Reason Antivirus Review: 3 Reasons Why This is a Must-Have for Home and Business
No computer should be without antivirus or malware protection installed. Malicious software infection isn’t something to be treated lightly. According to a 2019 Ponemon Institute study, malware attacks cost an average of $2.6 million for every company.
This is an 11% increase from the numbers gathered in the previous year. Malicious software is not the only problem facing computers either. There are also threats posed by web-based attacks, phishing, social engineering, ransomware, and botnets.
All of these figures suggest there’s a lot to lose by not implementing security measures. The high price of getting malware infection is not only true for businesses. It also affects individuals who use computers. Stolen credit card details, private information and even identities create problems that are not easy to quantify but are doubtlessly disastrous.
Choosing a security software to use shouldn’t be a random decision, though. It’s urgent to have one the moment you boot up a new computer, but it shouldn’t be a hasty process. You need to examine your options carefully. Install only the best internet security suite which offers complete protection against all malware and cyber threats.
One of the emerging choices to consider is Reason Labs. It is an advanced cybersecurity system designed to cover virtually everything necessary to adequately secure computers. Learn more about it in this review that explores three compelling reasons to give Reason a try.
Reason Cybersecurity – Overview
Promoted as “the best protection for your digital privacy,” Reason is presented as a next-generation solution against powerful viruses and other malware. It is also praised for focusing on privacy protection.
It provides the usual real-time protection, on-demand scanning, and threat removal functions that come with most other malware defense tools. It also comes with dependable ransomware protection. It is designed to make it impossible for deceptive apps to be installed on computers.
Additionally, it comes with tracker prevention and browser protection functions. It lets users browse the web with peace of mind with powerful web threat detection and blocking tools. Moreover, this security software will prevent your computer’s video and audio recording capabilities from being used to spy on you.
Reason #1: Privacy
One of the highlights of Reason is its emphasis on privacy. It does not only thwart malware and other cyber-attacks effectively; it also helps maintain the security of private data. It prevents spyware and keyloggers from getting installed. Most malicious software makes its way onto computers with the unwitting aid or permission granted by the users themselves. What Reason does is to make sure that it properly detects and blocks potentially dangerous scripts from getting executed or links from being loaded.
Reason comes with a web browser add-on capable of identifying and cutting connections to harmful links and scripts. This add-on is installed during the installation process (if allowed by the user). It constitutes the “secure browsing” component of the software, ensuring that users only visit legitimate pages and click links that don’t pose any risk.
Moreover, Reason blocks unwanted access to your computer’s cameras and microphones. Privacy attacks are not just about personal data stolen through spyware, keyloggers, phishing, and social engineering. The built-in audio and video recording hardware and software components of most modern computers can also have vulnerabilities cybercriminals can exploit.
The cameras in laptops can be remotely turned on by hackers discreetly. Gaining this ability means cyber attackers can view and record whatever scene the camera sees. It could be you walking around naked right after an evening shower or doing something you don’t want the public to see. Similarly, the microphone can be activated through deceptive schemes or malware. All of these vulnerabilities are addressed by the Reason camera and microphone protection function.
Reason can be configured to display notifications whenever unknown apps try to use the camera or microphone. The software may also regulate all requests for access to the camera and microphone by all apps installed on a computer. These controls prevent unwanted video and audio recording, so you don’t end up seeing your private moments shared online without your permission.
Reason #2: Ransomware Prevention
For those unfamiliar with the term, ransomware is a type of malicious software designed to silently encrypt files in an infected computer. This encryption prevents access to these files, making them unusable. They can be decrypted or made usable again only by entering a password or code supplied by the ransomware creator.
It’s called ransomware because the party responsible for spreading the malware asks for some form of payment (the ransom) before they provide the decryption code or password. It’s a highly inconvenient attack that does not instantly result in damage, but still entails some cost on the part of the victim (either the loss of access to the affected files or the “ransom” paid to the attacker).
Ransomware are not as common as viruses, adware, and spyware. However, they are a serious threat of which every computer user should be mindful. According to Symantec, there were more than half a million ransomware attacks in 2018, around a fifth of which targeted individual computers, while the remaining percentage affected businesses. Ponemon Institute’s study approximates the average annual cost of ransomware for every company at $645,920.
Reason identifies and prevents ransomware in the same way it does with viruses, adware, spyware, and other malware. What makes it different from others, however, is that it has a regularly updated database of the most recent threats so it can detect threats before they become widespread. This is not something run-of-the-mill malware software can do, as it might not have the resources, expertise, and commitment to maintain an up-to-date database of threat signatures.
Reason #3: Set and Forget
Another important reason that makes Reason a must-have malware protection software is its ease of use. With its minimalist design and simplified interface, it’s virtually impossible to encounter difficulties using it. All the core functions also work automatically. You can just install it, configure the functions according to your preferences, and forget about it.
Reason silently works in the background with minimal RAM and CPU usage. It’s optimized so that it does not get in the way as you work on other tasks in your computer. It only presents notifications or alerts whenever there are threats caught or problems encountered. It may also cause spikes in CPU usage when processing threats for quarantine and removal.
It’s also a “set and forget” affair when it comes to updates. Reason automatically downloads updates to make sure you get updated protection all of the time. You don’t have to do anything to update the application.
Reason Essential and Reason Premium
Before you go get Reason, however, it’s important to get acquainted with its two versions: the free-to-download Reason Essential and the paid version called Reason Premium.
Reason Essential offers only the basic functions, namely the on-demand scanning, real-time protection, and threat removal. For most home users, these features are enough but to get the most of what Reason Security can offer, it is advisable to go premium.
Reason Premium is currently offered at a discounted price of $29.99 per year, half the regular price of $59.99. This is certainly a reasonable amount to pay for a reputable malware protection tool that is comparable to most of the leading security products you can find on the first results pages when you do a search for security software.
Reason Premium comes with an anti-ransomware function, web browser security, unwanted software blocking, activity tracking prevention, as well as camera and microphone protection.
Yes, you can use Reason Cybersecurity for free, but with limited features. The free version serves as the trialware that can be used for an unlimited period. However, you can only experience the advantages described in the three reasons explained above if you choose Reason Premium.
Conclusion
Reason only runs on the recent versions of Windows (from 7 to 10). It has no OSX and mobile versions. Still, it is an excellent security solution worth trying because of its emphasis on privacy, ransomware protection, and ease of use. Reason rivals the functions offered by the leading third-party antivirus and anti-malware tools, as it delivers a better performance in detecting threats while reconciling false positives compared to the built-in malware protection tools of the leading operating systems.