I'm an SME software company do I really need to install anti-virus (anti-malware) software?
Cybersecurity and data protection are increasingly important to all companies but as a software / SaaS supplier they are paramount to your success. You are very likely to be handling customer data and whether that is highly sensitive or not a breach of that data will seriously undermine confidence in your service and will likely cause irreparable damage to your Company's reputation.
Installing Anti-virus a.k.a Anti-malware software on your company's devices is one of the many tools you can use to protect your business.
Which devices should Anti-Virus software be installed on?
All devices, including but not limited to laptops, mobile phones and workstations. This includes Macs and iPhones.
Historically the majority of malware was targeted at Windows whilst Mac or Android devices were better protected out of the box and therefore considered less vulnerable, however, ransomware for Mac and Android is now common.
Some reports (Malwarebytes’ latest State of Malware report,) suggest the amount of malware on Macs is now outpacing PCs. This could be due to the complacency of Mac owners and the outdated belief that they are not vulnerable.
How does anti-virus software help?
Anti-virus software aims to detect malicious software (malware) by scanning files, web pages, networks etc. For example, if you download a file from the Internet the software will scan it in the background and allow execution of the file (installing, opening, etc.) if it is safe.
The majority of malware arrives on machines when users downloaded files from unknown sources across the Internet and dark web.
Even if you educate your staff and restrict downloads, mistakes can be made. Anti-virus software adds an additional layer of protection.
Why wouldn't you install Anti-virus software?
Historically Anti-virus software was a pain to install, it often resulted in your machine running slowly and endless pop-up warnings. That is no longer the case, modern anti-virus software can be easily installed and runs silently in the background.
Try it an see
Most antivirus software providers provide a free version to so you can try it and see.
Well known examples: