Antivirus software is an application design to detect, obstruct and remove computer viruses or any other malicious software that may be dangerous for the security of your computer. It will scan your computer for any known viruses that are defined already in the virus database. The software scans through all of your files to find out the known viruses and identify any suspicious behavior that exist in computer programs. When the infections are detected, they are either removed or quarantined depending to the level of seriousness of the infection.

If you are looking to install the best antivirus software for your computer, here are best virus removal programs available in the market.

Norton Antivirus – This is known as one of the best antivirus software in the market that is efficient when it comes to blocking spyware and viruses. It comes with advanced protection detecting not just offline viruses but can also protect your computer against infection while surfing the internet. One of the additional benefits of using this software is that it can scan and clean email as well as IM messaging attachments providing you with safety from receiving different types of infections and viruses and prevent it from spreading to your network of computers. It can also check for the latest updates automatically and can block any new and emerging threats.

Avira AntiVir is popular and more efficient software that is fast and offers thorough scanning. However, it has an annoying or disrupting full screen pop-ups opening at random intervals. Its virus protection and detection is excellent for it to be ranked as the top two of the best antivirus software in the market.

Avast is antivirus software that can show sufficient and a good performing virus detection and elimination come that has 60 day trial and after which you need to register. However, it does not feature user friendly navigation and there is no progress bar indicating scanning process progress.

Panda Antivirus is a virus removal program offering quick, stable and long term protection from various types of spyware and viruses. The software performs a great job with detection and removal of viruses. It comes with daily updates to ensure you get protection against new threats on the World Wide Web.

These are the best antivirus programs you can get for your computer to ensure overall protection.

With so many antivirus programs in the market it is imperative to set criteria that must be looked into before making any buying decision. The first one is user friendly features. The usability of antivirus programs can vary from one particular brand to another. It is very important to use a program that is designed both for the beginners and the advanced users. The program must be very easy to install, configure and use.

The antivirus software should also be effective not only in detecting viruses online but also in cleaning the hard disk efficiently and properly. The best antivirus programs must allow users to concentrate on working on their computers without any interruptions. It must be able to spot infected files by conducting frequent scanning of viruses from different sources such as web browsing, email, instant messaging and from offline sources such as flash drives. It must also be capable of cleaning up the hard disk systematically while deletes files that are infected to prevent it from spreading to the rest of the other files you have in your system.

The antivirus program should offer frequent and fast scans. Before choosing any antivirus software, it is very important that you take into consideration its scanning speed. Slow updates and scans can affect the speed and efficiency of your computer therefore slowing down your workings and activities. If the antivirus is slow, users may need to pause or just turn the software off complete to get rid of the nasty effects on the performance of the computer.

Aside from its capabilities of detecting viruses, it must also be able to spot other forms of infections and threats such as spyware, phishing scams, worms and spam. These threats can be very dangerous into your computer therefore the antivirus software you select must have components of tools that can protect it against these more harmful threats.

There are various qualities to look for when selecting the right antivirus program. The first one is fast scan engine. The main function of antivirus software is scanning your computer viruses and malwares. The scanning software must be able to scan your computer thoroughly and quickly.

The software should be capable of handling any type of security threats. Most antivirus programs can remove 70-80 percent of viruses from your software. The best antivirus software can removal all types of viruses whether it is spyware, Trojan, malware, rootkit and other types of security threat. The software must be updated with the latest virus definitions that allow it to determine and combat any type of security threats.

It should also offer excellent customer support. Good antivirus software comes with superior quality customer support. Its support desk can be reached by email, phone or through their website. Their agents should be easy to reach and should respond to you quickly and efficiently in case you experience problems.

It should protect without causing your computer to slow down. The antivirus program you choose must be able to offer you complete protecting without causing the performance of your computer to slow down.

It is important also that you choose an antivirus program that has the mechanism of updating virus definitions regularly. This can protect your computer against newly created viruses. Some of the best antivirus programs have embedded email scanner. A lot of viruses usually spread through emails. Comprehensive scans by antivirus software of your incoming and outgoing emails for threats and viruses.

It needs to have spam filter and firewall as well. Antivirus software must have spam filter that filters out any unwanted emails. Spam is usually used to send viruses into your computer or to extract your personal information. With a firewall, your system is secured from hacker infiltration. The best antivirus software is one that has phishing protection tool. Every day, there are a number of links you see posted on your social networking site wall. Anti-phishing tool scans and marks all of these links.

