Malicious malware and viruses are as widespread as ever, which is why having antivirus software is as critical as it has always been. However, the “threat landscape,” as security professionals refer to it, is evolving. As a result, your strategy to safeguarding your identity and data must change. Antivirus software alone may not be sufficient.
Now we will look at what’s happened in the last few decades as we have transitioned from a PC-centric world of desktop computers to one in which you are likely to have numerous internet-connected gadgets around your house. That heightened degree of connection may make life more comfortable in many ways, but it also raises your susceptibility unless you take precautions to reduce risk.
How efficient are antivirus programs?
There are no totally effective techniques for protecting consumers from all online ‘malware‘ dangers. Cybercrime is a profitable and ever-changing business. To stay ahead of the game, antivirus businesses must continually update their signature databases and develop new detection algorithms to detect new threats as they appear.
An antivirus program alone will not safeguard your PC. You must adopt safe routines and never let your guard down when it comes to social engineering assaults such as phishing emails and vishing phone calls. In summary, antivirus software cannot defend you against deception tactics employed in social engineering attacks.
Why antivirus is not enough for 100% protection
Here are three key reasons why Internet users should consider alternatives to anti-virus software as part of their security strategy:
There Are Far Too Many Viruses to Fight
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Traditional anti-virus software (now more commonly referred to as anti-malware software) is frequently extremely efficient against known infections but less dependable against newly released viruses. In order to design anti-virus software to identify and stop a newly found assault, anti-virus engineers must first understand how a virus operates. Before anti-virus manufacturers can properly modify their software to guard against a newly emergent danger, new viruses generally attack at least a few businesses.
Hackers are aware that viruses have a finite lifespan before being detected by anti-virus software, thus they are continuously creating and releasing new infections. Anti-virus manufacturers have sought to stay up with virus development throughout the years, but the growth of malware in recent years has made this an increasingly challenging effort. According to McAfee, new malware is launched at a pace of approximately one infection every second, and anti-virus providers aren’t always able to keep up.
The stakes are higher than ever before
Because the change of how we use the Internet has been gradual, many users may be unaware that the repercussions of a security breach have become considerably more severe over time. Most of us encountered the worst danger from a severe virus infection ten years ago: data loss and a momentarily crippled machine. Attackers can now compromise not only a person’s personal data, but also their public identity, capacity to conduct financial transactions, and client connections.
Business owners have more to lose than ever before from a compromised account or a virus-infected machine since we handle so much more of our personal and professional life online than we did just a few years ago. When confronted with the threats of 2021, sticking to the security playbook from 2005 makes no sense.
Take the time to assess your information security risk exposure to help identify and prioritize your top threats.
Many new cyber-attacks do not even need your computer
Even if anti-virus companies could identify and stop every new virus aimed at your home computer, users would remain exposed to the rising number of assaults aimed at social media accounts, cloud services, and mobile devices. These assaults frequently go beyond just putting a virus on your computer and include the hijacking of your social media profile in order to distribute spam advertising or connections to harmful websites..
Because these sorts of assaults are frequently carried out fully in your web browser rather than by viruses installed on your computer, anti-virus software can do nothing to safeguard your account from being hacked
Cloud computing services and cloud-based accounts raise comparable problems. As more businesses adopt cloud computing as a key business tool, hackers view cloud computing accounts as another route for stealing valuable data. The data saved in the cloud is not protected by your anti-virus software, and businesses must rely on cloud service providers to provide adequate safeguards.
Conclusion
While anti-virus software is unquestionably necessary, acknowledging that it is no longer a panacea against growing online dangers is a smart first step.
Indeed, a healthy dosage of paranoia among Internet users may give greater protection than many pricey security technologies, and it is an excellent place to start for small offices with limited resources. We believe that a layered defense, with smart users at the helm practicing good password hygiene, smart Internet usage, and paying attention is a great start to security. There is no “one-size-fits-all” security policy that will work for every small business, but any business that uses an “anti-virus-only approach” is almost certainly exposing itself to more risk than we recommend.