Recently, the opinion about the necessity of antivirus software in 2019 changed. Internet users start thinking that antivirus is not mandatory if they keep digital hygiene properly. Besides, there is a part of users, who consider the built-in solutions, like Windows Defender, enough to protect the operating system. And since a modern user, for the most part, visits only a handful of the largest sites, such as Google, Facebook, YouTube, there are no sources of viruses at all.
Well, that’s true, but only partially. Even if the users follow the principles of Internet hygiene, do not go via doubtful links, and open emails with suspicious attachments, they shouldn’t relax. Here are four reasons why antiviruses do not lose their relevance in 2019.
Additional Layer of Protection
Modern antivirus is not just a filter. It also provides extra protection against cyber attacks. The program constantly monitors the operation of the system and informs the user about the detection of suspicious activity.
In the past, antiviruses were rather cumbersome and slowed down the computer like a virus. But everything has changed. First, antiviruses have become more elegant. Second, computers have become more powerful. So, modern antivirus can work in the background and be absolutely invisible to the user.
Here are some cases where an additional layer of protection is strongly recommended:
– Connecting to public Wi-Fi
– Online banking and shopping
– Share files with local network users
– Clicking on an advertising banner
– Surfing social media
– Visiting suspicious sites
– Downloading media files, documents, or programs from the Internet
Regular Updates
New threats appear online every day. Usually, it targets vulnerabilities in popular software. Therefore, it is essential to ensure that all your programs are updated to the latest versions. Many modern antiviruses have functionality that tracks versions of the software installed on the computer. Thus, if an update is issued for some program, the antivirus itself finds it and reports it to the user.
A Holistic Approach to Security
In general, antiviruses obtained a broader set of functions. While the primary feature of antivirus software continues to monitor your computer for viruses and other malware, today’s solutions offer many other features and cover almost every aspect of online security. For example, a Scanguard antivirus can protect you from phishing attacks, spyware, etc.
– Browser Exploit Protection
Browser exploits are vulnerabilities that allow a hacker to execute code without the user’s permission. One such attack is clickjacking. On an externally harmless website, there is an invisible layer, at which the user downloads a virus to his PC or goes to a phishing page.
– Anti-rootkit
A rootkit is a virus that enters the operating system and automatically replaces critical files with infected copies. Antivirus activity can interfere with rootkit operation.
– Phishing Protection
Phishing is a method of social engineering in which cyber criminal addresses a victim pretending to be a legitimate organization. The main purpose of the hacker is to obtain personal information from the user. Antivirus phishing protection monitors possible fraud threats and informs the user.
– Email Protection
Email protection scans all messages for infected attachments and links. Some antiviruses allow you to quarantine or block malicious files.
Common Sense Doesn’t Always Help
It is quite tempting to think that you can be protected from viruses, only sticking to the principles of web hygiene. However, you shouldn’t forget that hackers are always looking for new ways of attacking. And if common sense protects you today, tomorrow you may face something that will surprise you. In this case, it’s better to have additional protection.
