Antivirus software, also known as anti-malware software, is computer software used to prevent, detect, and remove malicious software.
Antivirus software was originally developed to detect and remove computer viruses, however, with the proliferation of other kinds of malware, antivirus software started to provide protection from other computer threats. In particular, modern antivirus software can protect from malicious browser helper objects (BHOs), browser hijackers, ransomware, key loggers, backdoors, rootkits, Trojan horses, worms, malicious LSPs, dialers, fraud tools, adware, and spyware. Some antivirus software also includes protection from other computer threats, such as infected and malicious URLs, spam, scam and phishing attacks, online identity (privacy), online banking attacks, social engineering techniques, advanced persistent threat (APT), and botnet DDoS attacks.
How can Business Protect themselves from Virus Threads
Computer viruses remain the most common security threat, with 75 percent of the businesses affected by at least one virus in the last few years. Worms and viruses can have a devastating effect on business continuity and profitability. And viruses are become smarter, more destructive and spreading faster than ever, infecting entire offices in seconds.
Employees/Users spread viruses and spyware by accessing malicious Websites, downloading untrustworthy material, or opening e-mail attachments. Viruses can create minor damage or can do severe destruction.
Computer viruses can reduce memory space, damage disks, damage programs so that there are sudden failures or increase the start-up time and run time, erase files, and also corrupt the computer itself by slowing the procedure down or changing the sequence of operations.
Ways to prevent computer viruses for business:
Install a reliable antivirus software.
- Avoid suspicious websites and not to download untrustworthy material.
- Never open email attachments without scanning them first.
- Update the business’s anti-virus software regularly.
- Install a firewall.
The Most Important is install proper anti virus software and keep it up to date.
Prevention is better than cure!
Basic Rules of Online and PC/Server Security
- Don’t install software you didn’t explicitly request.
- Keep your installed software up to date:
- Uninstall any software you no longer need —attackers are constantly targeting systems with outdated versions of software
- Never post your personal information, such as a cell phone number, home number, home address, or your location on any social networking site or through mobile apps
- Don’t share any of your username or password to anyone.
- Check whether your firewall and Antivirus software is up to date.
- Do not open unknown files, links or emails.
- Always have backup for your important files.
- Don’t let your web browser remember login information, turn such options off
- Be cautious while downloading files and apps
Protect Your Business
Pulse Tech offers stable Antivirus Software for protection against Virus attacks.
Complete protection is ensured with regular live updates, Daily Scan, and a full scan of servers and computers.
We recommend using AV Defender from Bitdefender for business:
AV Defender is an industry leader:
- #1 Business Security Software: against cyber-threats and 2-way firewall prevent unauthorized access to private data
- #1 performance: Bitdefender’s unique technology to keep all devices running as same speed even during scanning, blocking and removing threads
- 1-Click Security: automated protection
The Raising Security Issues in 2016
18 million malware samples were detected in Jul, 2016; and average of 200,000 new threats detected every day.
Personal Information Exposed
Information theft and ransomware attacks are the two most lucrative and used attacks by Black Hats. Hackers buy personal information like address, SIN, medical history, bank account number on the black market.
Business information like Network passwords, Firewall passwords also can be hacked.
This can cost businesses billions of dollars every year.
POS and Credit Cards:
Another widespread and popular theft tactic is through Point of Sale (PoS) terminals, as seen in the attack launched by PunkeyPos that infected more than 200 restaurants in the United States.
Taking into account how easy it is to sell this stolen information on the “black market” and make a profit, it makes sense that this will continue to be an objective for cyber-criminals.
Cyber-criminals from Social Media
Social Media can’t escape the grips of cybercrime. Users’ information including password, personal information, and bitcoin could have been stolen with phishing attacks or using Trojans.
Two important pieces of advice to follow while using Social Media: activate two-step verification and refrain from using the same passwords on different websites.