Updated on: October 22, 2024
Is an antivirus still necessary in 2024? After all, Windows, Android, iOS, and Mac operating systems all have decent security protections.
The answer is a resounding YES! While built-in security protections are pretty good, they just can’t protect you from the wide range of cyber attacks facing users in 2024. The best antivirus programs on the market offer 100% protection from advanced cyber threats — including malware (trojans, ransomware, rootkits, etc), network hacks, phishing attacks, identity theft, data breaches, and web trackers.
But not all antivirus software is created equal. Some are poorly created, often leaving massive holes in a person’s cyber defense. Others are secretly harvesting data. But a good antivirus program will protect your devices far more effectively than the basic protections built into your device ever could.
The reality is that you need quality antivirus software to stay 100% safe online. Some people claim that you can stay safe from malware just by taking precautions when you use the internet — but while there are a lot of important precautions you should take, they can’t give you the protection that a fully-fledged security suite like Norton can.
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How Do Antivirus Programs Detect Malware?
Antivirus scanners use a variety of methods to identify malware before it can make any changes onto your computer.
It can be impossible to tell from looking at a file that it contains hidden malware — it’s often cleverly concealed in seemingly innocent files like movies, program files, and images. This is why a high-quality antivirus is so important.
The best antivirus programs provide on-demand scanning (looks at all the files on your disk to sniff out hidden malware files) and real-time protection (analyzes files when you download them or open them to ensure you’re not adding malware to your system) to keep your devices 100% malware-free.
There a few methods used by antivirus scanners to detect malware:
- Signature-based scanning. This is the most common method used by built-in virus scanners like Windows Defender and Apple File Quarantine. Signature-based scanners depend on malware databases, which contain code from hundreds of thousands of types of known malware — when you download a file, the code in that file is compared to the malware database. If the signature of the downloaded file matches a file in the database, it’s blocked from running on your system.
- Heuristics. Malware files can be encrypted or slightly altered to deceive signature-based scanning tools. Like signature-based scanners, heuristics-based scanners analyze code — but they are able to identify signatures that are similar to known malware types, which allows them to detect malware that signature-based scanners miss.
- Machine learning/AI. Rather than analyzing a file’s code, machine learning tools detect malware files based on their behavior — if a file acts similarly to the millions of malware files the AI-based scanner is trained on, it will block those files. This means that machine learning-based scanners can catch zero-day files that signature and heuristics-based scanners can’t detect.
- Sandboxing. A sandbox is an artificial virtual environment — any files running in a sandbox can’t affect system files outside the sandbox. Any changes that a piece of malware tries to make disappear the moment the sandbox is closed down. iOS apps are all sandboxed, which limits the flexibility of the OS, but it also makes iPhones very difficult to hack.
Why Do Antivirus Programs Come With So Many Extra Features?
There’s more to online safety than just keeping your device safe from malware. Keeping your online activity, passwords, cloud storage, and financial information secure is just as important as avoiding malware infections. That’s why antivirus programs offer additional internet security features such as:
- Firewalls — to monitor network traffic and prevent invasive processes from entering into a network.
- Web protection — to analyze websites for unsafe behavior and block known phishing sites.
- Password managers — to generate, store, and auto-fill secure passwords.
- Virtual private networks (VPNs) — to hide IP addresses for private browsing and downloading.
- Parental controls — to block inappropriate content, limit device and app usage, and track location on children’s devices.
- System cleanup tools — to eliminate junk files, bloatware, and PUPs (potentially unwanted programs).
- Encrypted storage — to keep data 100% secure using military-grade data encryption.
- Identity protection — to provide real-time alerts if your information or identity is at risk of being stolen.
- Breach monitoring — to scan databases and dark web forums and notify you if your data is leaked in a data breach.
Why Are Third-Party Antiviruses Better Than My Operating System’s Built-in Defenses?
All major operating systems have big vulnerabilities. While every operating system has built-in malware protections, and they’re all decent, I still recommend everybody — even Mac users — should use antivirus software. Here’s why:
- Windows. Windows is the most frequently hacked operating system in the world. While Windows has put a lot more effort into Windows Defender in recent days, it still doesn’t score the same 100% malware detection ratings that standalone antivirus competitors regularly achieve (plus, Windows doesn’t have built-in web protections, data breach monitoring, password management, or VPN protection). If you’re looking for a PC antivirus that can handle the latest internet security threats, check out this list of the best antiviruses for Windows.
