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

Kyle Kucharski/ZDNET

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ZDNET's key takeaways

Microsoft Defender Antivirus is 99% effective at blocking threats.

Data suggests most infections are due to user behavior.

Businesses need specialized endpoint security software.

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.

Also: How to get free Windows 10 security patches until October 2027 - and avoid the $30 fee

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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