Consumer guidance: Microsoft Defender scores top marks in AV-Test, questioning need for paid Windows antivirus in 2026
A Brazilian consumer-tech article argues that most Windows 11 users no longer need a paid antivirus, because Microsoft Defender reached the maximum score in the July-August 2026 AV-Test evaluation. It reportedly detected 100% of real-world attacks and widespread malware, against industry averages of 99.9% and 100%. The article notes that paid suites such as Norton 360 Deluxe and Malwarebytes mainly differentiate through extras: VPN, password manager, scam protection, parental controls and cloud backup. It also says independent tests do not guarantee detection of every threat on every machine. This is product and advisory content with no incident, vulnerability or threat actor described.
Technical Details
- Defender scored 0.5 out of 6 in AV-Test in May-June 2015 and reached the maximum score in July-August 2026.
- Microsoft Edge SmartScreen checks suspicious sites and warns about potentially dangerous downloads.
- The free version of Malwarebytes can be used for complementary on-demand scans.
- Installing a third-party antivirus with real-time protection generally disables Defender to avoid conflicts.
- Performance impact cited from the original publication: a full Malwarebytes Premium scan reduced Cyberpunk 2077 from 87 to 75 FPS, and Bitdefender from 100 to 97 FPS.
Remediation
- Keep Defender and Windows Security updated and enabled.
- Buy a paid suite only if its extra features (scam protection, VPN, password manager, parental controls, backup) address a concrete need.
- Use the free Malwarebytes scanner as a second opinion when needed.
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Consumer guidance: Microsoft Defender scores top marks in AV-Test, questioning need for paid Windows antivirus in 2026
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A Brazilian consumer-tech article argues that most Windows 11 users no longer need a paid antivirus, because Microsoft Defender reached the maximum score in the July-August 2026 AV-Test evaluation. It reportedly detected 100% of real-world attacks and widespread malware, against industry averages of 99.9% and 100%. The article notes that paid suites such as Norton 360 Deluxe and Malwarebytes mainly differentiate through extras: VPN, password manager, scam protection, parental controls and cloud backup. It also says independent tests do not guarantee detection of every threat on every machine. This is product and advisory content with no incident, vulnerability or threat actor described.
Technical Details
- Defender scored 0.5 out of 6 in AV-Test in May-June 2015 and reached the maximum score in July-August 2026.
- Microsoft Edge SmartScreen checks suspicious sites and warns about potentially dangerous downloads.
- The free version of Malwarebytes can be used for complementary on-demand scans.
- Installing a third-party antivirus with real-time protection generally disables Defender to avoid conflicts.
- Performance impact cited from the original publication: a full Malwarebytes Premium scan reduced Cyberpunk 2077 from 87 to 75 FPS, and Bitdefender from 100 to 97 FPS.
Remediation
- Keep Defender and Windows Security updated and enabled.
- Buy a paid suite only if its extra features (scam protection, VPN, password manager, parental controls, backup) address a concrete need.
- Use the free Malwarebytes scanner as a second opinion when needed.