We survived the Mayan apocalypse and made it to 2013. So did malware writers around the world; now's not the time to slack off on antivirus protection. About two thirds of the security vendors I track have updated for 2013, and about half of those celebrate the year by including 2013 in the current product name.
Year over year the same security products tend to be top scorers, but there's room for change. Here are the best from the current crop of antivirus products.
Once you've installed protection and cleaned up any existing threats, your antivirus will spend most of its time fending off new attacks. Most products are much more effective at preventing a new attack than at rooting out malware that's had time to dig in its heels. In my malware blocking test, Webroot scored an impressive 9.9 of 10 possible points.
No budget for security? That's no excuse for skipping antivirus protection. With 9.3 points for malware blocking, AVG Anti-Virus FREE 2013 scored better than both Bitdefender and Norton, and its malware removal score of 6.5 points took third place, behind Norton and Webroot. AVG is our current Editors' Choice for free antivirus.
Interesting Variations
A full-scale antivirus tool both cleans up existing threats and keeps new attacks from getting a foothold. Sometimes, though, a counterattack by entrenched malware means you can't even install that hot-shot antivirus. In that case, a free removal-only tool can be a godsend. Comodo Cleaning Essentials, which scored just a tenth of a point behind Norton for malware removal against my previous malware collection, is our Editors' Choice for free cleanup-only antivirus.
Of course, you do have to work to make sure your antivirus stays up to date, and you need to deal with any threats it reports. Or do you? In fact, once you install Daily Safety Check Home Edition you don't have to do a thing. Its managed antivirus will scan your system and block attacks, and it also ensures that you have all the latest security patches. If necessary, a support agent can remote into your PC to clean up the worst infestations. All you need to do is view emailed safety reports. This unique service has earned Editors' Choice for consumer-side managed antivirus.
If ransomware or other malicious software has made it impossible to boot Windows, you need a solution that doesn't rely on Windows. When you boot from the hardware-based FixMeStick 2013$59.99 at Kmart, it automatically updates itself and runs a scan. All you need to do is click OK when it asks permission to clean up.
Antivirus Tests
Where did those scores come from? To test an antivirus product's ability to deal with existing malware infestations, I install it on twelve or so malware-infested virtual machines. After running the most comprehensive scan available, I check which threats the antivirus detected and note how well it cleaned them up. This article explains how I derive the scores in the chart that follows: How We Test Malware Removal.
Antivirus malware removal chart
I also install each product on a clean test system and attempt to install the same collection of threats. Most antivirus tools wipe out a portion of the samples the moment I open the containing folder. I launch those not killed on sight and observe just how far they get before the antivirus takes action. The article How We Test Malware Blocking explains in detail how I come up with the scores in the chart below.
Antivirus malware blocking chart
Independent antivirus testing labs have vastly more resources at hand than I do, so they can perform tests on a scale beyond what I can do. At present I track results from AV-Comparatives, AV-Test, ICSA Labs, Virus Bulletin, and West Coast Labs. I hope to be adding tests from NSS Labs and Dennis Labs later this year. The chart below summarizes current results, and this article goes into more detail about how I interpret those results: How We Interpret Antivirus Lab Tests.
Antivirus lab tests chart
Other Notable Products
Kaspersky Anti-Virus (2013) $17.99 at Trinity Software gets praise from the independent labs, and Kaspersky researchers always seem to be on the forefront of new malware discoveries. It scored just behind Norton and Webroot in my malware cleanup test.
For an antivirus solution like no other, there's AhnLab V3 Click, a USB-based antivirus that plays a cartoon during installation and scans when you tap the button atop its puck-shaped main unit. I found its initial release not terribly effective at malware cleanup or blocking, but the company has plans to keep the unusual form factor and upgrade its virus-fighting abilities.
If your PC is brand-new and guaranteed clean, you might consider SecureIT. The independent labs don't test this one, but with 9.7 of 10 possible points for malware blocking it beat every other product except Webroot. In my cleanup test, though, it scored a dismal 3.6.
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