Does Windows 10 need Kaspersky? Which is better: Windows Defender or Avast

Surely many users of the Microsoft system have a question: do they need Windows 7 Defender? In order to answer, it’s first worth considering what the built-in antivirus is responsible for and what functions it performs.

Windows Defender Features

The main task of Windows Defender is to search for and block programs that are harmful to the system and user files, spyware, viruses, and rootkits. Built-in antivirus software performs protection in real time. Windows 7 Defender can also clean the system of suspicious programs in one click.

The built-in program prevents system infection in two ways. In real time, it will help block a malicious application before it even starts. This method is very effective for neutralizing threats while surfing the Internet. The second method scans system and user files for threats. This check is performed automatically according to a specified schedule: when you turn on and off the computer, as well as at a certain time of day. Naturally, there is also the possibility of manually starting a scan of the system or individual folders and files.

Effective duet

Typically, in parallel with the work of the defender built into the system, a Windows firewall is used, which will help limit network access to unverified applications or programs specifically selected by the user. The firewall has three access protection profiles:

• public - will provide the maximum level of traffic filtering and will be appropriate in places with a free Wi-Fi connection (cafes, shopping centers, Metro stations);
• worker - has less stringent filtering of transmitted information, as it is designed to work in a more reliable network;
• the home profile has the lowest level of data filtering, because on the home network, as a rule, there are only a few computers that do not pose a network threat.

Using Windows Firewall and Windows Defender together will provide the maximum level of protection for your system and user data.

System updates

Of course, for the built-in protection to work correctly, you must remember to install the recommended Windows updates, which will provide the latest anti-virus databases and patches. The best option In terms of protection, there will be a setting for automatic system updates. But on weak computers, this can lead to very unpleasant delays during background installation of updates, and quite often you may need to restart the OS, which will not be at all convenient, for example, when you urgently need to check your email.

To prevent Windows from interrupting your work at the most important point, it is recommended to select scheduled installation of updates, which will allow you to carry out the process at a time convenient for you. It is also possible to configure manual update system, but the user will have to remember to check its availability from time to time.

Summing up

It's safe to say that the built-in antivirus will protect your computer from most threats if you follow the recommendations for its use. It will be a decent free solution to your virus problem and will provide safe work in the Internet.

It should be noted that Windows 7 Defender, which has very good reviews, cannot provide full protection without the above measures (firewall, updates). Many users are still inclined to paid protection systems, such as Nod 32, Kaspersky and others, but this is the solution is quite individual. Here, as they say, it comes down to taste... If desired, Windows 7 Defender can be turned off or on at any time.

How to enable defender?

If the user decided to opt for the protection built into the system from Microsoft, the question might very likely arise about how to enable Windows 7 Defender.

According to the standard, just now installed system Windows 7 Defender is already running and is guarding order. In the same case, if for some reason it was disabled, it is worth considering several options for activating it.

"Simple" option

The first option is the simplest, but, unfortunately, it is not always possible to use it due to the service being disabled or system notifications. To implement it, you just need to move the pointer to the flag with right side Quick Launch panel located at the bottom and select “Turn on virus protection (important).”

After this, the antivirus should start and open a window with information about the protection status of your PC.

Messages in the support center

If you are having trouble displaying the security message, you should first try turning on system messages. To do this, right-click on the checkbox on the bottom panel and select “Open Support Center”.

In the new window that opens, go to the “Action Center Settings” tab and check the “Virus protection” box.

After these steps, the required notification will appear in the Action Center.

Configuration via the System Configuration application

If there is no message and Windows 7 Defender still does not start, it means that the antivirus service itself is disabled. In order to activate it, you need to type msconfig.exe in the Windows search and select the found application. By clicking on it, you can open the system configuration window. Having selected the “services” tab in it, scroll down the list to the “Windows Defender Service” item and check the box.

Next, click on the “Apply” button below and restart your computer so that the changes can take effect. If you need to deactivate Windows 7 Defender, how to disable it through “System Configuration” is described in the corresponding section below.

