According to the second annual Antivirus Market Report 2026 from cybersecurity news portal Cybernews, built-in operating system tools have overtaken traditional third-party antivirus software as the primary line of defense for the majority of US internet users.
The study, based on a survey of 1 005 US adults conducted between 30 March and 10 April 2026, also shows a sharp drop in consumer enthusiasm for AI-powered security and a measurable rise in cybercrime.
Key findings from the study include:
* 53% of US PC users and 51% of mobile users rely on built-in OS security (such as Microsoft Defender or Apple’s native tools) as their primary protection, which is roughly 139-million and 134-million Americans, respectively
* Only 18% of mobile users invest in third-party antivirus, compared with 41% on computers; 14% of mobile users use no cybersecurity tools at all.
* Favourability toward AI-powered threat detection fell from 77% in 2025 to 47% in 2026.
* The share of US users who reported experiencing cybercrime grew by 14% year over year.
* Paid antivirus has overtaken free versions: 68% of PC and 66% of mobile antivirus users now hold a premium subscription.
* Data breaches were named the single greatest personal cybersecurity threat by 36% of respondents.
Smartphones are the most-used personal device as 85% of respondents use one outside of work, yet they receive the least investment in security. Beyond the 14% of mobile users who report no protection at all, another 16% are unsure what protection they have, leaving a substantial share of the US smartphone population effectively unguarded.
Compared with the 2025 report, third-party antivirus use on mobile devices fell by roughly 10 percentage points, while computer protection inched up by two.
Among users who do choose third-party antivirus, paid subscriptions are now clearly preferred: 68% of PC antivirus users and 66% of mobile antivirus users hold a premium plan, a notable jump from the 32% in 2025.
The data suggests that the segment still actively purchasing antivirus is increasingly willing to spend more for stronger protection, while everyone else is migrating to whatever ships with their device.
US users are no longer relying on antivirus software in isolation. VPNs are now used by 62% of PC and laptop users and 65% of mobile users, ahead of ad blockers and password managers.
Enthusiasm for AI-based security has collapsed in just twelve months. Favorability toward AI-powered threat detection dropped from 77% in 2025 to 47% in 2026, and 9% of users said AI features would actively make them less likely to use a given antivirus product.
The share of users reporting personal experience with cybercrime rose by 14% year over year. Among those affected, 74% said the experience directly influenced their decision to start or continue using antivirus protection, meaning that, for many US consumers, security upgrades still tend to follow a harmful experience instead of preventing it.
Forty percent of respondents had heard of antivirus-related controversies, including Kaspersky’s US ban over national security concerns and Avast’s case for selling user browsing data. Among those aware, 82% said the information influenced their trust or purchasing decisions. The effect was strongest among users aged 18–24.
Women are less likely than men to fall victim to cybercrime and tend to rely more on built-in tools and free antivirus software. Men are more likely to invest in paid third-party antivirus and additional security tools. Among non-users, men also showed higher levels of distrust toward antivirus software overall.
When asked to identify their greatest cybersecurity concern, 36% of respondents named data breaches at companies that store personal information, followed by phishing (31%), accidentally downloading malware (24%), and being specifically targeted by hackers (24%).
Notably, AI-related threats such as deepfake scams entered the top five, ranking ahead of the long-standing concern of unsafe public Wi-Fi.