It seems that people use the terms “malware” and “antivirus” as if they are one and the same thing. Similarly, most people with a good antivirus option think they don’t need a firewall as well. There are so many security terms out there that it can be slightly overwhelming. However, there are a few points that you must understand in terms of keeping your online activity safe, particularly if you are looking for the best antivirus 2015.

What Is a PC Security Suite?

There are six things within a PC security suite, being:

1. A firewall
2. Antivirus software
3. A website malware or phishing detector
4. A standard malware detector
5. A cache cleaner
6. A software Uninstaller.

Best Free Antivirus Software

If you are looking for the best free antivirus software, there are five options to consider:

1. Avast
2. Microsoft Security Essentials
3. AVG
4. Panda
5. Avira

Each of these have their pros and cons.

Best Free Firewall

Next, you need a firewall, which is designed to protect your home network. One is installed as standard on Windows, but it is advisable to look elsewhere, too. Glasswire is a very good free option that is both a threat monitor and a network. If anything access the internet, you will get an alert. However, it is unlikely that the firewall will remain free forever.

Best Free Anti-Malware

Antivirus is not the same as anti-malware and you need both if you want to be truly secure online. MalwareBytes is a really good option if you’re looking for something free. However, you have to make sure that you update it manually every time you use it, or it will likely miss most of the malware that is out there.

Best Free Link Malware

It can be really difficult to use the internet without going to any infected sites. Luckily, there are some good free link malware programs out there that you could consider. These include:

1. Avast Online Security for Chrome
2. The Web of Trust

Both use a simple traffic light system to tell you whether or not a site is safe and secure.

Best Free Software Remover

Every once in a while, you need to remove old and unused software from your PC. You can do this with Windows, but you may not know what all the programs are and whether or not you use them. IObit is a good program that offers an Advanced Uninstaller. Do make sure you don’t accidentally delete registry files, although IObit is quite good at avoiding this.

Best Free Cache Cleaner

You need to have a Cache Cleaner, as it removes all the files that you don’t need, but that make your machine run really slowly. One great, free option is CCleaner, although you may want to invest the $20 for a lifetime license and get the pro version.

Defrag

Although not an essential part of PC security, you may also want to consider a defragger. This helps you to do a monthly defrag on your machine, which means your hard drive will always work properly. Defraggler is probably the best free program out there.