Setting up using the Computer Management menu

You can also enable the Windows Defender 7 application service through “manage” (this option is recommended if for some reason the system configuration menu does not help). To do this, go to the control panel and select “Administration”, then click on the shortcut that says “Computer Management” and in the window that opens, find the list on the left. In it we select “services and applications”, then “services”, and before us the full list services

As in the previous option, look for the “Windows Defender Service” item, right-click on it (RMB) and select “properties”, where we click “run”, and also select the startup type “automatic”.

By applying the settings and restarting the computer, the service will be enabled. You can both disable and enable the Windows Defender 7 application through this item.

At correct execution After completing the steps described above, a corresponding notification will appear in the support center, as a result of which you can successfully enable the antivirus. It is worth mentioning that all the actions performed are also relevant for Windows 8.

How to disable Windows Defender 7?

If the decision is made to get rid of the Windows Defender 7 antivirus application, how to disable it becomes the main task of the user. In fact, to deactivate you need to do almost the same steps as to enable it. The option of disabling through the system configuration will differ from activation only by a check mark - instead of installing it, you will need to remove it. And in case of disabling through “control”, in the properties you need to select the startup type not “Automatic”, but “Disabled”.

If your computer contains Windows 7 Defender, the following instructions will tell you how to disable it. The recommended option to disable the built-in antivirus is to deactivate it through the defender settings menu itself. To do this, type “Defender” in Windows search and click on the result with the image stone wall on the icon. Go to the “Options” menu, then to the “Administration” tab and uncheck the box next to “Enable application”.

After applying the settings, the defender will be completely disabled. In order to get rid of the annoying message about protection in the notification center, in its settings you need to uncheck the “Virus protection” item. Windows Defender is now completely disabled. After this, of course, it is advisable to install an alternative antivirus.

Windows Defender has been known to users since the Vista and 7 operating systems. Then it had the name Security Essentials, and quickly gained fame as a completely useless antivirus that actively uses hardware resources. The new version - Defender, first appeared in Windows 8, after which it migrated to the new “top ten”. But users still tend to disable the standard defender. Why? And is it really worth doing this?

Windows Defender

The new optimized antivirus has significant differences from its predecessor. It no longer overloads the system because it uses a tiny bit of RAM. Anti-virus databases are updated much more frequently, thanks to which Defender is able to recognize most known viruses that seek to penetrate a personal computer. The defender can easily handle threats without installing third-party antivirus software on the system.

It is worth noting that its protection will be as reliable as possible if you comply with following rules security:

1. The operating system must be licensed.
2. Games and applications installed on your computer must be licensed and not pirated.
3. Competent surfing on the Internet, visiting only safe sites, without clicking on dubious links in the mailing list.
4. Refusal to use pirated software designed for tracking and hacking - keyloggers, cracks and other malicious utilities.

Pros of turning off Windows Defender

Despite the refinement and good quality of the standard defender, in some cases it still makes sense to disable it. Let’s not count distrust in the reputation of a standard antivirus as a reason for refusal, because it differs from its predecessor in better side. So, why is Defender disabled:

• Unlicensed assembly operating system . If a homemade repack assembly of the system is installed on the computer, the defender will definitely point out its illegal origin and will block the work of many pre-installed, often “crooked” pirated programs.
• Defender loads the CPU, slowing down performance. If the processor is weak, this can significantly slow down the speed of task completion.
• Inability to use the operating system during scanning. At this time, Defender loads the hard drive so much that opening and using other programs becomes impossible until the system scan is completed. The verification itself may take 1-2 hours.
• A standard antivirus uses about 5-8 MB RAM. If your computer only has 1-2 GB of RAM pre-installed, then even this small amount may appear in the task manager as 20% of memory resource usage.
• Availability of expensive licensed antivirus software. Defender is not able to compete with well-known brands of quality antivirus programs, such as Kaspersky lab. or Dr.Web. The anti-virus databases of such software not only contain much more information about existing viruses, but are also updated much more often.
• Using pirated software. Hacked games and programs are blocked by the standard defender and do not start until it is completely disabled.
• Problems with games after receiving updates. Gamers have repeatedly noted that after the next update, even licensed games can start to crash.
• Problems even with safe applications. Sometimes a standard antivirus panics for no good reason, preventing harmless applications from third-party developers from working correctly.
• Low level of protection when actively using the computer. If the user is not afraid of threats, visits any sites while surfing the Internet, downloads many games and programs from torrents, actively uses external hard drives and USB flash cards, then Defender will not be able to provide the necessary protection for the system and data.