- macOS. Many Mac users are under the impression that their computers are completely virus-proof. macOS’s File Quarantine feature is a good virus scanner, with new viruses added to its database daily — but it’s not good against zero-day threats, and it often fails to recognize adware and spyware. For example, millions of Mac users were infected with the Shlayer spyware, which harvested browsing data and inserted affiliate products into users’ suggested searches. If you want to keep your Mac spyware-free and protected against zero-day threats, there are a few really good Mac antiviruses out there.
- Android. Android is the most widely used mobile operating system in the world, and Android devices are a huge target for hackers. Google Play Protect is the built-in scanner in every Android device — it does a pretty good job, but it doesn’t offer good protection against ransomware, spyware, or phishing. For example, millions of Androids were infected with the Locker ransomware, causing each user to lose thousands of dollars just to get their data back. The best antivirus programs for Android offer ransomware protection, safe browsing features, and powerful anti-theft protections.
- iOS. Because of the strict developer protocols around the App Store as well as iOS’s native sandboxing, it’s basically impossible to get a virus on an iOS device. However, iOS users are susceptible to phishing sites and malicious Wi-Fi networks, as well as unethical apps that track user data. Cybersecurity apps for iOS can protect device usage, and the best ones also come with powerful anti-theft features. Check out our list of the best antiviruses for iOS here.
Best Antiviruses for Internet Security in 2024
There are significant risks to going online without proper internet security protection — no matter what device you’re using. Your device, your financial information, and your online identity can all be compromised by hackers. I pay insurance for my car, my health, and my home. I use my computer and my smartphone every single day, so it just makes sense for me to keep them insured against the many dangers that exist online.
Here are the 3 best internet security programs for 2024 ranked in terms of overall security, extra features, ease of use, customer support, and value.
Quick summary of the top 3 antivirus programs in 2024:
- 🥇 1. Norton — Best antivirus in 2024 (100% protection and a huge suite of extras).
- 🥈 2. Bitdefender — Lightweight antivirus with extras including a system optimizer.
- 🥉 3. Intego — Best antivirus for Mac with advanced backup options.
Editors' Note: Intego and this site are in the same ownership group.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Reddit say I don’t need antivirus software?
Some people suggest that strict internet safety habits negate the need for antivirus software, but it’s essential to understand that not everyone is super tech-savvy. Much like relying on a mechanic for car issues, most of us depend on external aid for our devices too. Antivirus software gives that extra security cushion, especially for those not deeply familiar with digital security.
Your digital security could be compromised at any moment for a myriad of reasons. Compromised family members could send you malware files, phishing sites might mimic legitimate sites to seize your data, or your data could be exposed in a massive data breach, all beyond your control. Malware files impact millions of Windows, macOS, and Android users daily.
The best antivirus programs provide improvement over Microsoft, Apple, and Google’s built-in protections, add additional security features, and provide trained customer support staff in the event of an emergency. Norton even offers live dark web monitoring.
Does Windows 10 or 11 need antivirus protection?
Windows Security (formerly known as Windows Defender) is an excellent security tool built into Windows 10 and 11. It used to be famously very bad, but Microsoft has put a lot of work into improving its built-in Windows antivirus protection. But it’s still not as good as the best antivirus programs.
Windows Security regularly receives worse scores than standalone competitors in malware stress tests. These standalone competitors provide advanced malware detection tools, as well as helpful additional features like VPNs and password managers that Windows Security lacks.
Which antivirus should I use?
There are good antivirus programs for every system — but overall, I think Norton is the best antivirus in 2024. It provides excellent malware detection rates for every operating system, plus it has great additional security features, a really helpful customer support team, and its plans cover a wide range of devices.
Do Android phones or iPhones need antivirus?
Android and iOS systems both offer reasonable in-built safeguards, yet they each have similar issues. The Google Play Store and Apple App Store contain a large quantity of apps, within which there are harmful apps created to exploit user data and obtain unauthorized entry to devices.
As I discuss above, both Android and iPhone users have been hacked in recent years. While it’s a lot easier to put malware on Android devices, iOS users still face risks from online threats like phishing attacks and data breaches. Norton and TotalAV both make excellent apps for Android and iOS.
