Introduction
If you know Cambridge Support, then you will know that one of our Managing Partners, Phil has worked in the IT industry for decades. Over the years, Phil has seen many individuals and organisations suffer loss due to virus infections. Cyber-attacks and virus infections will negatively impact any company of any size. Therefore Anti-Virus is essential to all businesses in order to support cyber security efforts.
You may find you are asking questions about the importance of Anti-Virus software and perhaps some of the common responses we hear sound familiar:
- We are Protected and have a Firewall
- We have a policy of only visiting web site that know and trust – We know they are safe
- My data is backed up. There is no need to worry about it
- I don’t do on-line banking
- My operating system has built-in security and no need for me to worry about it
- I am very careful in what I do on my computer and do not need anti-virus software
- No one will attack my computer. There is nothing worth taking on it
These are just a handful and we hope our responses to some of them will help enforce the importance of Anti-Virus.
Protected & Have A Firewall
A Firewall is a key component of your network security. It provides protection against outside attackers by shielding your computers and network devices from unwanted and malicious traffic. Firewalls also prevent unwanted software from accessing your computers via the internet.
However, anti-Virus software has a completely different purpose from your Firewall. It is designed to perform file inspections, remove malicious code, check your computer and run scheduled scans. If you introduce a virus to your computer via a memory stick, it is your Anti-Virus software that detects it and stops it. Your Firewall will not even be aware of it. You basically need them both.
We Only Visit Web Sites We Know & Trust
That is a great policy to have in place and I am sure plays a big part in protecting your computers and data. Unfortunately, even your trusted web sites can get hacked and malicious code injected into them. You would not know by looking at them but by visiting a hacked web site, you could expose your whole network to risk. Your devices could even be used by cyber criminals in Distributed Denial of Service attacks on other organisations networks.
My Data Is Backed Up & Kept Safe
Backups are also another key component of protecting your business and data. But did you know that on more than one occasion, organisations have got caught out with an attack that not only affected their computers and data but also the backed-up data. It will not take you long to find examples of organisations getting their data including backups crypto-locked and the only way to recover is to pay large sums of money to release the data. In 2020 eleven of the biggest ransomware victims spent over £100 million on investigations and rebuilding of their networks.
Conclusion
Running is a business is hard and managing costs very important. Anti-Virus software is not expensive, and it is often not recognised for the value it adds. If you look at any organisation that has not had any major security incidents and you will find a good anti-virus product on all the devices.
Do take a look at the National Cyber Security Centre’s web site for their guidance on anti-virus products. There are many good Anti-Virus products to choose from and even if you do not choose the best one, you are still much better off than the people that do not have one.
And remember that your Anti-Virus product is one part of the solution to keep you safe.
To find out more about how Cambridge Support and it’s partners can help your business, contact us now for more details.