Cons of disabling Defender

Standard protection should not always be neglected. In some cases, disabling may take quite a long time, and there will be little benefit from this action. Why you shouldn't disable the defender:

• Starting from the tens update to version 1067, the standard defender starts automatically when the system boots. At the same time, the manufacturer Microsoft has removed the ability to disable it. The user can only remove the visibility of the program startup in the Task Manager and remove the application icon from the tray. At the same time, the antivirus will continue to function safely. To completely stop the defender, you need to change entries in the operating system registry. Incorrectly changing registry entries can disable the entire system, lead to numerous failures and the need for further reinstallation.
• Leaving the system unprotected. You can't just remove a defender based on its bad reputation. Be sure to download at least free versions of other antivirus programs, for example, Avira or Avast Free.
• Minimal increase in performance of computers with good hardware. In such cases, the improvement in performance will be absolutely unnoticeable, but a threat will appear in the form of viruses and problems with file infection.
• Spent time. You don't have to spend a lot of time trying to remove a defender that is deeply integrated into your system. It is automatically disabled when you install any other antivirus program.
• Risk of infection. When removing a standard antivirus, third-party programs are often used. Some of them pursue insidious goals - under the guise of removing software, they infect the system with viruses.

In most cases, Windows Defender will be superfluous only for fans of unlicensed software. It will bring more benefit and protection to other users than harm. If you still decide to get rid of Defender, the easiest way to do this is by downloading third-party antivirus software. The work of the standard defender will be stopped

does not pester users with the requirement to install an antivirus, as Windows 7 did. Since Windows 8, the operating system has included a built-in antivirus -. But is this really the best - or even suitable - solution for protecting your computer?

Windows Defender is essentially newest version, Microsoft's free antivirus first written for . Now it is built directly into the operating system, which guarantees all computers under Windows control 10 basic level of anti-virus protection.

Is Windows Defender Good Enough?

Antivirus is enabled by default. Windows Defender automatically scans all programs that run, downloads database updates through Windows Update, and has an interface for deep system scans.

But how good is this antivirus? We have to admit: Microsoft's development is a little behind its competitors in comparative tests of antivirus software. We've expressed concern about this before, especially since we've really liked Microsoft's antivirus in the past.

Windows Defender has many benefits. It's built-in, doesn't bother you with pop-ups, doesn't cost you money, and uses fewer system resources than some competing antiviruses. It doesn't try to collect data from a user's web surfing and profit from it, as some free antivirus programs now do.

Overall, Windows Defender provides decent protection. As long as you update Windows regularly (which now happens automatically), use a modern browser, and avoid potentially dangerous plugins like Java, you should be fine. Combined with standard security practices that you should follow anyway, Windows Defender does its job well.

Despite the low score that Windows Defender received in the June 2015 test (just “0.5/6” for protection), the program was able to recognize 95% of “widespread and dominant threats”, as well as 85% of zero-day attacks. recognized 100% of test samples in both directions, and 100% of common viruses and 99% of zero-day attacks. So despite the difference in scores, Windows Defender still does a pretty good job. In the past, Microsoft representatives noted that the program focuses on really common threats, while the tests are unrepresentative, and antiviruses from other manufacturers are optimized specifically for passing the tests. However, now Microsoft representatives no longer comment on the test results.

Windows 10 has other protections carried over from Windows 8, in particular, which prevents malware from downloading and running, regardless of which antivirus is used. And Chrome and Firefox also have Google Safe Browsing, which blocks the download of many malware.

