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Dave Miller – Tech Enthusiast & Security Expert – June 18th, 2022
Having antivirus on your computer is so important nowadays. The worldwide chip scarcity is already driving up the price of computers, and even after spending hundreds of dollars on your devices, experts still advise you to spend money on antivirus, which makes you question why antivirus is important for your computer.
Although the cost of producing hardware for goods is decreasing, the expense of securing them is increasing. It’s because the landscape of cybersecurity has shifted dramatically in the last two decades. Although our computers have seen significant improvements over the years, nothing is entirely safe regarding the internet; thus, you will need additional security.
Continue reading to learn more about why antivirus is so important nowadays and how you will get affected if you don’t have it.
Any operating system oversees all the hardware and software components on your computer, regardless of which one you have. It keeps your device up and running by doing all essential to advanced functions for you. All operating systems offer security features that primarily entail using control measures to safeguard your assets against unwanted alteration, malfunction, or theft. It is the first line of defense because if the operating system is not secure, the device, network, or system cannot be made secure. But the question is whether the computer’s operating system is responsible for protection and security.
OS security may get addressed in a variety of ways. Still, it is one of several layers that work together to provide the user with the most cyber freedom possible. On the other hand, OS security comprises a wide range of strategies and procedures for ensuring protection from threats and attacks.
Each operating system handles security differently, and most systems, especially the popular ones, include security features. But what if I told you that your computer OS already has all the layers of extra defenses. In that case, no third-party cyber security company will invest time and money in developing a security addon. And we would not be here discussing anything about why antivirus is important for your computer.
A computer virus is a harmful application or piece of code installed without the user’s knowledge of their computer. Highly experienced programmers develop viruses to infect computer systems and propagate their infection by causing harm and exploiting security loopholes. It can duplicate and wreaks havoc on the user’s data and programs. A carefully crafted virus may be destructive, interrupting production and causing billions of dollars in losses.
Because a virus is something, you won’t notice until you start seeing signs that your machine is infected. So, something as an addon on top of your OS security will get required. Installing antivirus software is the most effective technique to keep your computer virus-free. Such software aids in the removal of viruses from your computer. So, what precisely is antivirus?
An antivirus application is a group of apps or features that detects and removes all these dangerous and malicious programs from your device. Many infections aim to render a system’s host inoperable; however, this will not be the case if you have installed antivirus software.
The days of PCs getting protected from all hazards and risks are long gone. According to some estimates, there are around 2,200 cyberattacks every day nowadays. That works out to roughly one cyber attack every 39 seconds. So, you can’t only rely on OS security because the OS’s major capability is to run all the security protocols. Users usually establish these protocols, while it has some built-in protection. So, installing antivirus software is one approach to ensure the safety and protection of your PC.
The answer to why antivirus is important for your computer comes in the form of help for you to deal with malware threats even before they have a chance to harm your computer. Because if you don’t already have antivirus protection installed, the virus will try to gain access to your computer and prevent you from adding protection later. When you already have protection in place, however, most of these solutions allow you to check compromised files that might result in a severe security breach.
Additionally, antivirus software can notify you if your device or system gets used for nefarious purposes. It lets you know potential risks before they cause any damage. Mainly antivirus protects in two main ways.
Inbound network data get often monitored using a signature-based solution to detect patterns and trends that fit a certain attack signature. Signature-based detection compares a signature to an existing library of known viruses defined by manufacturers, constantly updated, and employs a known list of signs of compromise. Sometimes, signature-based solutions cannot identify malware and other unidentified threats.
A behavioral model focuses on code or application behavior rather than a specific virus signature. Antivirus software employs heuristics by running vulnerable programs or applications containing suspicious code in a runtime virtual environment, often known as a Sandbox. It prevents the susceptible code from spreading to the actual world. Detection based on behavior rules protects you against new and previously undiscovered attacks through machine learning techniques.
Antivirus software should use a defense-in-depth approach to security, combining the best of both techniques. Because When statistical data gets paired with anomalies threats and behavioral detection, the outcome is a formidable tool at your disposal.
It’s no secret that keeping your business virus-free may be a costly and demanding chore if you choose a complete security package. However, what if you prefer not to use an antivirus? Some of the outcomes are listed below.
Data loss is the first big concern for organizations of all kinds without antivirus protection in place. When you lose files, you lose time and money trying to restore or recover data critical to your organization. 70% of small businesses fail within a year following a significant data breach. As of 2020, the typical cost of data breaches is $3.86 million, and the average time to detect a breach is 207 days.
