Avira

Typical security programs like Avast and Norton Antivirus once seemed like enough protection from online threats. With their tools for identifying, isolating, and eliminating malware and viruses, but the real threat of identity theft is even more insidious. Even the most innocuous information we share online can be compiled together and used by internet criminals. Avira takes all of the standard antivirus features you might expect from its competitors and combines them with the means to browse anonymously and fully sweep up the digital trail you leave behind. While Avira is completely free for all of its users, that's just the least of its advantages. Diligent and constant updates make sure that Avira is always up to date regarding the newest arising threats, and its library of malware and viruses is vast enough to cover both current and legacy problems. When you use Avira to protect your machine, you can be secure in the knowledge that it will keep you safe. Updates are downloaded automatically, so you'll never have to go through the hassle of manually syncing the software to stay ahead of the curve. One of the more interesting features, and one that's uncommon to find in antivirus software, is the ability to configure when Avira boots up. Whether you want to start the software early in the booting process for added protection or start it later and speed up the starting process for your computer, you have a choice between expediency and a higher degree of security. While Avira constantly runs in the background and keeps an eye out for future threats, there's also the option to run a full scan whenever you want. This is a great choice if you're installing the software on a computer that's potentially been compromised or if you're meticulous in your concern for antivirus protection. The interface is clean, intuitive, and easy to navigate. This simplicity of design is a good thing, because you have plenty of tools at your disposal. You can manually set you own protection settings or dig deeper into the tool kit to get a highly granular level of control over your configuration. Frankly, the number of scanning choices can be intimidating at first. While most antivirus software offers either a full or quick scan, Avira bolsters these choices with more detailed options that allow you to manually determine what portions of your computer are scanned and when. The everyday user will probably find little need for these more nuanced options, but it can easily be ignored, and tech savvy customers who need a higher degree of control will find plenty to love there. The Avira core software is completely free to use, but subscription programs allow you to enhance you Avira experience with a number of associated products and get access to more robust and powerful options for web browser support.