Cons: PC utilities included in the software are effective, however you have to pay a price for ultimate protection.

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Summary: Norton has been one of the leaders in computer security and continued to deliver improvements and efficient solutions. The version 5 of Norton 360 offers wide range of tools and features to maintain both the security and performance of computers. It is easy to use, equipped with automatic tools and a myriad of additional features. Being one of the most comprehensive, usable all in one security suites available today, it immediately gained the appreciation of the public.

Review
Norton 360 is a comprehensive all-in-one security suite for internet users that combines the features of more than five standalone computer protection products. Other than being one of the most complete security tools from Symantec, it is also one of its best premium security suites.

It revolves around the four basic components namely Identity Protection, Security, PC Tune-up and Backup. Each of this security software integrates variety of tools and additional features which combine the powerhouse that delivers both performance and protection.

Norton 360 offers the right features that can help you make the most of your computer and is consistent in the innovation of the latest technology and features to counteract with the constantly evolving threats to security. It keeps the features that worked well in the previous year and is equipped with new and additional features. These new additions are purpose-driven which means that it is capable of offering better security without causing slowdown to your system.

Here are the newly integrated features of the Norton 360 2011:

• Norton Control Center provides quick and easy access into the new dynamic protection map and other additional services from Norton such as the Online Family and Safe Web.
• Sonar 3 offers heuristic behavioral protection monitors for file activities that are suspicious.
• Download Insight 2.0 checks the behavior and history of the file instantly before downloading.
• Safe Web for Facebook ensures that there are no bad links on your wall.
• Norton Bootable Recovery Tool offers emergency rescue for PCs that have been damaged severely.
• Better Compatibility to make it work with more web browsers preferred by the users.

Conclusion
Norton 360 core security is excellent and offers advanced protection from spyare, worms, bots, viruses, Trojans and rootkits. The Reputation Scan runs analysis of the applications on the computer. Its premium internet security site integrates a two way firewall that protects against malicious files and hackers and at the same time guards the communication the user sent out. Its premium security suite is equipped to protect computer from all kinds of online threats.

Cons: An integrated Search Advisor fails in flagging some dangerous and malicious sites.

Summary: BitDefender Total Security is an all-in-one premium security suite. It is capable of providing powerful utilities, top-notch security and performance enhancing features in a comprehensive solution. It is a valuable piece of software and comes at very reasonable cost.

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Review
If you want to make sure your PC is performing at its best and safe all the time, the BitDefender Total Security will make your machine invulnerable to all cybercrimes and free of system-slowing data. It features backup tools, excellent customer support, parental controls, firewall and toolbox of useful utilities for PC keeping data organized and hard drive clean.

It surpasses other programs as it has high detection rates, useful tune-up, optimization tools and streamlined interface. It also includes data encryption tools and online backup option. The security suite interrupts malware, ensures that your PC is at its best and safeguards your data at the same time.

Its real time, kernel-level antivirus protection is capable of scanning internet and messaging traffic. It utilizes a number of advanced heuristic technologies to detect proactively and deter the latest and most recent malware.

This year’s version of BitDefender still has the ability to let you schedule scans and run them when you want to. It implements a scanning technology adjusting its behavior according to processing resources available.

BitDefender Total Security features a firewall and hosts flexible and highly advanced firewall that offers protection to computer with automatic adjustments to suit your location. The firewall integrates a Wi-Fi monitor that can detect and prevent forbidden access from intruders to your Wi-Fi network. BitDefender’s security is definitely second to none allowing you to do the normal activities you normally do online without worrying about identity theft, system lag and virus infections.

The software’s main focus has been security as always, but there is more that it can offer in terms of PC performance and optimization utility tools. It has advanced settings and tweaks so users can easily fine tune the performance of their PC for optimum speed and effective utilization of resources.

It also offers additional features such as laptop mode, gamer mode and parental control. The parental monitoring and time control features are highly effective giving parents complete control when their child uses the internet. The gamer mode allows uninterrupted full screen game play or even movie watching. Moreover, it can perform online and local backup jobs.

The Bitfefender Total Protection 2012 is more advanced as its software interface has been improved, increasing usability and user efficiency.

Cons: The link scanner for search engines is noticeably missing.

Kaspersky PURE 2012 is a new and improved all in one package that combines security with backup, tune up models and parental control. In addition to the password manage, it also comes with a virtual keyboard that is designed to defeat keyloggers, a new 128 bit AES encryption client and file shredder.

