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According to a recent report from statista.com, an online statistics portal, 74% of Americans own laptops. That makes for a pretty big target for hackers who are always looking to take advantage of the vulnerabilities in these laptops. The best way to protect laptops from hackers is with antivirus software. But how do you know which antivirus is best for a Windows 10 laptop? 

The best way to answer this question is to learn about some of the different security features that antivirus (AV) software can offer. With that in mind, we’ve listed some of these features below, but the list is by no means exhaustive. Security features will vary depending on the company that developed the AV software, whether the software is a paid or free version, and whether it’s a basic or advanced AV package. 

To begin with, there are malware scans, which every AV will perform. However, ‘the devil is in the details’, as they say, or in this case, ‘the security is in the details’. Malware scans rely on a database of virus signatures to detect viruses. AV software scans files and collects their signatures and then compares them to the database of virus signatures. If a file’s signature matches a virus signature in the database, the AV software sends an alert about the file. To detect effectively, however, the AV must use the largest signature database possible and the database and the software must be frequently updated. 

AV software should also remove threats when they’re detected. Some do this automatically while others will first ask you if you want the threat removed. In addition, protection against malware should be in real-time, but it shouldn’t impact your laptop’s performance. 

Protection against ransomware is another important security feature. Ransomware works by encrypting a system’s data so that authorized users can’t access it. The ransomware then threatens to destroy or make public-private data unless a ransom fee is paid. This can be ruinous to businesses and individuals. Ransomware protection blocks ransomware from being downloaded onto a system and prevents the encryption of the data.

![](https://cms.reasonlabs.com/cdn/shutterstock_404668465-e1578844705350.jpg)

Detection methods such as heuristics, behavioral, or sandbox methods that can detect previously unknown malware threats should also be a part of every antivirus software. These detection methods are in addition to signature-based detection, which only detects known malware. 

Other important security features are browsing protection, which stops you from navigating to malicious URLs, and camera and microphone protection, which prevents hackers from spying on you and listening in on your personal conversations.

**Short but sweet**

The features listed above are just a small sample of the many different types of security features that AV software can and do offer, but while they aren’t the only features, they are some of the most important.

The first question people usually ask about antivirus (AV) software, is ‘do I really need it?’. Once they come to understand that, yes, they really do need it, their next question is usually about what antivirus to use. The question is a good one to ask, since the myriad antivirus software available tends to hamper rather than simplify the decision about which antivirus is best. This is why obtaining at least a basic understanding of the most important antivirus software features and what they do can be helpful in deciding what antivirus to use. To assist with this understanding, is the following look at the top five features to look for in AV software.

**At the top of the list is real-time malware detection and removal.** Malware detection refers to the AV software’s scanning process whereby it scans the files and programs on your computer looking for malware. Since every virus has its own signature, AV software uses a database of virus signatures and checks for these signatures on your computer. The reliance on the signature database means that it’s vital that your AV software be regularly updated so that it uses the most current database, and that the database itself be current and up-to-date with all the latest virus signatures. In addition, if your AV software does detect malware on your system, it should easily be able to remove or quarantine the virus.

![](https://cms.reasonlabs.com/cdn/bigstock-Scam-Virus-Spyware-Malware-Ant-146062358-1-3571778233-1563092277239.jpg)

**Next, your AV software should also use other detection methods such as heuristic-based detection and behavioral detection**. These detection methods are needed to protect you against new and emerging threats that the virus signature method cannot detect. Instead of relying on a database of known virus signatures, heuristic detection analyzes and looks for suspicious code or structure in a program while behavioral detection looks for suspicious events or behaviors. In this way, these detection methods are able to identify potential viruses and block threats even if the threats are not yet known viruses.

**And this brings up the next important feature: a low rate of false positives**. Modern AV software uses both behavioral and heuristics detection methods, but heuristic detection has a higher rate of false positives than other detection methods i.e., it can flag programs as malicious when they aren’t. When shopping for AV software, look for AV software that doesn’t have a high rate of false positives.

**Ransomware protection also makes this list.** Most ransomware works by encrypting files on a system and making them impossible to access unless a ransom fee is paid. Some also threaten to release harmful information about the victim unless the ransom is paid. Ransomware can be and has been devastating to individuals and businesses both in terms of finances and reputation, which is why ransomware protection should be a critical part of your security.

**Lastly, browsing protection makes this top-five list too.** Since we use web browsers all the time, they are popular avenues for attack. Phishing, for example, is a favorite technique of hackers where they use fraudulent emails to get consumers to visit malicious URLs and provide sensitive information. Browsing protection prevents you from visiting these malicious and dangerous URLs.

**The final word…**  
While there are plenty of other powerful antivirus features offered by AV software that are good to have and will certainly enhance your security, when you begin your search for a malware protection solution, start with the features listed above.

#Malware

Which antivirus is best for a Windows 10 laptop?

How do you know what antivirus to use?

What antivirus do I need?

Which antivirus is good?