Microsoft’s integrated antivirus software named Windows Security now, does not require the purchase of a subscription. It is also free. The software is highly rated by the world’s most renowned antivirus labs, and offers robust protection against malware, without affecting the performance of your system. It also includes ransomware protection as well as a password manager, among other useful features. It’s missing some of the most essential features you will find in premium antivirus suites and isn’t a great user interface.
The virus and threat protection module includes the usual quick scans full scans, custom scans, as well as an offline scan mode specifically designed to eliminate the most difficult of threats. The firewall and network module is easy to use, but it’s not as comprehensive as its competitors. Its biggest disadvantage is that it can only protect Windows devices. If you want to safeguard your Android or Mac phone, you’ll need to find an alternative.
Family options include parental controls and the possibility of monitoring the health of your family’s devices. There’s even a password manager hidden in the Edge browser, which is able to sync with your other devices. The drawback is that you cannot control the features from the app and instead use a browser to manage the features.
Contrary to the majority of antivirus software It doesn’t integrate to the Windows kernel – a practice that can open new attack surfaces for black hats. It could possibly compromise your operating system. It also provides excellent behaviour detection and prevents users from accidentally downloading malicious files.