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Though modern operating systems feature their own built-in security tools, a reliable antivirus is still a must-have. Discover top-ten reasons why your business needs antivirus protection
Cyber-attacks are one of the most serious threats that modern businesses have to face. According to the statistics, around 50% of small and medium enterprises in the US suffer losses resulted from malware infections.
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And still, surprisingly few companies pay due attention to their cyber-security. Entrepreneurs tend to believe that built-in Internet Security software or a basic free antivirus pack will protect their data.
Unfortunately, this is a mere misconception. Here are 10 reasons why you need a reliable antivirus for business.
1. Ransomware Protection
Ransomware is one of the most insidious forms of modern malware – it is very difficult to detect and almost impossible to cure. It freezes access to the files stored on the hard drive (or blocks the PC completely).
Frequently, the only solution is a full disk formatting; the information from the disk, of course, is lost forever. No surprise, business owners prefer to pay huge ransoms to scammers in exchange for a remote chance of the lost data restoration.
Default Internet Security software and free antiviruses are virtually powerless against ransomware. The only way to prevent infecting is to use a strong antivirus for business.
2. Protection of Sensitive Data
The importance of personal and financial data protection can hardly be overestimated. Numbers of credit cards and bank accounts, passwords, and commercially sensitive information must be out of the hackers’ reach.
Meanwhile, one of the most sophisticated malware forms is the so-called spyware that steals data. Spyware is extremely difficult to prevent and remove.
Will you choose to spend several dollars on a good antivirus or lose millions of dollars because of your carelessness one day? The answer is clear.
3. E-mail Protection
It is a well-known fact that e-mails are a common channel for viruses and Trojans transfer. Trojans act inside your operating system, damage important files, and, what is most important, let swindlers access your PC.
Modern viruses are smart enough: they are often disguised as innocuous-looking images, text files, and links. One accidental click – and your computer with tons of confidential information is infected.
Good antiviruses for business automatically scan the incoming letters and attachments, warning you about suspicious files and potential threats.
4. An Improved Online Security
This is crucial for those engaged in e-commerce. If you are running an online business, accept online payments, or store any sensitive information online, a reliable antivirus is a must-have.
Premium antivirus packs for business provide a higher level of online security, creating a safe environment for a user. Timely detection and blocking of phishing and fraudulent sites are ones of the important components of a complex online security pack.
Many AV providers offer extra online security features, such as improved protection of all financial transactions with the help of modern encryption methods.
5. Ease of Use and Management
Unlike home editions of most antivirus solutions, a standard pack of an antivirus for business offers a possibility of managing security via a single centralized console.
No matter how large your business network is – an administrator can control all the connected devices remotely, easily, and effectively. Moreover, in most cases, you even don’t need special IT-skills to manage the process, as the console’s interface is really simple and intuitive.
Add as many devices to your network as you can, make individual settings, modify and delete connections by a couple of clicks.
6. More User Packets under One License
Usually, when buying a home edition of an antivirus, you get a possibility of connecting up to 3-5 devices under one license. A business antivirus pack for small to medium companies can include from 15-20 to 1000 user packs.
An example is Avira Antivirus Pro (Business Edition). Moreover, there are special offers for large corporations with 10 000 through unlimited user packs available. It is convenient when you need to protect multiple devices, including Windows computers, Mac laptops, Android tabs, and so on under one license.
On the other hand, if you run a really small company with just under 10 employees, one of the top antiviruses designed for home users may work perfectly well for you. A set of premium features will cost you less than $100 in this case.
Read Norton, ScanGuard, and BullGuard reviews to see if one of them is the right choice for you.
7. Professional Support
Holders of business accounts usually get professional technical support from their provider. Some companies provide exclusive services to those who buy antivirus for business – a personal manager, 24/7 support, toll-free phone consultations, and other perks.
Also, they get detailed technical reports about the work of the software, detected threats, scanning processes completed, and so on.
8. Useful Extra Features
The main function of any antivirus product is detecting and neutralizing of malware as well as regular scanning for potential threats. However, you’ll find a range of useful extras in business antivirus packs. Here are just some of them:
- a password manager;
- a file shredder;
- a firewall;
- an ad blocker;
- USB scanning;
- an anti-spam filter;
- a search advisor;
- a built-in VPN service.
Though some of the extras can seem unnecessary, others are extremely useful. Thus, a password manager and a file shredder features are must-haves for a business of any level.
9. Background Scanning without a Heavy Impact on a System
Regular background scanning is crucial for timely malware detection and prevention of contamination. However, many entry-level antivirus products have a heavy impact on the system.
Premium business antiviruses, in turn, have a minimal impact on performance while doing their job much more effectively and smoothly, which is proven by independents labs, including AV-TEST and AV-Comparatives.
10. Server Protection
Some providers of business antivirus products offer protection of mail and file servers on the top of individual computers protection.
For example, server protection is offered by BitDefender and Kaspersky. Most medium-sized and large businesses will benefit from this extra security feature.
Conclusion
Under the modern circumstances, antivirus for business has become absolutely essential for any company, regardless of its scale. A starting price of a full-featured antivirus for business is no more than $150 per year (in fact, there are cheaper options).
That said, by paying this money, you save thousands or even millions of dollars. Yes, it may happen that you will never be attacked by hackers and never come across any hidden threats. But why push your luck?
There are two ways to protect your device from all forms of malware at the 98-99% credible level. The first one is to use a reliable antivirus. The second one is to cut off Internet access, unplug all the external devices, and turn off the computer. It’s up to you to decide what to choose.
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