If you’re wondering whether your business needs antivirus, the short answer is yes. Antivirus protection is essential for any business which uses devices connected to the internet. Without antivirus protection, your business is exposed to potential online threats, such as viruses and malware. Such threats can cause considerable damage to your computer system and lead to data loss or theft. They can disrupt business operations, costing you money in downtime. They can also place your customers’ personal information at risk, leading to reputational damage for your business.
By keeping your systems free of malware, you can protect your data and keep your business running smoothly. Read on to learn how antivirus solutions can protect your business – and how to choose the right one.
Why is antivirus important for business?
Antivirus software is necessary for businesses because:
Businesses are prime targets for cybercriminals
This is
because they usually have access to sensitive data. If this data falls into
the wrong hands, it can be used for identity theft, fraud, or other malicious
purposes. Cybercriminals sometimes may even demand a ransom from businesses in
exchange for not releasing their confidential data to the public.
Cyberthreats are always evolving
As operating systems and web browsers have evolved to stay ahead of online
threats, so too have cybercriminals devised new types of attacks.
Sophisticated new
malware makes use of
undiscovered software vulnerabilities and can overcome the basic protection
offered by your operating system and web browsers unless a robust anti-malware
solution is in place. An increasing number of cybersecurity threats are
specifically targeted at businesses, with ransomware
especially being a cause for concern.
Mobile workforces mean mobile vulnerabilities
Since the Covid-19 pandemic, the world has seen
a significant shift to remote or hybrid working
. There has been an increase in the number of mobile devices plus some
companies operate a BYOD – Bring Your Own Device – policy to allow flexibility
and save costs by letting employees use their own laptops and phones for work.
These new ways of working, however, come with new risks. The
moreendpointswhich connect to your network – whether laptops, phones, or other
devices – the more opportunities there are for attacks, and the greater the
chance that devices may be compromised. Cloud services like email and cloud
data storage, which can be accessed from outside the workplace, can be put at
risk through compromised devices.
In-built antivirus programs aren’t enough
Even though
Windows has its own well-regarded built-in antivirus program, Windows
Defender, investing in a dedicated corporate antivirus solutioncan offer more
comprehensive protection and greater peace of mind.
Smaller businesses can find it hard to recover from cyber attacks
The idea that cybercriminals only target the largest enterprises is a myth. Bad actors are just as likely to target small- and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) as large ones. In fact, because SMBs often don’t have a large budget to dedicate to cybersecurity, their systems can be more vulnerable than those of larger enterprises that can afford more sophisticated protection. Small businesses can have more difficulty recovering from a large-scale attack than major companies with in-house IT departments.
Statistics vary, but there is some evidence to suggest that most cyberattacksare targeted towards small businesses . SMBs are usually attacked using the same sophisticated methods as larger organizations, with the number one threat being system intrusion. Most attacks involve malware, including ransomware. A successful malware attack can have disastrous consequences for small businesses, including data loss, loss of reputation, and financial loss. The cost of a ransomware attack can be high enough to put some SMBs out of businesses.
What does antivirus do and how does it work?
Given the cyber landscape, it’s clear that antivirus software is necessary for organizations of all sizes. But how is antivirus used in businesses?
Antivirus products such as endpoint protection create an extra layer of protection so that even if malware manages to reach your computers, you have something in place to detect and remove it before it disrupts the whole network.
Antivirus software not only detects and removes viruses, but also secures your data against different types of attacks. For example, web security tools can help prevent phishing attacks and block malicious websites, and anti-ransomware tools can protect the data on your devices from being encrypted and held for ransom.
Antivirus software runs in the background of your device, scanning files,
programs and applications and comparing their code with information stored in
the software’s database. The database contains information on known malware.
If the software finds a piece of code in one of your files that is similar or
identical to a piece of code in its database, that file is considered malware
and removed permanently or quarantined.
