Windows 11 - do I need anti-virus?

[chubsta]

I have only used Macs for about 20 years now but it has always been a pain that sometimes you just need to use a windows-only program - I can usually do this via virtualisation but that is a pain too.
I have decided to sacrifice one of my Batocera emulation machines and installed Windows 11 - so do I ned to add an anti-virus (my experience of them years ago was never good, just resource hogs that got in the way) or has Microsoft got it pretty much under control these days? Its a legit Win 11 so no update worries etc, and the machine will only be used occasionally but as I will probably need to buy software there will be the odd financial transaction and of course it is connected to my home network (which is only Apple except for the android based TV.

 

[Fantazia2]

Comes with windows defender now built in to Windows 11 so mostly ok without 3rd party antivirus tools as long as its kept up to date.

 

[kingtreelo]

most 3rd party anti-virus software is a virus in itself these days, as mentioned, Windows defender will do everything you need

 

[chubsta]

Cheers, that was kind of what I figured but you can’t beat personal opinions…

 

[ZedEx48K]

I would upgrade the firewall though!

 

[Bods]

does windows defender ever find anything, never seemed to with me

 

[ZedEx48K]

does windows defender ever find anything, never seemed to with me

Yes, spesh if you used cracked games or Teknoparrot (though they are false positives )

 

[Chihiro]

It tried to flag U torrent as a trojan virus until I added it as a exception.

 

[kingtreelo]

a lot of the threats of today for home users are from stuff they download from sites deemed untrustworthy

everything else kind of gets covered by windows updates, the real exploits these days are from 3rd party companies not securing their software properly, of all the things i hate microsoft for, security isnt one of them now*

*cue them having a gaping exploit that will end the world in the next few days