Security Concerns About Anti-Virus Software
Anti-virus programs are a must for anyone who has a device that connects to the Internet. We place our trust in big name brands (assuming that bigger means better) with more reliable, adequate protection. Unfortunately, as seen in the news, this is not always the case, as many programs including some popular and well-known ones have been unable to keep technology safe.
Here are some security concerns to look out for:
1. Vulnerability. Larger companies are often under pressure to get the latest version of their antivirus on the shelves, leading to vulnerabilities in the programs that there hasn’t been time to fix or that haven’t been caught. Hackers are aware of these problems and so target newly launched protection looking for gaps to gain access with a lot of success. Basically, an antivirus is as only as good as the people who write and check it. If they miss something, you might be the one paying for it.
2. False alarms. A false positive or false alarm happens when antivirus software mistakes a nonmalicious file for a threat, causing serious problems. If your antivirus is configured to automatically delete threats when found, an essential file that can’t be replaced easily may be lost, and, if this file is in the operating system, your whole device could be unusable. Repair costs and business downtime can be crippling to businesses that assumed they were well protected.
3. Effectiveness. Effectiveness of anti-viral software is steadily decreasing thanks to the more sophisticated techniques used by cybercriminals. It’s becoming less apparent when a virus is in your system. Software that uses nonsignature based methods is more successful, but even that can struggle to find the new forms of virus. If your antivirus isn’t constantly updated, it becomes less effective and those over 2 years old are significantly less successful despite their updates. Not all antiviruses come with automatic updates leaving the system open to the user remembering to manually update, and not many people remember to do this consistently.
Anti-viral software creators will tell you that the latest model is the best and push the highest specification at you that naturally costs more. There are a lot of free software packages online. Some are from reputable companies and others don’t appear as safe; it’s up to you to decide what’s best for your business devices. Extensive research and comparison shopping before you commit is highly recommended.
If you use a cloud-based platform top grade antiviral software can be included in your package, and may work to your benefit as it has been proven cost effective. Check with your provider to see what will work for you.
4. Online scanning. Periodic scanning of your hardware and software is an effective part of online protection. Many anti-virus vendors provide free scanning capabilities on their website that cover the most commonly targeted areas and check to see if your antivirus software is still operating. One of the signs that your device has been compromised is having your anti-virus turned off; this is a basic tool of any virus and should raise a big red flag.
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