Microsoft's cybersecurity tool, Microsoft Defender, is the best antivirus solution for October 2021, according to independent researchers.
AV-TEST, a 15-year-old independent German research institute for computer security, regularly tests all reputable antivirus solutions and, as of October this year, found that Microsoft Defender was better than Kaspersky, Avast, or others.
First, Microsoft Defender managed to block all 0-day malware attacks from the Internet during those 31 days, including malicious websites and email attacks. Based on a sample of 407 malware, it also managed to exceed the industry standard of 99,8% for detection rate.
In addition, it detected all the prevalent and popular malware that existed in October.
AV-TEST also reports that Microsoft's free antivirus solution had less impact on website load, compared to other antiviruses. In a sample of 50 visited websites, the industry average slowdown was 17%, while for Microsoft Defender (on a standard consumer PC) it was 7%. At the other end of that spectrum was AVAST, whose antivirus solution would slow website loading by up to 39%.
Faster browsing, slower installs
On the other hand, it interfered more during the installation of the application. Based on a sample of 20 installed applications, AV-TEST found that the industry standard for a slowdown when installing applications is 15%. With Microsoft Defender, application installation slows down by 33%.
Finally, Microsoft Defender would be comparatively faster than Kaspersky, McAfee or AVG. It doesn't slow down file copying at all, even though the industry average is 1%.
Having a powerful antivirus solution is essential in today's dangerous cyber environment. With the growing popularity of remote and hybrid work, where employees often use personal endpoints and insecure networks to work, making sure all devices are free of malware and ransomware is paramount.
You can also check out our list of the best firewalls available.