Comparison of Paid Subscription vs Freeware Software on Antivirus Program

Abstract

In the realm of computer security there are various tools, programs, and software to prevent harmful attacks on the user computer. Antivirus software applications represent a common method to protect computer systems. With new types of malware being created by malicious users throughout each year user will need some type of formal protection on their PC. Upon looking at various antivirus software some are accessible for free for example Windows Defender for simple protection. Other software can be downloaded for free like Malwarebytes or trial-based software to determine if the user wants to purchase the subscription software. Upon looking at these options it would be informative to determine the most effective and efficient antivirus software for protecting a PC by either detecting or eliminating harmful virus programs. The overall approach to address this project involved the evaluation of several antivirus software applications which included Windows Defender, Malwarebytes, subscription-based McAfee, and trial based anti-virus software. A sample malware program installed on a computer system will be utilized to determine if the selected anti-virus and malware applications are able to detect or eliminate the sample malware file. Overall, aim of this project is to evaluate how well the security program helps protect the PC but also examines its efficiency, usability, and if required for personal use or for business use. When most people are looking into PC protection some people wonder if the purchase of a antivirus software is necessary in protecting their PC data and wonder if the free software is enough for protection.