Antivirus articles

Antivirus bloatware may be killing your (not so old) Windows PC

Facepalm: Security software is supposed to be the good guy. But when it's outdated, bloated, or running in duplicate, it can cripple performance as effectively as the threats it's meant to stop. On a machine that's only a few years old, a bad slowdown might look like a hardware problem, but knowing your software can mean the difference between a system you can patch and one you abandon entirely.

The Windows kernel is about to receive a security-focused redesign after CrowdStrike crash

Why it matters: The kernel space is the core component of a computer operating system, where critical hardware management and device driver code reside in memory. If a kernel-level driver malfunctions, the entire OS can behave erratically – or simply crash and burn with a BSOD. Microsoft has stated that it is working on a significant change to the Windows architecture to help prevent another large-scale incident like the one involving CrowdStrike a year ago.

Microsoft oversells Windows 11's Smart App Control as a "top antivirus solution"

Android users will soon be able to pause Google's anti-malware service for sideloading

CrowdStrike part 2 crashes Microsoft Office on Windows 11 24H2

Kaspersky products have been removed from the Google Play Store

Kaspersky customers in the US complain about receiving unsolicited security software replacement

Apple's latest macOS update is causing headaches for security programs

Break different: Apple recently released the latest version of macOS, but things aren't going smoothly for Sequoia. The operating system is reportedly causing serious compatibility issues for security tool vendors, and it appears Cupertino was aware that the OS wasn't fully ready for prime time.

Microsoft blames EU agreement for CrowdStrike disaster, releases USB recovery tool

Biden administration bans Kaspersky software in the US over national security concerns

Avast Free Antivirus: Testing its features and learning about the six layers of protection

Avira update is causing Windows PCs to freeze up, no fix in sight

Examination of 18 antivirus programs shows Microsoft Defender has the highest system load

A clever trick turns antivirus software into unstoppable data wiping scourges

What just happened? Antivirus and anti-malware programs are supposed to be the most trusted type of software installed on a PC. Exploiting this well-known status quo, a security researcher created a data-wiping tool potentially capable of erasing all the data present on a system.

Open-source antivirus ClamAV finally goes 1.0, some 20 years after launch

Google reports on a company selling spyware for Chrome, Firefox, and Windows Defender

Microsoft Defender is lacking in offline detection capabilities, says AV-Comparatives

NortonLifeLock to acquire Avast for $8 billion

Norton 360 antivirus now lets users mine Ethereum cryptocurrency

Windows Defender is flagging CCleaner as a Potentially Unwanted Application

Avast's free antivirus solution tracks users online to mine data for companies like Microsoft, Pepsi, and Google

Windows Defender is still one of the best antivirus solutions, independent testing lab says

Windows Defender ranked one of the best antivirus solutions

Windows Defender changes name to Microsoft Defender, coming to the Mac

More than two thirds of all Android antivirus apps are ineffective and many don't even do anything at all