Today life has become digital, everything we do today, our interactions with people, and our day-to-day tasks are related to technology in some way, shape, or form. Technology is all around us and we are living in the age of the internet of things which means nearly every device that is present around us whether at the workplace or at home either works over the internet or is connected to it in some capacity. As we all know the internet is a vast and majorly unexplored area, as an example there are over 1 billion websites currently present on the web and almost 4.66 Billion active users that makeup almost half the population of the world. But it wasn’t always like this, if we just observe the usage trends in the past two decades, the internet was almost non-existent or was limited to a handful of groups, the increase in usage and popularity of the internet increased due to a systematic change.
Internet in its Early Days
During the early days, the internet was only restricted to government institutions like armed forces and information departments or was available to universities for their research and collaborative works. The commercialization and widespread use of the internet started when companies like Microsoft and Netscape made their web browsers namely Internet Explorer and Netscape Navigator that allowed regular users to experience the World Wide Web. In the beginning, there were only a few websites and tools that a user was able to access which were mainly developed by the developer of these browsers so their applications could be used. However, it wasn’t long before people realized the capabilities of the internet and what it could achieve in regard to long-distance communication. So the movement of internet commercialization that began in the 90s hasn’t seemed to slow down and the internet is rapidly increasing and growing in terms of numbers and applications.
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The Role of Antiviruses
The benefits of the internet cannot be undermined in any way, although, this is also a fact that it is a very powerful tool, and with great power comes great responsibility. The Internet can be considered a dual-edged sword because if used positively it can bring countless meaningful and positive changes in someone’s life in both personal and professional aspects but if used negatively, can cause a lot of harm and danger. Unfortunately, the fact of the matter is that not everybody present on the internet is there for noble purposes in contrast many people use the internet for negative activities and these activities are so severe that there is a whole new term coined by the name of cybercrime that includes the unlawful activities carried out using technology mostly the internet.
There are multiple types of crimes that are committed over cyberspace namely financial fraud including credit card fraud, online bank account hacking as well as identity thefts, unauthorized access to sensitive files and data, destruction of data, ransomware, malware and many other types of viruses are present on the internet and most of these attacks become possible due to carelessness of users. Although responsible use of the internet is the key to protecting yourself from harmful viruses and hackers there is some official over-the-shelf software by the name of antivirus that helps users remain protected against these threats.
Best Antiviruses For Superior Protection
As we have mentioned antivirus is software that is installed on devices to protect them from malicious programs and unauthorized access. Cyberspace has become a dangerous place with a drastic increase in cyberattacks witnessed nowadays, in order to counter that organizations are encouraging their employees to ensure these safety practices like installing antiviruses and updating firewalls not only that many ISPs are also providing internet security options with their packages to keep the home users safe as well. One such example comes in the form of Cox one of the biggest internet providers that give free internet security suite powered by McAfee as a part of all Cox Internet packages. We have also compiled a list of top antivirus programs that you can use to remain safe in the world of the internet.
Norton Antivirus
Norton is the name of trust in the antivirus industry due to it being long in the game, Norton is considered an all-round protection program that not only offers device security but also provides tools like a password manager, VPN, and strong firewall to protect the users from the threats present in the online world. Although it might be a bit costly for the regular user although it justifies each and every penny spent by providing complete digital security on all fronts.
Bitdefender Antivirus
This might sound a bit new to people who are into antiviruses and that’s right because Bitdefender is relatively a newcomer in the antiviruses market. Being considered an underdog and probably the cheapest one on the list doesn’t mean that it compromises its core functionality which is protecting the system from malware. It is currently the top-rated antivirus by many reputable tech portals including PCMag, TechRadar, and Toms Guide. An easy-to-use interface and phenomenal malware protection make it the perfect tiny antivirus that gets the job done without breaking your bank.
Kaspersky Antivirus
Last but certainly not least comes Kaspersky one of the pioneers of Antivirus programs that are still going strong. The core functionality of protection against malware and viruses is the strongest front of Kaspersky which is why it is often included in the list of top antiviruses. Although not as versatile or constantly updated as others on the list, still Kaspersky cuts it and provides you with the necessary protection although at a basic level.
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Concluding Thoughts
As we have already established internet is becoming a dangerous place and with more and more naïve users turning to the internet, it certainly has created a vacuum for cybercriminals to exploit. In times like these, people need to ensure security and remain vigilant from these malicious entities. The best way of protection is through antivirus programs which is why we have compiled this list to assist our readers in combating cybercrimes effectively.