Removing the threat cleans it permanently from your system, while quarantining
it allows vendors to analyze the threat and refine their antivirus solution so
that it can protect against it in the future.If a bad file is quarantined and
there’s no existing signature definition, then the definition would be added
globally to a known bad list of files.
A good business antivirus product offers three layers of protection – file,
network, and application. These combine to build a robust layer of security
across all your machines. Antivirus software doesn’t just protect office
desktops—a high quality solution should be compatible with laptops and mobile
devices, too. This is beneficial for companies whose employees work remotely.
Strong antivirus software will include a firewall that filters information coming into your system via the internet. This means that your endpoint is protected against online threats, spam site and pop-up ads. Integrated browser controls mean that administrators can block potentially dangerous websites.
Benefits of using business antivirus
Antivirus software can help make your system run faster
Malware and viruses often cause devices to become slow and sluggish as
important performance processes are corrupted. By blocking these infections,
antivirus software leaves your system clean and able to run efficiently.
However, some antivirus software may slow the device when running scans. If
this happens, users can go into the software’s settings and configure it to
scan at a time when the device isn’t in use. This feature isn’t always
available with free antivirus, which means it’s worth investing in a
business-grade solution.
Antivirus safeguards sensitive data
Antivirus software helps to protect your business’s sensitive data against
breaches. Data breaches are often the result of viruses. If a virus infects
your computer, it may capture and steal your business’s sensitive data.
Antivirus software will not prevent all data breaches from occurring but will
protect your business from malware-related data breaches.
Antivirus protects against new and old viruses
Corporate antivirus will protect your small business from both new and old
viruses. While there are different types of antivirus software, most of them
use a database of signatures. Each signature is a
digital footprint
of a specific virus. As new viruses are discovered, their signatures are added
to these databases. Therefore, as long as you keep your antivirus software
updated to the latest version, it will protect against new and old viruses.
Antivirus provides automatic protection
Many business owners don’t have the time or skills required to manually defend
against cyber threats. Antivirus software, though, offers automatic protection
and scans files and apps in real time. When you open a file or app, the
antivirus software will scan it. You won’t have to manually scan the file or
app, nor will you have to perform other manual actions. Antivirus software
offers automatic, around-the-clock protection.
Antivirus protects against a range of threats beyond viruses
Antivirus software protects against viruses, but it can also protect your
business from other forms of malware such as ransomware, keyloggers, worms,
trojans ,
rootkits , and
more.
Antivirus complements other cybersecurity solutions
For
example, you can use antivirus software in conjunction with a firewall. A
firewall will scan and filter traffic coming into your business network,
whereas the antivirus software will scan stored files and apps for malware.
How to choose antivirus protection for your business
Being aware of the different solutions available and their key features will help you make an informed decision when choosing antivirus protection for your business. Key questions to consider include:
Are you clear on your requirements?
Before choosing an
antivirus, you need to define your business requirements. For example:
- What hardware do you need to protect?
- Are you using Microsoft Windows or Apple MacBooks or both? Most antivirus software supports Windows – if you are using Apple MacBooks or Linux Operating Systems, you need to check that the vendor supports these.
- If your business assigns smartphones and tablets to employees, you’ll need a solution that works on Android and iOS too.
- Are your devices all based in one location or spread across different locations? Do you need to manage them all from one central location? How are the sites connected?
- The answers to these questions will determine which antivirus software will work best for you.
How easy is it to deploy?
A strong solution will offer protection shortly after purchase, whereas less
efficient solutions may take up to a few weeks to install, leaving your
devices unprotected in the meantime. You should be able to update policies
yourself later, but having pre-configured policies on installation means that
the software can start working immediately. This also applies when you need to
add a new device – for example, when onboarding new employee devices. It’s
important that new staff members, who are particularly vulnerable to exploits
as they may be unfamiliar with their new system, are protected immediately.
You also need to be able to remotely deploy the software across any devices
that your employee will use to access the company network, which may include
their personal devices.
How easy is it to manage?
