Sponsored Review¦ 18 months ago, I tried out the free version of Bitdefender Antivirus and looked at the pros and cons. Sometimes you just feel like you want a little more protection and functionality from your antivirus though, especially when you spend as much time online as I do! It’s incredibly important to protect your digital identity and keep your data safe. I’m also wary of threats such as spyware online and need an antivirus that takes keeps a close eye on what is happening in the digital world and protects its users accordingly. These are just two good reasons for me to give Bitdefender Premium a try. So let’s go!
Protecting your device
I feel that your device is in good hands when it’s being protected by Bitdefender’s security and privacy pack. In comparison to 3 other popular antiviruses (Kaspersky, Norton and McAfee) over a 12 year period from 2011 to 2023, it offered the best protection against infections.
It covers all the bases any good any good antivirus software should; from protecting against threats such as viruses, ransomware and spyware in real-time, to safeguarding your files with multiple layers, to keeping you away from harmful websites and protecting you against fraud and phishing.
One part I am particularly impressed by is the vulnerability assessment tool. This allows you to run a scan on your device that looks for security holes and vulnerabilities, including:
- Outdated/vulnerable software
- Missing Windows security patches
- Potentially unsafe system settings
It then offers you advice on what the problem is and the best way to fix it, along with a button to click to do so.
Performance
It’s so annoying when your computer runs slow, but I haven’t noticed a difference while using Bitdefender despite all the work it’s doing in the background. Not only is it designed to not slow you down, it has tools to speed up your computer with its OneClick Optimizer.
Premium also gives you different modes for play, work and movies so you don’t get interrupted with unnecessary requests! There’s nothing more annoying than being sucked out of your game at a pivotal moment for an update, after all.
Privacy and Identity
For me, the best thing about Bitdefender Premium Security is all the extra protection for your online privacy and personal information.
Bitdefender Premium VPN encrypts all internet traffic, your bank information, passwords and downloads to protect your online presence. Better yet, it extends to other devices (Windows, Android, macOS and iOS!)
You can block trackers, pay in confidence online with a dedicated browser, manage your passwords and easily make sure nobody is accessing your webcam or microphone without your permission. Do you see people getting hacked on Facebook? I think we’ve all seen dodgy links and if we haven’t been taken in by themselves, we’ve seen other people click on them. Well, Bitdefender Premium protects against that too. If you process sensitive information on your computer, such as your bank details or address, Bitdefender Premium also has a file shredder to delete these documents, leaving no trace!
You can also monitor your personal data, checking your online identity status whenever you want. It tells you where you’re putting yourself at risk, monitoring and alerting you if there are leaks online and telling you how to remedy it.
Thoughts on the Android version
Bitdefender is such a great all rounder with so many features. I trust my safety online so much more with this installed on my laptop. I’ve also been trying out their antivirus for Android. The scan was very thorough, but very quick. My phone is full to burst, so it would probably be even quicker on most people’s devices!
While there are obviously less features on a phone than on a computer, it still offers a lot of the same features including digital identity protection. This includes a scan to see if any of your email addresses have had a security breach, which is again very fast. Fortunately, I’ve changed my password each time there has been a breach on the problematic one. Therefore, I’ve been able to update it to clear the breaches but will be notified if there’s another.
It also has parental control (which I didn’t previously mention about the Windows version). As my 6 year old daughter likes to borrow my phone, this helps me to keep her safe online which is so important.
One of the best parts of it is the app anomaly detection, which is an industry first. There are a lot of dodgy apps out there. However, Bitdefender safeguard you against having your financial, sensitive and personal data stolen by protecting you as soon as an app begins to exhibit malicious behaviour.
Final thoughts
Prevention is always better than fixing a problem when it comes along. This is exactly what Bitdefender do. They seem to be so forward-thinking and efficient in what they do that I trust them to offer my devices the best protection I could get when I’m online. There are also so many helpful features that are easy to use to give you the most protection and get the best from your devices. In terms of the protection, functionality and usability you get, I would definitely recommend using Bitdefender.