![7 ANTIVIRUS MYTHS THAT ARE DEAD WRONG](https://cdn.magzter.com/1409095068/1716309292/articles/c47q6TdLv1716984709641/7-ANTIVIRUS-MYTHS-THAT-ARE-DEAD-WRONG.jpg)
Antivirus software is an essential piece of protection on any Windows PC. On an internet where malware is only becoming more and more profitable for organized crime, you don’t want to be without a good antivirus program (fave. co/3CnDHuk).
But there are a lot of myths floating around out there about antivirus software. Let’s bust them.
MYTH: YOU NEED TO INSTALL ANTIVIRUS ON WINDOWS
You don’t have to install antivirus software on Windows because Windows already comes with antivirus software (fave.co/3x2jAFf). In fact, Windows has had built-in antivirus software since Windows 8, and it’s still included in Windows 10 and Windows 11 today. The built-in Microsoft Defender antivirus is part of the Windows Security suite of tools (fave.co/3tXSvPP). It’s as basic as it comes, but it’s completely free and runs automatically in the background, even if you never think about or install antivirus software.
Now, you may prefer another form of antivirus protection—some software has extra tools, protection features, and options, and different ones use different detection engines. But the good news is that every Windows PC has a baseline antivirus package. We’re long past the days of Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP nagging you to install antivirus software when you set up a new PC.
Microsoft’s antivirus gets out of the way when it needs to, disabling its automatic background scanning features if you choose to install a third-party antivirus. You just don’t have to think about it.
MYTH: ONLY WINDOWS IS VULNERABLE TO MALWARE
Denne historien er fra June 2024-utgaven av PCWorld.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra June 2024-utgaven av PCWorld.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
![Facebook wants to use your posts to train Al. Here's how to object](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/7443/1744810/AyX7o5sco1722016779057/FACEBOOK-WANTS-TO-USE-YOUR-POSTS-TO-TRAIN-AL-HERES-HOW-TO-OBJECT.jpg)
Facebook wants to use your posts to train Al. Here's how to object
Facebook is changing its privacy policy and plans to use posts and images to train its Al. To prevent this, you need to object.
![Windows 11's new AI feature could be a privacy nightmare](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/7443/1744810/mzF8RNAUw1722016536084/WINDOWS-11S-NEW-AI-FEATURE-COULD-BE-A-PRIVACY-NIGHTMARE.jpg)
Windows 11's new AI feature could be a privacy nightmare
Your PC will be watching your every move by default.
![The future of Windows: Copilot+ PCs unleash practical AI tools](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/7443/1744810/5PXcFaJoF1722016364742/THE-FUTURE-OF-WINDOWS-COPILOT-PCS-UNLEASH-PRACTICAL-AI-TOOLS.jpg)
The future of Windows: Copilot+ PCs unleash practical AI tools
Microsoft is aligning AI with its Copilot brand.
![If you get a phone call from LastPass, it's a scam](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/7443/1706649/cShjWVinE1716988151308/IF-YOU-GET-A-PHONE-CALL-FROM-LASTPASS-ITS-A-SCAM.jpg)
If you get a phone call from LastPass, it's a scam
A new breed of sophisticated phishing scammers are targetting LastPass users with phone calls and emails.
![Sick of ads in Windows? This ingenious program eradicates them all](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/7443/1706649/m7oHnwAj01716988042601/SICK-OF-ADS-IN-WINDOWS-THIS-INGENIOUS-PROGRAM-ERADICATES-THEM-ALL.jpg)
Sick of ads in Windows? This ingenious program eradicates them all
This clever free tool removes all the ads that Microsoft keeps stuffing into Windows 10 and 11.
![Controversial Windows 11 Start menu ads begin rolling out](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/7443/1706649/Z6t73kfSu1716987915738/CONTROVERSIAL-WINDOWS-11-START-MENU-ADS-BEGIN-ROLLING-OUT.jpg)
Controversial Windows 11 Start menu ads begin rolling out
Microsoft has pushed “Promoted” apps from the Store to the Windows 11 wide build just a few weeks after they started appearing to Insiders.
![Ring of bogus web shops steals 850K credit card numbers](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/7443/1706649/Vsbi6vCgF1716987765909/RING-OF-BOGUS-WEB-SHOPS-STEALS-850K-CREDIT-CARD-NUMBERS.jpg)
Ring of bogus web shops steals 850K credit card numbers
Fake online storefronts, which show up in great numbers in Google and other search engines, are becoming a big problem.
![This free, ancient Windows app will watch your laptop battery](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/7443/1706649/tlnnDC82X1716987639227/THIS-FREE-ANCIENT-WINDOWS-APP-WILL-WATCH-YOUR-LAPTOP-BATTERY.jpg)
This free, ancient Windows app will watch your laptop battery
BatteryInfoView gives you the laptop battery information you didn’t know you wanted.
![How to use your smartphone as a Windows 11 PC webcam](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/7443/1706649/2uMo1PMnX1716987436964/HOW-TO-USE-YOUR-SMARTPHONE-AS-A-WINDOWS-11-PC-WEBCAM.jpg)
How to use your smartphone as a Windows 11 PC webcam
Windows 11 now allows the wireless connection of Android smartphones for use as a webcam.
![How to digitize VHS tapes the cheap way](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/7443/1706649/XrCx6fgW01716987155138/HOW-TO-DIGITIZE-VHS-TAPES-THE-CHEAP-WAY.jpg)
How to digitize VHS tapes the cheap way
Preserve your old video tapes with an inexpensive capture card and free software.