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Why Small Brands Should Use Antivirus Software?

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Over the last decade, small, medium, and big businesses have ventured into the online business space to drive up sales and ensure their businesses and companies remain relevant in this digital age. To run a business online, you need to have a computer system and an online presence, mainly through a website. Hence, the need for an antivirus program.

The need for antivirus programs for companies and businesses is more important today than it was ten years ago, as hackers have gotten more creative with their attacks.

Why an antivirus program is important for your company or business

Cyber threats are continuously evolving. As operating systems and web browsers come with more advanced methods of preventing computer virus attacks, hackers also come up with better ways to launch attacks on business websites, company networks, and websites.

Caution and common sense is not enough

While common sense helps to keep a personal computer safe, it is not enough when it comes to protecting an entire company network. While training your employees on how to spot phishing and social engineering attacks may work, hackers have gotten smarter in their endeavors, making it hard to keep up. It has become increasingly difficult to differentiate phishing emails from legitimate ones, hence the increased need for an antivirus program.

Relying on an employee’s intuition can also cause unnecessary stress to the individual since they are aware that one click on the wrong link can jeopardize the whole company network while putting their jobs at risk. With the average cost of a cyberattack on a company costing upwards of $10,000, having a reliable antivirus program is the best way to have peace of mind when working online.

Cybercriminals have gotten more creative  

New age malware programs take advantage of unresolved operating system and software vulnerabilities to access computer systems and networks. This means that they are engineered to bypass basic computer protection protocols offered by browsers and operating systems. This is why all small brands should use antivirus software like Bitdefenderand ensure they do not fall victim to these hackers. It is highly discouraged for a company or business to depend solely on the security protocols offers by your OS or browser. The best way to ensure your company data and network remains safe is by investing in the best antivirus.

Businesses are the biggest targets for cybercrime

According to statistics, at least 80% of all cybersecurity threats are aimed at businesses, especially ransomware. For instance, the SamSam ransomware was used to hijack a hospital network in Indiana, and larger Atlanta, while a ransom attack aimed at the Port or San Diego managed to bring the transportation hub to a standstill. Not having an antivirus program in place makes it easy for a hacker to bring your whole operation to stop by taking over your company network.

Updates are not enough

Even though most companies ensure the computers on their network are running the latest browser and OS updates, this alone cannot be enough with the availability of ‘zero-day exploits. These are software vulnerabilities not yet discovered by software vendors sold in black markets to hackers who devise viruses to take advantage of these exploits. This means that your company network cannot be 100% protected by system updates.

Antivirus programs are created as additional layers of protection for your company network against viruses and other malware programs, even those still unknown to your software vendors. With the right antivirus program, you can protect your employees or anyone on your network from phishing scams by blocking all suspicious emails before they reach inboxes. An antivirus program is also an anti-ransomware tool that protects your data from being hijacked and held at ransom.

A mobile workforce is a common point of vulnerability

The ability to work remotely offers a lot of flexibility in the workplace and has numerous benefits to a company’s bottom line. Remote employees can access the company network and cloud services from anywhere using their personal devices. These new ways of working increase the risk potential for a company hack if you do not have the right security measures in place.

The more endpoints connecting to your company network, the more opportunities hackers have to launch attacks. Ensuring all your remote employees fit their devices with antivirus programs is the best way to mitigate this risk.

Alternatively, a company can invest in a comprehensive endpoint security measure to offer all-rounded protection in real-time while ensuring any new devices added to the network do not leave it vulnerable to attacks.

Small and large companies and businesses can be wiped out completely with a single cybersecurity attack. Investing in the best antivirus program is the only way to guarantee business continuity and the safety of your data online.

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