A single breach may significantly influence the public impression of you or your company regarding the harm that a cybersecurity event can do. A solid business reputation is crucial for potential customers since it suggests integrity and honesty. The best way to defend your reputation is to do so ahead of time and reduce the possibility of bad occurrences, which you can do by having security protection in place. Antivirus is only one element of what you need to do to safeguard your cyber reputation
Getting premium antivirus protection may not be affordable for everyone. Still, the consequences of being affected by a cyber attack are far worse. According to Cybersecurity Ventures, global cybercrime expenses get expected to rise 15% yearly over the next five years, hitting USD 10.5 trillion by 2025. If the virus succeeds in corrupting firm data, reassembling that data might be a costly task; in that scenario, paying a small fee for virus protection appears more practical.
We’ve looked at how not having an antivirus would affect you and your organization; now, let’s have a look at the benefits of having an antivirus.
Since now you know why antivirus is important for your computer. Here are the top three free antivirus programs available right now, and you won’t have to pay anything to get started.
Note: Instead of looking for free security, businesses could start with a trial of these packages and then purchase the service afterward.
Avast Antivirus is a collection of Avast’s cross-platform internet security programs. It offers light and simple security, backed by a community of over 435 million users and increasing. Avast’s free version will be vital for most users since it blocks viruses, spyware, and other dangers in real-time. It also scans for Wi-Fi security flaws to assist you in identifying security flaws in your network. Apart from your built-in OS security, you’ll get an extra layer of free ransomware protection to safeguard your data and files from becoming encrypted by criminals.
Avira Enterprises is a German multinational information security software firm well known for its Avira Free Security antivirus software. Avira protects users from billions of malware attacks yearly, and its antivirus software features powerful repair capabilities and virus scanning. With high malware detection rates, an extensive range of outstanding internet security features, and a user-friendly interface, Avira is unquestionably one of the finest antiviruses on the market today.
Kaspersky Internet Security is a Kaspersky Lab internet security package available for both Microsoft Windows and Mac OS. Free includes top-rated security technologies and automatically analyzes real-time data on new threats. It protects you from viruses, saves your passwords and personal information, and encrypts the data you send and receive over the internet via VPN. All these get included in the free antivirus protection. You will also receive free automatic updates, ensuring that your antivirus software is always current.
Acquiring third-party antivirus software is essential when specific operating systems offer built-in antivirus protection? As previously said, today’s operating systems are different from those used a few years ago. We’ve gone a long way with Microsoft’s Windows 11 and Apple’s release of macOS Monterey. Malware attacks on both operating systems are on the rise, despite both manufacturers’ top-level assurances. Neither platform is ideal in terms of security.
Fact: New ransomware variants have paved the way for a rise in sophisticated and profitable attacks directed against macOS computers, with Windows computers being the target of 83 % of all malware attacks.
Usually, the lack of an operating system isn’t what caused the infection in the first place. According to an IBM research, a human mistake is the primary cause of 95 % of cyber security breaches. In other words, if a human error could get removed entirely, 19 out of 20 computer breaches might get avoided! So, most of the time, the users’ poor cyber habits when connected to the internet cause problems.
So the takeaway from this point is that you still need antivirus software. Still, some gadgets require it more than others. Because of the closed ecosystem, the only operating system on which you do not need to install antivirus software is non-jailbroken iPhones. Antivirus software gets still required for all other operating systems, including Windows, macOS, and Android.
After reading this article, I hope you understand how an antivirus program works to protect you better. When these techniques of antivirus software get paired with other cyber hygiene practices, a computer user has a greater chance of remaining safe from hackers.
As a result of hundreds of data corruption, computer fraud incidents, and innovative techniques used by organizations to market and advertise more to clients, antivirus installation is now a requirement. If you are unwilling to pay for antivirus protection. In that case, I’ve provided you with some free alternatives to get you started. The dangers of not having an antivirus are more significant than you may believe, so it is an excellent time to get one today.
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Dave Miller is an IT Consultant for Online Cloud Security and has over 7 years of experience in the Information Technology space. He also specializes in repairing laptops & computers. In his spare time, he loves to talk about new technologies and hosts monthly IT and Cyber Security meetings in the Houston area.
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Online Cloud Security is here to recommend you the most secure devices, from laptops to smartphones, we only want to provide you with products that we have tested and used ourselves for online security. Every product that we recommend is heavily inspected and tested for security against hackers, viruses, malware, and any other intruders that may want to steal your information.
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