The Best Anti-virus Software for Home

Proper anti-virus protection could save your computer from total destruction.computer virus image by Marina Bartel from Fotolia.com

Protecting your computer from viruses is as important as protecting it from thieves. Computer viruses can crash programs and destroy or corrupt information vital to your system. They can even send hackers your private information, which could potentially lead to identity theft. The dangers of computer viruses are more real than some think, but with the proper anti-virus protection, you will have little to worry about.

Norton AntiVirus 2010

Norton AntiVirus 2010, created by Symantec Corporation, lives up to its reputable name with top-notch malware protection. With a price tag of $39.99 upon release, this product delivers outstanding protection. According to PCMag.com, a leading technology site, Norton AntiVirus installs easily and even on systems already infected. This is a plus as most anti-virus programs usually have trouble installing on systems already infected with malware. Norton 2010 does its best to run in the background and does a good job, as it doesn't cause any significant performance slow down.

Earning PCMag.com's "Editor's Choice" award, Webroot AntiVirus with AntiSpyware 6.0 has received great reviews across the board. Excellent at detecting and removing viral threats from your computer, Webroot AntiVirus also has what they call "Shields," which focuses on prevention by blocking viruses before they have the chance to infect your system. One inconvenience to having such a thorough program is how long the virus scans can take. The time will vary depending on your system and level of infection, but the scan and removal process takes longer with Webroot than similar programs. With pricing similar to that of Norton AntiVirus 2010, Webroot gives you more protection for your money.

G-Data AntiVirus 2010 is another top achiever when it comes to malware detection and removal. While most anti-virus programs use one engine to detect viruses, G-Data uses both the Avast! and BitDefender engines, giving it double the protection. According to tests done by PCWorld.com, G-Data blocked a staggering 99.95 percent of known viruses, spyware and adware. Because of this advanced protection, G-Data sometimes blocks programs you intentionally use from doing certain things, such as starting up with the system. It also requires you to select an action for each individual threat it detects, such as quarantine or delete, which can get tedious. If you don't mind the extra effort and active participation to keep your computer virus free, then G-Data 2010 may be the choice for you.

Though these are some of the best virus protection programs around, there are more threats you should protect yourself against. This is the kind of full-coverage protection you can only get with a highly rated security suite. Suites such as Norton 360 4.0, ESET Smart Security and McAfee Total Protection 2010 all protect against the malware these anti-virus programs do and they also cover spyware, Internet security and usually offer a wider range of features to fully defend your system.