Microsoft Defender is improving, but you still shouldn't rely on it by itself. That doesn’t mean you have to pay extra, though. We’ve tested the top free antivirus apps so you can protect your PC for free.
Check Point ZoneAlarm Anti-Ransomware remains one of the most effective ransomware-specific security tools we've tested. It detected all our real-world ransomware samples, though its recovery system missed some files.
Ransomware attacks turn important files into encrypted gibberish; paying to get them back is often your only option. Ransomware protection can prevent those attacks from succeeding.
Microsoft Defender is improving, but you still shouldn't rely on it by itself. That doesn’t mean you have to pay extra, though! We’ve tested the top free antivirus apps so you can protect your PC for free.