There are a lot of threats out in the online world and there are many ways to protect yourself while being online. In this post I go over anti-virus software and if you truly need to use it.

First - What is anti-virus?

Anti-virus software is software that is constantly running on your computer or mobile device that is actively searching for and identifying threats like viruses and malware, quarantining them, and deleting them.

Main Features:

These features are in most anti-virus software packages by default:

Scanning: Just run a quick scan or a custom one searching out specific things. You can also schedule periodic scans that run on a schedule.
Behavior based detection: Behavior based detection means that the software can find viruses and malware even if they are not in any existing anti-virus databases.
Protection when web browsing: When browsing websites to downloading files you’ll be protected.
Quarantine and removal: If the software detects a virus, it will be isolated and kept secure from the rest of your PC and then removed.

These main features are common across all free and paid anti-virus software suites and are the features you can expect if you’re trying out a new one. If you’re using an anti-virus suite and they don’t have at least what is listed above I would recommend finding a different one.

The Most Common:

The biggest thing when it comes to viruses I see as an IT Professional is browser toolbars. 99% of them are malware and they provide zero positive things. Most of the time they sneak their way onto your PC but being bundled with other software. So, when you download something you are actually looking for there was a little check box in the installer that you either didn’t see or ignored and that’s where the toolbar came from.

They’re intrusive and most of them hijack your browser to use certain search engines and overall track what you do. Get rid of them if you have them.

So, should you use an anti-virus?

Do you need it? No. Should you use it? Yes.

The biggest thing is peace of mind. If you’re someone who wants to be protected then anti-virus tools are perfect for you. Additionally if you are not as familiar with being online or are not confident then of course, use anti-virus.

Recommendations:

I have 2 recommendations for an anti-virus. One is free and has paid plans and the other is paid but more enterprise level.

Malwarebytes (Free):

Malwarebytes free version has standard features like scans, quarantine, removal and detection but as far as actually finding threats I’ve always had the most luck with it.

Also in my experience, Malwarebytes is a great tool to install, run, and uninstall if for example you have anti-virus software, just got infected with malware, and want to run another scan with a different software suite.

I’ve had limited use with Malwarebytes business side of anti-virus and have compared it to other choices and I ultimately recommend the next choice below for businesses:

Bitdefender (Paid):

I do recommend the paid Bitdefender with EDR, endpoint detection response. This is particularly best for businesses, the businesses I deal with all have Bitdefender EDR protecting them. Businesses are under higher threat of attacks or a virus crippling the business versus an individual.

Want to secure your business with strong protection? Contact us today.

Thanks for reading - M.

Anti-Virus - Do you need it?