It’s 2020 and we now spend a good deal of our lives online, personally and professionally. Unless you’re tech-savvy, that’s a lot of time spent in an environment where your data and security can be easily compromised. If you walk into battle without your armor, you’re going to get hurt . There are innumerable reasons why you should install powerful antivirus software, but we’ll keep this short and give you five big ones:

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1. You buy things online

Have you ever been to Amazon.com before? What about Ebay, Fandango, or Steam? Punching in your credit card number should already raise a few red flags, and for good reason: While the sites themselves are pretty safe, if you get hit with malicious spyware, it will follow you anywhere you go – even a trusted site. Spyware collects information about your surfing habits or personal information (such as credit card numbers), and can pass it to third parties without you knowing. A foreign keylogger can even monitor your keystrokes . It’s not too hard to find a key pattern that matches a credit card number.

2. Hook, line, and sinker

Have you heard of phishing? A shrewd hacker can easily exploit the gullible, sending messages from what look like legitimate organizations – even PayPal or your personal bank. Start clicking with abandon and you’ll be redirected to a fake site, tricked into entering account information, and suddenly you’re a victim of identity theft .

3. Your password isn’t good enough

Passwords are the first line of defense when you’re making payments or opening your email or Facebook. Avast has detected over 29 billion stolen passwords taken from security breaches or other types of illicit online activity. A strong password manager can be safer, more reliable, and more convenient. Some antivirus software even comes with one automatically.

4. It’s not just your computer

Just because your front door is locked and barred doesn’t mean a determined hacker can’t find another way in. IoT devices are on the up and up, and each one presents a new entrance into your home network . Your PC is safe, but is your toaster? Your baby monitor? Unfortunately, we’re not joking. At over 8 billion, the number of IoT devices today has officially surpassed the world’s population; and it’s only expected to grow, reaching over 20 billion this year. Antivirus doesn’t solely apply to your computer, but to any device connected to your home network. Widen the shield.

5. It’s not just you

You can protect your PC. You can protect your phone. You can even protect every IoT device under your roof. That doesn’t mean everyone else in your family is safe, or that everyone else in your family is diligent. Just because you hesitate before hitting that big download button doesn’t mean your spouse will, and just because you can cruise through the darknet unscathed doesn’t mean your kids should. Just like when you’re driving a car, it’s not just your own safety that matters – it’s everyone else in the car with you.

Professional lightweight protection with Avast Free Antivirus

Avast has your back

Avast has some of the best antivirus software on the market, and the 2019 updates have only made it stronger still, offering enhanced webcam guards, improved anti-fingerprinting , and an email hack check to alert you if your email address has been compromised. With top of the line anti-phishing software, Avast Internet Security has a huge threat-detection network, machine-learning virus protection, easy password management and a fully fledged home network security to the people and devices under your roof protected – and it won’t even slow down your PC. Stay tuned with Softonic to check out more tips to keep your data private and download Avast now to receive the latest in essential threat-detection and real-time protection – with a touch so light you’ll forget it’s even there!