Do I Need Anti-Virus on Windows?

One of the most widely asked question for PC users is that should you install an Anti-Virus on your PC? If you are using a computer 5 years ago then my answer would be "YES". I personally started my PC computing in the era where installing Norton Anti-Virus is a must. You could say that it is the gold standard of Anti-Virus that time.


Fast forward to Windows 7 era, Microsoft introduced an Anti-virus that they are offering for free. It is called Microsoft Security Essentials. You can download it from https://support.microsoft.com/en-ph/help/14210/security-essentials-download. It's not as good as your commercial Anti-Virus but it still provides a baseline protection to your PC. There are also other companies that are known for free Anti-Virus including AVG, Avira and Avast.


Since Windows 8 was released, Microsoft already included a decent Anti-Virus built-in into Windows. It is called Windows Defender. There is even a debate whether Windows Defender is as good as the commercial counterpart. I could say that it is enough for majority of the users since it does its job very well. It is not causing slowdown that is common with PCs that have other Anti-Virus installed. It also integrates well with Windows. Windows Defender already evolved with Windows 10 as it is not just providing malware protection. New features like protection from Ransomware and hardware isolation can now make your PC more secure.


Anti-Virus provides a level of protection to your PC but no Anti-Virus can protect you from all types of threat. It is always recommended to update your software regularly and avoid visiting or opening illegal sites or files.

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