Solved Do you still need third-party antivirus on your Windows PC?

Last April, someone at Microsoft published a document on the Windows Learning Center that made a thoroughly uncontroversial claim: "For many Windows 11 users, Microsoft Defender Antivirus covers everyday risk without requiring additional software. The choice to add third‑party antivirus depends on how you use your PC and which features you value."

The article drove a flurry of coverage from tech blogs, but the hullabaloo died down in a few days.

And then, a month or so later, the article disappeared in a puff of virtual smoke. It vanished without a trace, a note, or an explanation, with the former link redirecting to the Windows Learning Center home page.

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It surprises me how many members appear to say MS Security / Defender is all you need and than say they also use something like Malwarebytes.

Windows Defender gets excellent annual ratings from AV Test and other reliable independent sources. Having said that, I use Bitdefender.

allan said:

Windows Defender gets excellent annual ratings from AV Test and other reliable independent sources. Having said that, I use Bitdefender.

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Please explain why!

Defender does fine with detection, but it is one of the easiest to evade and disable

neemobeer said:

Defender ... is one of the easiest to evade and disable

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Why do you say that?


Denis

kelper said:

Please explain why!

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Mostly, over the years, I've used Windows Defender, free and never caused me any issues. But, I have dabbled with subscriptions to Bitdefender too over the years. This year, I decided to buy a 3 device Bitdefender Total Security antivirus from Amazon, cost me around GBP16 (for our American cousins, around 21 bucks).

I actually think I like Bitdefender more. It does have more features. Interestingly too, when I've run GRC | ShieldsUP! — Internet Vulnerability Profiling just using Windows Defender, it shows a couple of open ports on my PC. When Windows Defender is disabled and I use Bitdefender, all of the ports are shown as in 'Stealth' mode, so I assume this is because Bitdefenders Firewall rules are more robust? I genuinely have no idea, but certainly, ShieldsUp! gives me a clean bill of health on every single test.

As it stands, I think from now on, I'll stick with Bitdefender.

kelper said:

Please explain why!

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As has been said above, it is more robust and has more features. But more important to me, for something as critical as anti-virus detection and avoidance I prefer a 3rd party app that is designed from the ground up exclusively to address those tasks. Combine that with the fact Bitdefender is perenially rated at the top by virtually every respected independent testing agency, and for me it's a no-brainer.

I am not in any way disparaging Microsoft Defender. In fact, I have a couple of laptops on which I use it. But for my primary desktops and laptops I prefer a dedicated app.