Free antivirus software can appear both financially responsible and adequately thorough for your organization’s needs. However, the costs associated with being infected greatly outweigh the money saved. To rely on one of these budget-friendly antivirus solutions is to put your organization’s sensitive information, and ultimately its future, at risk.
There is a lot of antivirus software out there today, which means you have to do your homework if you are going to get connected to the one that fits your needs and effectively protects your system. Your antivirus solution should:
- Be designed to prevent entry of damaging malware
- Identify and remove viruses
- Handle ransomware, Trojans and adware or worms quickly and effectively
It may seem as though your free software covers these virus concerns sufficiently, but free antivirus solutions only protect to a certain point. When it comes to more complex issues such as the newer malware being designed by innovative cybercriminals, your free solution isn’t going to be very effective.
What you get is, at best, limited protection. For example, many organizations get hit with phishing attacks when an employee clicks on an infected link, often in an email. While free antivirus software can often identify that the malware exists, the software is not equipped to prevent the actual infection which could lead to your data being at risk.
What to Look for in Antivirus Software
The best solutions scan folders and directories, and detect files that have been changed or that are unknown. Antivirus software should allow your administrator to set up specific times when it will scan your files. It should have a thorough report of all suspect files that the software deems malicious and it should quarantine those files.
Your antivirus software should give you a clear indication of just how compromised your system is, and provide support in removing even the most complex malware.
Furthermore, make sure your vendor is constantly finding improvements and offering updates to you. Things change fast in the cybersecurity atmosphere, so you want your antivirus solution to be on top of the changes.
At Computer Security Solutions, the process we use to assist clients truly helps protect their systems and keeps them up and running, despite all the threats that are out there today. Contact us today and we’ll get you set up with antivirus solutions that will be a custom fit for your organization.