Antivirus rankings: the best solutions under the microscope
Cybersecurity is a high-stakes issue. Whatever your operating system, your business and how it works, the threat is latent and real. It's essential that you equip yourself with a real protection solution for your IT assets. What solutions are there, and how can you assess the advantages and disadvantages of antivirus software?
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Cyber-threats and their distribution channels
Different types of risk to your business
What damage can a virus cause? For a company, different levels are affected:
- In terms of productivity, an infected device is temporarily out. The employee may no longer be able to use it, or have only partial or limited access to it. This temporarily suspends their work, until the IT department or a dedicated external service provider resolves the problem.
- In terms of confidentiality, your sensitive information could be stolen. This represents a danger for you - banking data, professional secrecy, etc. - as well as for your customers, suppliers or partners - customer data, emails, bilateral sharing, etc.
- In terms of image: a leak suffered by your organisation, if it gets out or your network hears about it, casts a veil of discredit over your professionalism. The idea that you didn't anticipate or take the risk seriously can linger in people's minds and damage the relationships of trust that you have built up to that point.
- On the competitive side: certain hackers, using blackmail, will threaten to divulge certain information to the press, or - in an even more targeted manner - to your competitors. Your prospecting work, your leads in the process of conversion and your qualified information are all data that you do not want to fall into the hands of organisations operating in the same niche as you. This would give them a head start while threatening the closing of your current pipeline: a threat to the survival of your business in the short and medium term.
Faults and vulnerabilities: how can you identify them and remedy them?
How do viruses get into your IT system? It may be during a business tool update, via the back office of your website, or via the intranet and exchanges between employees. Extranet, email and document synchronisation in the cloud are also potential vulnerabilities. Surfing the web also opens the door to malicious programmes (malware). A malicious link to certain sites, or downloading an attachment with a malicious content, can be a breeding ground. Just as plugging in a USB stick can contaminate a system.
Protect your business effectively with the best anti-virus software
Reflexes to adopt and minimum anti-virus tool requirements
There are a number of things you can do beforehand: don't open a file sent by a dubious sender or be wary of a suspicious link, for example. This is the first step towards thwarting phishing attacks and Trojan horse-type adware. This vigilance must be backed up by a firewall and anti-virus software to protect your computer device during use.
Built-in devices and free anti-virus solutions
Operating systems often contain built-in firewalls, such as Windows Defender. This can complement the installation of a free antivirus, which will often be lacking. Free antivirus products include the well-known Avast and AVG, as well as Kaspersky and Avira antivir. Microsoft also offers its own: Security Essentials.
The limitations of free antivirus software
It should be noted, however, that although these antivirus products are effective, they are still only low-level protection for businesses. Suitable for private users, they are less so for business use, and offer fewer features, including no parental controls and no spam filter.
Pay-as-you-go antivirus products and their advantages
Pay-as-you-go antivirus products offer complete suites. Once you've installed them, you don't have to worry about a thing: you're protected at every level. There's McAfee, which is particularly effective on Windows. Norton's Symantec solution is excellent: it won an award in the av-test antivirus comparison rankings. BitDefender also has every advantage. For mailbox protection in particular, Altospam effectively protects your email by identifying and filtering spam.
Given the importance of confidentiality and data protection for any business, it's vital to equip yourself with the right cybersecurity tools. Make your data inviolable. Software suites with antivirus, firewall, parental control and antispam functions create a favourable environment in which your employees can work without worry. Minimise risk, in the interests of your business and its long-term survival.
Article translated from French