Review
It is worth noting as well that that idea of Kaspersky of tune up is not the typical registry cleaning voodoo. Instead, it is a privacy and security audit that suggests changes including wiping system logs, setting browser to empty potentially confidential information and setting Windows Explorer that would show file extensions. It is simply a one off diagnostic, but more worthwhile than throwaway wizards.

The parental controls adopt a familiar model. You will be able to prevent defined users from getting an access from specific categories of sites or time-restrict specific applications. In fact, there is only a little bit that Windows 7 cannot do, with free tool Windows Live Family Safety, but it has the capability to keep off computer users from trying to download certain types of files.

The core of this package remains and this includes firewall modules and malware detection. These look similar to that in the Kaspersky Internet Security and they offer in some new and neat features including the “Safe Run” sandbox when you want to try out applications that are unknown and Digital Identity browser that is highly technical and allows you to clean up and browse great amount of personalized data in the Registry.

While it promises more enhanced detection technologies, far better than its previous editions, it does have similar performance to its Internet Security suite in malware detection test. Through it is a little bit left behind by the competition, its detection rate is better than the rest. When it comes to performance, it does not fail to impress home users.

Overall, it comes with a great range of features and functions and it is not dreadful resource hog. It is capable of performing a normal antivirus function and when it comes to security, it is impressive despite the high price. Because it is loaded with lots of features, consumers have a lot more to expect from it than they ever experienced from the previous versions. Kaspersky Pure 2012 is yet to be tested in other areas. But overall, it offers great performance without causing a lot of annoyance while it runs to the background.

Cons: This comprehensive internet security suite is said to have missing data on parental controls and backups.

Summary: Overall, Avast Internet Security is an excellent and powerful internet. It’s close to perfect core protection is solid and its intelligent virtualization processes are great features. It introduces the new WebRep website reputation get better. There are certainly a lot of things to love about this internet security especially if they consider an upgrade to more complete Avast Internet Security.

Review
Avast is popular in the arena of internet security. Its new edition of internet security is an inclusion of great and useful features, latest technology of computer protection, and improved security of firewall, protection against hackers and identity theft and anti-spam. Though it is a compelling internet security suite, it is not perfect yet. Nonetheless, the unique features are something users can enjoy.

Aside from viruses, computer problems that are prevalent come in the form of malware that includes worms, Trojan horses, keyloggers, adware, spyware and rootkits. But all of these threats are located through its antivirus and antispyware scanning engine. Users can perform routine scan when they want to but it also works in real time. It doesn’t cause the computer to slow down while scanning and it is optimized to rescan files only of there are change since their last scan.

It also includes a boot time scanner than run when restarting the computer as well as pre-empts the operating system to find malware that may intercept with normal boot up. It is really good in terms of detecting threats however it does not remove them effectively.

It is also proud of its robust firewall which is one of the amazing features that are not found on other Avast Free or Pro versions. The firewall monitors network connection and with three predefined profiles. It utilizes heuristic analysis to give dyamic protection from all new threats. Unfortunately, the software does not include parental guide and backup features that make it less than perfect.

Avast Internet Security features Sandbox which is an isolated virtual community where users can run browsers and applications without taking their computer into risk. It also has the new SafeZone virtual desktop that works similarly with the Sandbox.

Finally, it is practical, sleek, geared with useful feature, effectively organized and incorporates powerful options. Its intelligent silent gaming mode is a big plus to gamers for they can do their gaming without any interruption.

Cons:
• Not as efficient as other antivirus software in removing malware

Review
Trend Micro Titanium Antivirus 2012 is another great product that is combined with solid protection with straightforward user interface. Improvements have been made with their cloud-based security technology.

It brings a new level of protection to computers from various types of threats such as viruses, spyware and malware. Not only that, it also prevents keyloggers and hackers from intruding your system. The protection provided by this product may not be that extensive as other antivirus software but it is impressive on other aspects. Due to the fact that this brand is not weighed down with product load, it is remarkably easy and light and this makes it one of the best antivirus software of 2012.

Trend Micro Titanium Antivurus 2012 combines the antivirus engine with real time cloud technology that can hammer down on newly released viruses. Various tests have been conducted and its effectiveness is pretty amazing. It has an easy and fast installation process as well and takes less than a minute to complete and the process is assisted with the cloud based technology.

