. I spent several weeks testing out both Microsoft’s Defender and all of the top antivirus programs on the market, ranking them on malware detection rates, system performance, scan speeds, overall internet security protection, and customer support.Īnd I can honestly say Microsoft’s Defender isn’t good enough. Is it good enough to use as a standalone antivirus, or is there something better?.Is it fast enough to remove threats without slowing down my PC?.Can Windows Defender handle all types of malware, including advanced ones like ransomware and spyware?.Microsoft’s Windows Defender provides decent cloud-based malware detection 100% free of charge - but you need to consider these 3 questions before deciding whether to keep it or get a third-party antivirus:
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