For most users, Windows Defender will be sufficient - with common sense and good habits in terms of security. But if you regularly download pirated software and engage in other risky activities, it is better to abandon Windows Defender in favor of some other program that is more effective at handling antivirus test samples.

Use MalwareBytes Anti-Exploit

We also recommend using exploit protection software to protect your browser and plugins that are most often attacked. We recommend free program. It works pretty much the same way as own utility Microsoft EMET, but more convenient and has more security features. With its help, you can block the most common exploits, even previously unknown zero-day attacks. For example, MalwareBytes Anti-Exploit would have been able to block all zero-day Flash attacks reported in Lately. The program strengthens the security of the browser, plugins, and other favorite attack surfaces by protecting against the most common types of attacks, rather than protecting against all known malware samples.

Materials

Although Microsoft claims that Windows 10 is a very secure OS that does not require additional protection, because it already has an antivirus built into it. But we share the skepticism of users, and decided to look into the question of whether an antivirus is needed on Windows 10.

Built-in Windows 10 antivirus

It is logical to assume that if Microsoft has built an antivirus into Windows 10, then we, the users, no longer need to worry about this issue. But is Windows 10's built-in antivirus really that good? Microsoft invites us to rely on .

This is a good utility that hardly loads the system, but we cannot call it an antivirus in the full sense of the word. The company also offers another official product, but it cannot fully protect your device. This has been shown by various independent tests.

Do I need to install antivirus on Windows 10

The opinion that there is no need to install is wrong. And it appeared as a result of an advertising campaign that Windows 10 is as secure as possible out of the box. This was true, but at the time of the OS release, the viruses that exist today did not exist and a standard antivirus could not cope with them. Its main disadvantage is that the virus databases are updated extremely slowly. And the risk that you will pick up some “new thing” in the world of viruses is much greater than if you install some additional antivirus, for example.

So the answer is clear - yes, you need to install an antivirus on Windows 10. Even in a situation where you do not use the Internet. There are other ways to become infected. Which antivirus you choose is not so important - the main thing is that it is constantly updated. For example, like or .

Additional antivirus for Windows 10 – reviews

For those who doubt whether to install an additional antivirus, we recommend reading reviews from other users. Of course, a number of users will have the opinion that everything is fine, but this only confirms the fact that they have not yet encountered real threats to the security of their device. Our review is clear - yes, a second antivirus (different from the standard one) is definitely needed. And what it will be is up to you to decide. You can choose, for example, .

Which antivirus to choose

We have already shared with you. We recommend choosing something from that list. If you have an old device, then choose an antivirus from the list. For those users who are well versed in computers, we can recommend setting up, or even better, and downloading

Windows Defender is a built-in protection system that was introduced in latest versions operating system from Microsoft. And many users decided that since it was released by such a famous developer, it could well protect the computer no worse than the currently popular antiviruses. In reality the situation is somewhat different. We will demonstrate this to you by comparing which is better: DefenderWindows10 orAvast.

Previously, we pitted Avast head-on with another popular antivirus - . Then it was not possible to determine which of them to give preference to. But when compared with Windows Defender, the situation is not so vague. And now you will understand why this is so.

Built-in Defender only performs basic functions to maintain the security of user data. Moreover, he does not always perform them efficiently. Most likely, you have encountered the following situations:

• Automatic removal of files downloaded from the Internet that were clearly not malicious.
• Inability to run or install any program.
• And other scenarios.

So, this happened due to incorrect prioritization in Win Defender. Avast functions much better in this regard, and “false positives” occur much less frequently. In addition, it provides advanced protection mechanisms, for example, virus quarantine (from there you can restore any automatically erased files), checking Internet resources for authenticity, and much more.

conclusions

Window Defender is currently suitable exclusively for basic system protection, and it is far from perfect. To increase the security of your personal data and make using your computer or laptop more comfortable, you should keep the latest version of Avast.