Their line of features is fairly slim since their major focus is on the speed. However, they have neglected advanced settings and left gamers and PC users behind. As a computer user, your primary concern is the antivirus program drowns the speed of their computers. While the features are not abundant in this product it is considered one of the best antivirus software of 2012 due to its superior speed compared to other antivirus programs.

Because there are new and evolving infections created and sent on the internet on a daily basis, it is important that you find software like Titanium Antivirus 2012 committed to updating the software for newer attacks. It seamlessly updates itself and can be done behind the scenes without any interruptions.

Trend Micro Titanium Antivirus 2012 is combined with support scattered all over the internet. It offers several support options that are found in support forums and website. Their support caters to your every day needs of submitting problems via live chat or email. There is Premium support as well but not free.

Overall, the performance is great but the features are not as plenty as other comprehensive antivirus programs. Nonetheless, it comes with newer technology that makes it superb at protecting your devices against viruses.

The installation process was smooth and easy and the best thing about the process is you need not to register or confirm your email for the software download. It can be downloaded it from your online account on their website. Among the new things you can expect from this software in this year is the pre-installation scan that is less invasive and can be quickly done compared to other pre-installation scans of other security software.

McAfee retained their basic look for this new Total Security version which looks like an all text based website and complete with blue underlined links which take you to the different features that are present in the software. While this may be effective, it seemed to be a bit confusing. However, McAfee is doing its best to explain to users with getting too complicated.

There have been little changes with its interface and it holds the same simple home screen which supplies the user with the true time scanner, firewall, updates and subscription status. In the status area, you will find the familiar features sections that provide collapsible menus for Malware and Virus Guard, Email and Web Guard, Information Guard and Backup, Parental Controls and Home and Personal Computer Network Instruments.

McAfee has added and updated some features of Total Guard 2012 adding the Deep Page Guard that independently blocks websites that are identified as threats to security. The NetGuared feature of the suite uses McAfee Worldwide Danger Intelligence to establish if applications are sending the information to dangerous IP addresses. The software blocks the links and will inform you if there is something wrong with it. On the other hand, the Hacked Page Guard blocks hacked subframes from taking place on the screen and will let you know they were hacked.

The QuickClean features allow you to delete the unnecessary and old files from your computer which will enhance the performance of your computer. Other additional features include the Anti-Robbery File Guard that serves as secure storage space for files that you want to hide from prying eyes. The shredder feature of the software is constantly deleting files by rubbing out and writing over the sector where it was kept. The McAfee Total 2012 also includes Parental Control features.

Cons: Only provides phone support in removing viruses but will help you avoid further damage into your PC.

Review
With Zone Alarm Extreme Security, you will no longer deal with individual software packages to enhance the protection you get for your computer. This security suite provides more than just protection against spyware and viruses. It is also integrated with email filtering, firewall protection, identity theft protection, virtual private browser, utility tools and parental controls. ZoneAlarm provides excellent protection against viruses and comes with a tough firewall that can resist intrusion of threats.

Like any other security programs, it also provides full system scans both for spyware and viruses. Scans can be schedules monthly, weekly or daily. To keep up with the latest threats on the internet, the software also offers kernel-level virus protection and definition updates.

The software provides improved spyware and antivirus scan engine equipped to withstand a wide range of threats on the internet. The latest ZoneAlarm Extreme Security version uses newer and across the board virus signature library. Although the protection level offered in the past was effective, it has been made even better today.

Zone Alarm Extreme Security provides a firewall for operating system that can monitor changes in your computer to block the latest attacks before they wreak havoc. It even features two-way firewall that is capable of blocking intrusions and can make your computer invisible when it is online. Combining all these together with the multiple layer of comprehensive protection of the program will give you a security suite that is hard to beat when it comes to firewall functionality.

Zone Alarm Extreme Security also delivers protection against keyloggers, phishing scams and trackers. For enhanced security, it comes with a private browser tool that can remove cookies, cache, passwords and history. It also comes with a gaming mode that stops notifications so you won’t be dealing with annoying alerts and decreasing performance of your computer during gameplay.

Zone Alarm also provides a service called PC Tune-up. This provides defragmentation and registry repair services to your computer to ensure that your operating system will not be damaged and that your computer is optimally running. The software also comes with added features including the unique identity protection component that will keep your personal data secured.

The advanced protection against identity theft in the software is one thing you won’t be able to find in any other suites. The software is also notable for being quite easy to use.

Overall, this great internet security software can help keep your data and internet surfing safe and secure.