Norton Security Scan: A Free and Lightweight Virus Scanner
Norton Security Scan is a handy tool for identifying and scanning threats, though it might not be the most user-friendly. However, it was designed with the primary goal of detecting and scanning for viruses.
As the name suggests, the program scans your system and identifies various threats, including malware, spyware, and suspicious programs that could pose risks to your computer, along with many unprotected vulnerabilities. Norton Security Scan is highly accurate. It might be a bit slow at times, but not because it hogs memory or processing speed. In fact, it's very lightweight, both in terms of the installation file and the application itself. It's one of those small yet useful applications, and while its functionality is limited, it excels at what it does. You can run it in the background without interrupting your activities. It's easy to use: just a few clicks on the large buttons to get it going, and you can forget about it while it does its job.
Overall, Norton Security Scan is worth trying out.
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Baidu Antivirus 2015: Free and Compact Virus Protection
Baidu Antivirus 2015 offers comprehensive protection against viruses, malware, secure browsing, and more. It features a built-in firewall, USB protection, and much more. Plus, this antivirus software is completely free, providing protection equal to or better than its paid competitors.
Upon opening its beautifully designed main window, you'll find a set of small icons in the top right corner, which we'll discuss later. For now, focus on the left side where you'll see three buttons: Scan, Protection, and Tools. These buttons are the core of the program.
Clicking the Scan button will (hopefully) show a message saying "Your PC is safe!" If you see a different message, I suggest starting a scan immediately. In the Scan section, you can choose from three Scan options. The first is the Quick Scan, noticeable by its large green button. It's a tool to check for infections in the system part you're currently using or to see if there are threats starting with the system boot. When you start a Quick Scan, you'll be amazed by the number of items scanned. Here's a brief list: System memory, Start-up items, System services, System logon configuration, boot sector, etc. The Quick Scan covers no less than 11 different items. Besides the Quick Scan, there's also a Full Scan, which scans all files on your computer, and a Custom Scan for specific folders.
I must add that the scan speed, whether Quick or Full, is impressive. I believe it's the fastest in its field.
Let's move on to the Protection part of this amazing program. Once you click the Protection button, you'll see a well-designed window featuring nice animations and basic information like file protection and detected threats on the left. But we'll focus more on the right side. There, you can control the protection you want to enable or disable. It's divided into three groups: Computer, Internet, and Privacy Protection. Each group has options you can toggle on or off. For example, you can disable real-time protection, USB protection, anti-phishing, firewall, etc. There are a total of nine protection options you can easily manage here.
Finally, we have the Tools section, which is just as important as the other two. It's a treasure trove of nine highly useful tools. I won't name them all, but some are worth mentioning. First, there's the Sandbox option, which isolates unknown risks. Second, Browser Protection, which prevents malicious changes to your homepage. Then, you have System Repair, an ad blocker for your browser, etc.!
Now, I'd like to add a few words about some features I really liked. As mentioned before, the GUI is excellently executed. Everything is in place, well-organized, and the theme is great. Even if you don't like it, there are eight themes to choose from. Also, I love the 'Free Forever' focus you'll find where you'd usually see a purchase button. It also protects your cloud storage.
I must admit, I was a bit skeptical about free antivirus programs. It's a habit, I guess, but Baidu Antivirus 2015 proved me wrong. It keeps up with the 'big programs' and, in my opinion, even surpasses them in some areas.
in some areas.
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Download AVG Web TuneUp to Protect Your Browser
AVG Web TuneUp is an extension for Google Chrome, Internet Explorer, and Mozilla Firefox that allows you to browse safely, free from trackers and hidden threats.
This free browser add-on includes the following features: Site Safety
- Provides safety ratings for websites you visit;
Do Not Track - Blocks trackers from social networks, ad networks, and web analytics; Browser Cleaner - A quick and easy way to clear your browsing history and other files.
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Web Companion: Protect Your Browsers and PC from Viruses
Web Companion can shield your computer from online threats like phishing and hacking. It can detect and filter harmful sites in real-time while you browse. The program is quite lightweight, but you should be careful not to click 'Next' without paying attention, as it might change your browser's homepage and default search engine. The tool has a nice, user-friendly interface. It supports multiple languages and offers two themes to choose from. The application runs from the 'system tray,' allowing you to toggle protection on and off with a simple click.
The tool supports popular browsers like Chrome, Firefox, and Internet Explorer, and its protection extends to the operating system and other applications. Moreover, while browsing, it can block malicious content before it's downloaded to your computer. Practically, it seems to work well, as it detected some sites reported by NOD32.
Overall, Web Companion is an effective alternative to annoying browser toolbars. However, be aware that it cannot provide complete virus protection, so it should be used alongside other AV programs; fortunately, it doesn't interfere with any of them.
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Download McAfee WebAdvisor to Protect Your Data and Passwords While Browsing
McAfee WebAdvisor is a simple and reliable solution to enhance security while browsing the internet. This handy little tool warns you before accessing harmful sites that could compromise your privacy, finances, online identity, or even personal files. In fact, McAfee WebAdvisor not only protects against risky websites but also against any other online threats, as it performs a security check to see if antivirus and firewall are active before you start browsing. Additionally, it scans your downloads to ensure they don't contain any potentially dangerous components.
McAfee WebAdvisor not only cares about security when browsing or downloading files but also when setting up new passwords. It will alert you if the new password you choose for any service is too weak or easy to guess.
This useful program comes as a browser add-on supporting the three most popular browsers in the world: Internet Explorer, Firefox, and Google Chrome. Unfortunately, this also means that if you prefer using Safari, Opera, or any other browser, McAfee WebAdvisor won't be available.
Another great thing about this program is that it saves your security choices and applies them automatically in future situations. In other words, it learns from your preferences, acting as a truly smart security advisor.
To sum it up, McAfee WebAdvisor is a neat little application that makes web browsing a safer experience.
Download the Program
Here
Download Avira Free Antivirus for Virus Protection
Avira Free Antivirus keeps numerous threats away from your computer, scans incoming emails for risks, and protects you while browsing the web.
This award-winning software runs silently in the background to secure your data, protect your privacy, and keep your computer free from malware.
It's easy to use - just download, install, and relax… because you're protected for life! It's fast and lightweight, so it doesn't slow down your browsing experience.
• Provides real-time browsing protection against millions of emerging threats daily.
• Blocks potentially unwanted applications (PUA), viruses, worms, Trojans, ransomware, spyware, adware, and rootkits.
• Protects against malicious websites, prevents browser tracking for better internet privacy, and includes a price comparison tool to find deals from trusted sites when shopping online (all included in the free web browser extension).
