Use anti-virus software

Resident

Criminals use viruses and malicious software (malware) to carry out attacks. Malware infects computers, laptops, tablets and phones. Once there, it can steal your passwords or information that could be used to defraud you.

Antivirus products work by detecting and removing malware from your computer or laptop.

Which antivirus products should you use?

Built-in antivirus

Antivirus software is often included for free within the operating systems that run Windows and Apple computers. Make sure this built-in antivirus is switched on and you’ll instantly be safer.

Separate antivirus products

You can also buy separate antivirus products, or use free versions. With these products it’s worth noting:

How to use your antivirus product

Whichever antivirus product you choose:

What about antivirus products for phones and tablets?

You don’t need antivirus products on your phone or tablet – as long as you only install apps and software from official stores such as Google Play and the Apple App Store. These stores carry out checks that help ensure that apps are free of known malware and haven’t been tampered with. You should also set your apps (and the tablet or phone itself) to update automatically.