Should I be using antivirus software, and why?

Yes. All personal and business computers should have antivirus protection installed beyond the natively installed Microsoft or MacOS base protection.  We're going to dispel some common beliefs that keep businesses from using Antivirus software and explain why antivirus use is essential and what it protects you and your business against.

What Are Some Common Beliefs that Keep Businesses From Implementing Endpoint Protection? 

The most common reason small business owners opt out of cybersecurity protection is that they feel "too small" or "too insignificant" to be targeted. Unfortunately, the opposite is true: criminals are aware of this commonly held belief and have become experts at exploiting gaps in the protection of small business environments. 

Cost concerns, overconfidence in other security measures, overconfidence in safe security practices, impact on computer performance, concerns about false positives, and a false sense of security are also reasons businesses may opt out of antivirus protection. Many business owners who have fallen victim to data theft will say they held the same beliefs and didn't understand the risks of remaining unprotected.  

The Business News Daily article linked (here) provides some startling statistics on the cost implications and effectiveness of attacks against businesses with fewer than 1,000 employees.

What does Antivirus Software Protect Against? 

Antivirus software detects and removes malware, including viruses, worms, trojans, ransomware, and spyware, which can cause data loss, system damage, or unauthorized access. It also helps protect personal information like passwords, credit card details, and sensitive documents from being stolen by malicious software or hackers. Some antivirus tools include features to block malicious websites, phishing attempts, and dangerous links in emails, reducing the risk of online scams or identity theft.

How is Antivirus Software Different than Microsoft Defender or XProtect (MacOS)? 

• Real-Time Threat Detection: Many antivirus programs offer real-time protection, actively scanning for suspicious files or activities as you browse the web or download files, preventing threats from being executed.  Natively installed protection is much less effective at this, often triggering alerts only after the malicious file is installed or the virus is detected.   
• Automatic Updates: Antivirus programs regularly update their databases to protect against new and evolving threats, ensuring ongoing security. Microsoft Defender provides updated protections when Windows updates are installed, which leaves gaps in time—days or months—where new threats can go undetected. Cybercrime evolves daily, and though software such as Microsoft Defender and Microsoft's firewall does help, it's not updated often enough to be truly effective.  
• Protection for Multiple Devices: Some antivirus solutions offer protection for various devices, including PCs, smartphones, and tablets, providing cross-platform security. This is especially useful for individuals who travel for work, access business networks from personal and mobile devices, or have several work devices signed in simultaneously. 

Do I Need Antivirus if I Have a Firewall? 

Yes. Firewalls monitor network traffic and prevent unauthorized access by detecting unusual network activity.   Firewalls are a great network-level preventative measure against cybersecurity threats, but no protection will be 100% effective against everything.  It's best to pair your network protection with endpoint protection using antivirus software to cover all bases and have the best chance of stopping malicious activity.  Some cybersecurity providers offer firewalls and endpoint protection that work in tandem to detect, quarantine, and remove malware for computers and prevent the spread of malware to other PCs on the network in real-time.

Bottom Line:  Antivirus is a must-have for all businesses, regardless of size.  The benefits of using endpoint protection outweigh the cost.