Best Antivirus

AVG, formerly known as Grisoft, was founded in 1991 in the Czech Republic. The company provides computer security products, focusing on software development, threat prevention and detection, risk analysis, and research and development. AVG has received a number of independent IT certifications and awards from Virus Bulletin, ICSA, and West Coast Labs, among several others. 

McAfee is a big name in antivirus computer protection, and for good reasons. With over 5,000 employees, it is the world's largest company that is dedicated solely to security technology. The company was founded in 1987 after programmer John McAfee began working on software that would combat computer viruses.

Norton by Symantec antivirus and internet security products are developed by the Symantec Corporation, which was founded in 1982. In 1991, after acquiring Peter Norton Computing, the company launched Norton Antivirus as prevention for the hundreds of foreign virus strains and PC malware that were becoming more and more common. Symantec's antivirus products have further developed to include malware prevention and removal, anti-spam, anti-phishing, and PC tune-up tools, among other services offered. 

IObit is a leading utilities and security software provider. Founded in 2004, IObit has a host of products designed to facilitate optimal PC performance, function and security. IObit software has been downloaded more than 150 million times in 220 countries across the globe. The company’s product line includes the virus attacker Advanced SystemCare Ultimate, malware destroyer IObit Malware Fighter, hard drive defragmenter Smart Defrag, and Game Booster, which enhances one’s gaming experience. The company has won numerous awards. 

Qihoo 360 Total Security is a Chinese-based company which provides internet security, internet browsers and a mobile app store for their native users. They have been in business since 2005 and have quickly become a growing force in the United States market share for their anti-virus software. Following a business model long-employed in the United States, Qihoo offers free virus protection software. 

Panda Security was founded as Panda Software in 1990 in Spain. The company's first focus was on antivirus software but that has expanded to include a whole spectrum of computer security technologies, including advanced firewall, spam and spyware detection, and cybercrime prevention technology. Many consider Panda Security to be an innovative company, thanks to its development of the SaaS (Security as a Service) concept and cloud computing. Panda is best known for its unique cloud security system, which was introduced in 2007 and launched in 2009. 

Webroot is a U.S.-based software company that began in Boulder, CO and is now headquartered in Broomfield, CO. The company was founded in 1997 by entrepreneur Steven Thomas, who launched a trace removal agent he named the Webroot Window Washer. In 2002, the company released a spyware blocking and removal product, and in 2006 they added anti-virus technology to their product suite. Since that time, Webroot has developed their services to further include mobile security, firewall protection, and other internet security features. 

Max Secure was founded in 2002 by a husband and wife duo, Sanjay and Rachna Pradhan. The company, which continues to be led by its founders, is headquartered in Pune, India. The company offers a wide range of security products but the focus is on designing and developing security technology and performance optimization for Windows users. 

Bitdefender, launched in 2001, is headquartered in Romania with global marketing headquarters in Mountain View, CA. The antivirus was developed by the Romanian-based software company Softwin. Its predecessor product, AVX, was the first antivirus product to include a personal firewall. Now in its 17th version, Bitdefender antivirus technology has received several awards for its malware detection and removal capabilities. Within the past two years, it has been named “Best Antivirus” by PC Mag and “Product of the Year 2012” by AV-Comparative. It was also given AV-Test's “Best Repair” award in 2012. 

TrustPort is headquartered in Brno, Czech Republic, with sales offices located all around the world. They offer a variety of computer security products in 12 different languages. Though TrustPort was officially established in 2008, it was preceded by the AEC (Association for Electronics and Computers), a company that sold software and services related to data security before beginning to develop its own security software. TrustPort's products include home internet security, mobile security, flash drive security, electronic signing and encryption products, and office and business security products.