REASONS WHY YOU NEED ANTIVIRUS FOR WINDOWS 10 PC

The term antivirus has become so ingrained in technology culture that almost everyone is familiar with its meaning. Chances are you have a Windows 10 PC and are wondering if you still need it. After all, Windows 10 is the most advanced and secure desktop operating system to date. The short and simple answer is yes, and we're going to explore five reasons why an antivirus is still a necessity.

1. Microsoft itself ships Windows 10 with a built-in antivirus

The most obvious reason why antivirus software is still necessary for most users is Windows Defender. Yes, even Microsoft, the company behind the Windows operating system that currently runs on more than 1.5 billion PCs, began integrating a basic antivirus solution with the release of Windows Vista in 2006.

A decade later, things haven't changed much, except for the explosion of security threats. Today we have hundreds of millions of new PCs that ship each year with Windows Defender as an integral part of Windows 10, which comes pre-installed on many of these devices. Provides a basic layer of security until you install your own antivirus.

To top it all, many PC manufacturers include a third-party security solution from antivirus companies. However, this is not ideal for everyone. Many of these pre-installed solutions come in the form of an "extended trial version" that leaves users unprotected after expiration, unlike Windows Defender, which is a free solution.

2. An antivirus can be used to easily configure security rules

If you're running the latest version of Windows 10, you can use the new Windows Defender Security Center to do more than just scan for viruses. Additional features include Device Health and Performance, Network Protection and Firewall, Browser and Application Control, and Family Options.

The Windows Defender Security Center can provide you with additional tools, which is good enough for a free tool, but not enough when it comes to traditional paid third-party solutions. There are free versions available from third parties, but they're just as limited, and some will even annoy you with pop-up ads.

There is good reason why some antivirus vendors have rebranded their products to reflect how their product payment tiers provide you with more than just a virus scan tool. Some even offer spam protection, web browsing privacy protection, or use your mobile device as a security booster tool for your PC.

3. Antivirus has evolved to adapt to new security threats

Most of you have probably heard or read news about classic types of malware, such as Trojans, worms, Keyloggers, and back doors. These normally infect users through email attachments or downloads from suspicious websites. After that, they would spread to all devices on a local network, causing even more damage. They are all different methods used to take advantage of your confidential information.

Microsoft has been improving the security of Windows with each new version, making many of the classic viruses obsolete. In turn, the bad guys have come up with new ways to attack and take control of your PC. A notable example is ransomware, which steals your data and makes it technically impossible to access it unless you pay the thieves in a way that makes it highly unlikely that you will identify them.

Meanwhile, antivirus software has evolved to deal with these threats. Now you can provide special protection for your important folders, prevent malware from starting with Windows, and set up a white list of trusted applications. Some antivirus even prevent an attacker from modifying your settings or uninstalling by locking things with a user password.

4. Your web browser is not as secure as you think

You most likely spend most of your time using a web browser, and this is also one of the main targets for the bad guys. As much as Google, Microsoft, and others like to show how secure their browser is, the reality is that they all have flaws. This leaves you vulnerable until you receive an update, which may take some time depending on the complexity of fixing the bug.

Also, the classic phishing attacks continue to work. Attackers can hide malicious code in ads, auto play videos, or social media campaigns that disguise themselves as legitimate giveaways or competitions. Once you click on them, you are infected. And since there is no visual clue to what has happened, you may not even know.

Some attacks include redirects that take you from a legitimate service to an infected or masked web page. While trying to get in, you basically give your bad guys your credentials. Good antivirus software usually scan the code on the website and will warn you if it is malicious.

5. Antivirus as an additional layer of security

"But I'm careful what I do with my PC and on the web!" is what some users may say. But you can never be too careful about security, and good practices are not enough to keep your PC safe. Thinking proactively about security will reduce the risk of financial and data theft or identity fraud.

As the doctors say: prevention is better than cure. Here are some of the situations in which an antivirus can provide valuable additional security:

·       Online shopping, banking and commerce.

·       Use of public Wi-Fi.

·       Share links, files or even your pc with others.

·       Click on ads, gift links.

·       Watch adult content.

·       When using social media or browsing the web.

·       When downloading files, media and software from the web.

Some of you may even think that antiviruses can detect malware only after the fact. Actually, the best security solutions analyze the behavior of any running application. This increases the chances of discovering a security threat before it even has a chance to do harm.