Every year, millions of organizations around the world fall victim to cybersecurity breaches. Most of these cases result in the revelation that the victims weren’t taking preventative measure to reduce the risk in the first place.
Of course, there’s no such thing as a bulletproof system, and there never will be. Nonetheless, there are steps that businesses can take to reduce the risk factor to an acceptable level. However, if you’re relying only on antivirus software, that’s not going to happen.
Antivirus as a cure
Firstly, it must be stressed that antivirus software remains an essential element of any cybersecurity strategy, but it’s only one of numerous components that helps protect your business.
The problem with relying on antivirus software alone is that it merely helps prevent the spread of an infection. But by the time your antivirus software kicks in, there’s a good chance that the computer has already been infected and the overall security of your network compromised. What you need instead, is a solution that prevents breaches from getting anywhere near your network in the first place.
More sophisticated antivirus solutions provide real-time scanning to monitor your network for suspicious behavior. However, these on-premises solutions rarely offer complete protection for your entire business network. For this reason, many businesses opt to outsource an additional layer of security to a managed services provider. MSPs are tasked with monitoring all incoming traffic to detect threats before they reach your company’s network.
Social engineering scams
Although malicious software remains a widespread problem, as illustrated by the WannaCry and Petya ransomware attacks of recent months, social engineering scams have become by far the biggest cybersecurity threat of all. These scams are often used to deliver malicious software but, in many cases, there’s no actual malware involved at all.
Social engineering scams work by building trust and duping victims into taking a desired action. Sometimes the goal is to infect the victim’s computer but, oftentimes, it’s to dupe the victim into giving away confidential information such as credit card or login details. In other words, social engineering tactics provide criminals with a way to compromise a victim’s computer without having to rely on malware itself.
Antivirus takes care of malware only, although some solutions do help detect phishing attempts and other common social engineering scams, albeit to a limited degree. Unfortunately, no software- or hardware-based solution can ever overcome the weakest link: human error. As such, it’s essential that you train your employees to make sure that they’re aware of the risks involved.
A false sense of security
It’s easy to rely on antivirus software. After all, most modern operating systems feature built-in antivirus, while enterprise-ready solutions provide a whole raft of valuable extras. Nonetheless, reliance on antivirus solutions tends to lead to a false sense of security, causing employees to behave irresponsibly online. From weak passwords to poorly defined user access rights, there are many other attack vectors that cybercriminals can take advantage of.
The increasing complexity of malware also poses many challenges, including zero-day threats. Think of antivirus as a vaccine, since someone needs to be infected for the threat to be recognized and cured in the first place. Protecting your business requires multiple layers of protection, with antivirus software being the last resort for mitigating an ongoing security breach. To ensure the safety of your business, you need round-the-clock monitoring, regular updates, a reduced attack surface and, above all, increased cybersecurity awareness.
Here at Truewater, we understand the devastating cost of cybersecurity threats. That’s why we provide a full range of managed security services to keep your business safe without breaking the bank. Contact us today for a no-obligation cybersecurity assessment.
