The most visible antivirus apps in Italy, October 2026

October 2026 · 15 questions asked from Italy in Italian and English · ChatGPT, Google AI Overviews, Gemini and Google AI Mode · 60 answers read

AI: how the engines answer the board's questions; Search: Google's top 10 for the questions' demand keywords; All: both combined. How the Heralded Score works.

Most cited source

microsoft.com

35citations

From Google AI Mode, Google AI Overviews and ChatGPT

Where engines disagree most

Malwarebytes

1/4engines put it in their top three

Top three on Google AI Mode, not on Gemini, Google AI Overviews and ChatGPT

Brands

Rank Brand Rank change Heralded Score Score trend Mentioned Recommended By engine Mentioned by Change
11 Surfshark NL New entry 5 , range 1–44
5
  • : score 5 · #11
5% 0% None First reading
– Acronis SG Unranked Too few answers
–
  • : Unranked
0% 0% None First reading
– Adaware SE Unranked Too few answers
–
  • : Unranked
0% 0% None First reading
– Aura US Unranked Too few answers
–
  • : Unranked
0% 0% None First reading
– Emsisoft NZ Unranked Too few answers
–
  • : Unranked
0% 0% None First reading
– F-Secure FI Unranked Too few answers
–
  • : Unranked
0% 0% None First reading
– G DATA DE Unranked Too few answers
–
  • : Unranked
2% 0% None First reading
– Intego FR Unranked Too few answers
–
  • : Unranked
1% 0% None First reading
– Lookout US Unranked Too few answers
–
  • : Unranked
0% 0% None First reading
– MacKeeper UA Unranked Too few answers
–
  • : Unranked
1% 0% None First reading

“=” marks brands whose score ranges overlap, so the test cannot separate them. Every brand named in at least three answers is ranked. By engine has one dot per engine (ChatGPT, Google AI Overviews, Gemini and Google AI Mode), darker the more often it names the brand.

This month's moves

First reading. No comparable previous month yet.

Biggest risers

No clear rise.

Biggest fallers

No clear fall.

Drop-outs

No drop-outs.

Most cited sources

Rank Source Type Cited in Engines Pages cited Brands its pages mention
1 microsoft.com Brand site 25.0% 3 of 4 27 3
2 google.com Vendor site 20.0% 4 of 4 15 0
3Withheld. Run a full Snapshot to see it.
4 apple.com Vendor site 15.0% 3 of 4 15 0
5Withheld. Run a full Snapshot to see it.
6Withheld. Run a full Snapshot to see it.
7Withheld. Run a full Snapshot to see it.
8Withheld. Run a full Snapshot to see it.
9 reddit.com Community 10.0% 3 of 4 7 Not read
10Withheld. Run a full Snapshot to see it.

The questions, and who wins each

QuestionLanguageWins it
Do I need antivirus protection if I only download apps from official stores? English Microsoft Defender
What can I use instead of relying on built-in security to protect my laptop? English Kaspersky and Malwarebytes, tied
How can I replace separate security apps with one app for all my devices? English Bitdefender
I work remotely and need to protect my laptop when using public Wi-Fi. English No brand recommended
My children use shared devices, and I need to block unsafe downloads. English No brand recommended

Each engine's top three

Method

For the AI side, each month Heralded asks every engine the same buyer questions, twice each, and reads every answer. An answer counts 0 for a brand it leaves out, 50 for a brand it names and 100 for a brand it recommends, and the Heralded Score is built from those. A brand named in at least three answers gets a score and a place.

How the leaderboards are measured