Many modern antivirus software
solutions are cloud-based. A cloud-native architecture means that most of the
analysis workload and the software management sit on one platform in the
cloud. This means that the software takes up less space on the system,
reducing its impact on system speed. It also usually includes a
remotely-accessible dashboard, which allows administrators a comprehensive
overview of what’s going on, as well as access to settings, updates and
scanning tools, within one interface. From here, admins can track threats
across all protected machines, regardless of where they are based.
Are there automatic updates?
Automatic updates are essential—antivirus is designed to run in the background
with as little disturbance to the user as possible, and constant update
requests undermine this purpose.
Is after-sales support available?
Who supports the software
once it’s deployed? Is support included in the price you paid? If you don’t
have an internal or external IT team, then you might need to get in touch with
the vendor’s support team to manage custom policy configurations or
troubleshoot any issues. There may be an issue with false positives too. Check
if after-sales support is available, to what extent, and at what cost.
What level of threat protection does it provide?
You need a
solution that will cover you against emerging and unknown threats, as well as
known attacks. Most cloud-based solutions offer this, as they use machine
learning technologies to crowdsource their threat intelligence. When an
unknown threat is found on one system, all other systems covered by that
solution are warned against it. A good antivirus software solution should
offer layered protection against advanced threats across the three main
endpoint layers: file, network and application. This is to cover all potential
entry paths that cybercriminals may choose to take.
Is it compatible with different devices?
Mobile devices and
laptops are often considered the most vulnerable entry points into corporate
network because it can be more difficult to manage updates across these
devices—particularly if users are working from their own personal devices. For
this reason, it’s important that your antivirus software has mobile device
management (MDM) capabilities and is compatible with different operating
systems. A good solution will offer remote device encryption, registration and
wiping. Some solutions even offer an app-based VPN for mobile devices,
reducing users’ digital footprint and securing their web-based communications.
Is there third-party patch management?
A patch is a change or
set of changes to a computer program or application designed to address
vulnerabilities within the program. Patch management is the process of
downloading, testing and deploying patches to make sure that systems stay
updated and are always using appropriate, working patches. Strong antivirus
software automates this process, making sure that third-party applications are
automatically updated and secured. Hackers often target outdated apps, so it’s
essential that vulnerabilities are patched as soon as possible.
How efficient is it?
Because most antivirus solutions today
are cloud-based, they don’t usually consume too many system resources.
However, this isn’t always the case. It’s important that you choose a
lightweight antivirus that updates itself and doesn’t drain your device’s
resources, causing it to slow down. If the solution you’re considering is
known for slowing systems, check that you are able to configure when the
software runs scans. Scanning is what causes a system to run more slowly; if
you’re able to configure them to run out of work hours, they won’t affect your
ability to work efficiently.
Are there extra features?
For example, most malware is
delivered by email, so it's critical to include systems to detect phishing
attempts and other threats. It's worth finding a product that will scan USB
devices for problems when they are connected to PCs and laptops, and it's also
a good idea to consider registry scanning to avoid issues with rootkits.
Business antivirus products can protect instant messaging and communications
tools as well, which is helpful if you usevideo conferencing tools.
How much does it cost?
For most businesses, cost is an important factor in decision-making. When
looking for antivirus software for your business, ask these questions to make
sure you are comparing them equally:
- What is the overall cost? Are there annual subscription costs or extras you have to pay for to make sure you have the protection you need?
- Are the licenses for the servers different from PCs?
- Can you benefit from multi-year purchase?
- Can you get a buyback deal on your existing software?
- Is there a maintenance or support cost?
Asking these questions will help you reach an informed decision about which antivirus software is right for your business. And once you have purchased and installed it, you can be reassured by the knowledge that your business is protected from a range of online threats.
Related products:
Kaspersky Small Office Security
Kaspersky Endpoint Security Solutions for SMBs
Kaspersky Enterprise Cybersecurity Solutions
Further reading:
· What is endpoint security and how does it work?
· What is extended detection and response?
