Protect Your Windows 10 PC for Free
/Some readers may be surprised to hear that Windows 10 comes with a preinstalled antivirus and firewall program. Windows Defender and Windows Firewall offer basic protection for your PC to help ward off malicious software. From the first time you turn on your computer Windows Defender is armed and scanning your system. Windows Defender automatically scans programs you open, downloads new definitions from Windows Update, and provides an interface you can use for in-depth scans. While Windows Defender may not be the best antivirus program in the market, it can be a viable option if you're looking into having a free antivirus program.
Windows Firewall does the exact same job of blocking incoming connections as a third-party firewall. Third-party firewalls like the one included with Norton may pop up more often, informing you that they’re working and asking for your input, but the Windows firewall is constantly doing its job in the background. It’s enabled by default and should still be enabled unless you’ve manually disabled it or installed a third-party firewall. You can find its interface under Windows Firewall in the Control Panel.