{"id":9681,"date":"2017-08-02T14:09:51","date_gmt":"2017-08-02T21:09:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.hellotech.com\/?p=9681"},"modified":"2023-02-06T18:30:59","modified_gmt":"2023-02-07T02:30:59","slug":"two-antivirus-programs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hellotech.com\/blog\/two-antivirus-programs","title":{"rendered":"Two Isn\u2019t Always Better Than One: Why Your PC Shouldn’t Have Two Antivirus Programs"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Running two antivirus programs at\u00a0the same time is so bad, that it\u2019s the same as\u00a0having none at all. Cyber security is, without question, a growing concern. In 2016 alone, one in three Americans has been hacked. Even more shocking is a recent study that revealed that cyber attacks occur every 39 seconds<\/a>. In the face of such a massive online threat, you probably thought about installing two or more antivirus software on your computer. Having more shields mean better protection, right? As it turns out, the logic doesn\u2019t apply in the case of antivirus programs. Experts even call it a \u201cvery bad idea\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Risks from Using Multiple Antivirus Suites<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

We\u2019re all aware that antivirus programs constantly scan and monitor your PC for security threats. It\u2019s logical to think, therefore, that having more eyes on the lookout for malware would significantly improve your system\u2019s ability to neutralize incoming viruses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No, it doesn\u2019t. In fact, it does the exact opposite. Here are some of the consequences of having two antivirus programs in your system:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Running two antivirus programs will zap your battery<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Antivirus programs don\u2019t use up that much power individually as they normally just run in the background. Have two or more and they begin to eat into your laptop\u2019s battery life. The worse part? Both programs are performing completely redundant operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Run two antivirus programs and expect your system\u2019s effectiveness to be greatly diminished or completely wiped out. It doesn\u2019t bode well for your system either way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Running two antivirus programs will compete over viruses <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Antivirus programs, for the most part, refuse to see that they have a common enemy: malware. Even as antivirus “A” has successfully quarantined a suspicious file, antivirus “B” will try and move the infected file into its own vault.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As both programs engage in a needless game of hot potato, your system will repeatedly be notified of a detected threat even if the virus has been completely disarmed. No doubt, you\u2019ll find these bogus warning messages a total nuisance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They will wage a needless war against the other <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Again, third-party antivirus programs really don\u2019t play nice with each other. In fact, running two simultaneously often leads to one classifying the other as a virus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You see, some malware strains behave the same way as an antivirus would. They\u2019ll both monitor and send information about your system to a server. Unsurprisingly, an antivirus program will attempt to block and remove the other antivirus and this may likely cause file corruption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The biggest takeaway here? Never attempt to hoard antivirus suites in their PC because running two is absolutely counterproductive. Not only will they clash for no good reason, they\u2019ll make your system lag considerably.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Top Free Antivirus Programs in 2017<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Because more protection isn\u2019t better in the case of antivirus programs, you may have to put your faith in one cyber security suite. It\u2019ll take time before your research will yield a definitive answer, though.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is why we took the liberty of finding you the top antivirus picks as recommended by a few, trusted Internet security experts. Here are the top five that you can download for free (in no particular order):<\/p>\n\n\n\n

AVG AntiVirus Free (2017)<\/h3>\n\n\n
\n
\"(Image<\/span>
(Image credit: PCMag UK)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Getting a new look and adding a new technology to its software were nice touches, sure. More important than these is the fact that AVG AntiVirus Free<\/em> remains a consistent performer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It has done well enough to merit the thumbs-up from independent lab tests for another year, as a matter of fact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Avira Free Security Suite 2017<\/h3>\n\n\n
\n
\"(Image<\/span>
(Image credit: PCMag)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

It\u2019s straightforward and busy interface may intimidate first-time users. Its performance gets a massive hit on slow computers, too. Despite these, Avira Free Antivirus<\/em> still has an ace up its sleeve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As unassuming as Avira antivirus may look like, it\u2019s actually a capable defender. It offers solid protection for both zero-day and widespread malware. At the end of the day, a solid protection is all that matters to most users.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Avast Free Antivirus 2017<\/h3>\n\n\n
\n
\"(Image<\/span>
(Image credit: PCMag)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

It may be free, but it surprisingly offers an extensive collection of bonus features. That includes a password manager and a gaming mode. Not bad for a free cyber security, don\u2019t you think?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Overall, Avast Free Antivirus 2017<\/em> is a great, useful, free antivirus. It even scores well on AV-TEST\u2019s metrics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bitdefender Antivirus Free Edition (2017)<\/h3>\n\n\n
\n
\"(Image<\/span>
(Image credit: PC4U)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Looking for a set-it-and-forget-it kind of security solution? In that case, you\u2019ll like what Bitdefender Antivirus Free Edition<\/em> puts on the table.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not only does it offer an unparalleled malware detection rate, it has very low impact on your system\u2019s performance. That\u2019s largely a credit to its bare-bones design.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Panda Free Antivirus (2017)<\/h3>\n\n\n
\n
\"(Image<\/span>
(Image credit: Softonic)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

A small system performance impact, a fun and customizable user interface, a good malware detection performance\u2014what\u2019s not to love about Panda Free Antivirus<\/em>?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For one, it has high rates of false positives. It\u2019s been observed to flag even benign files as malware host. You won\u2019t like seeing all those ads peppered onto its interface, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Take your pick among these top cyber security suites and you\u2019ll undoubtedly arm your computer to the teeth against malware. Just don\u2019t get too greedy and pick only one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While you\u2019re downloading your preferred antivirus program, you might want to fortify your smartphone with a phone security app<\/a>. Feel free to safeguard your smarthome<\/a> from cyber attacks, too.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Running two antivirus programs at\u00a0the same time is so bad, that it\u2019s the same as\u00a0having none at all. Cyber security is, without question, a growing concern. In 2016 alone, one in three Americans has been hacked. Even more shocking is a recent study that revealed that cyber attacks occur every 39 seconds. In the face of such a massive online threat, you probably thought about installing two or more antivirus software on your computer. Having more shields mean better protection, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":9744,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[17593,17580],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9681","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-staying-safe","category-tips-and-tricks"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nTwo Isn\u2019t Always Better Than One: Why Your PC Shouldn't Have Two Antivirus Programs<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Running two antivirus programs at the same time is so bad, that it\u2019s the same as having none at all. 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