ANTIVIRUS SOFTWARE: WHY YOU NEED IT & WHICH ONE IS BEST FOR YOUR BUSINESS

It’s no secret that cybercrime and data breaches are on the rise. As technology continues to evolve and more and more people plug into the digital world, the number of cyber attacks is increasing, and the need for antivirus software is greater than ever. According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, “cyber intrusions are becoming more commonplace, more dangerous, and more sophisticated” on both private and public networks. In 2017, Pennsylvania ranked fifth in the number of cyber victims reported in the United States and had a total loss of $36,319,408 due to attacks.

As a small business owner, you may be thinking, “My company is small – why would we waste the money on antivirus software if we won’t be targeted?” Unfortunately, you will be targeted. In 2018, the Verizon Data Breach Investigations Report noted that 58 percent of security incident victims were small businesses. While that number is a bit scary, there are steps you can take to help protect your small business from cyber threats. We’ll walk you through a rundown of what antivirus software is, why you need it, and what will work best for your business.

WHAT IS ANTIVIRUS SOFTWARE?

The first big question you may be asking yourself is, “What is antivirus software?”

To put it simply, it’s software that is designed to detect, prevent, and remove viruses and malware from your computer or computer network. Nowadays, antivirus technology also will proactively protect you from a wide variety of malicious software intended to harm your computer systems. Any time you download something from the internet, open an email attachment, or even visit a website, your computer is vulnerable to becoming infected with malware. Antivirus software is designed as a layer of defense to help catch these security risks or find ones you did not know existed.

Unfortunately, having antivirus software installed does not mean you are completely safe. Think of cybersecurity in terms of playing defense on a football team—you don’t just have one line of defense (or in this case, security) on your team. You also have other people, like the linebacker or tackle positions, to keep the ball (or virus) from reaching the goal.

Since antivirus software only protects against known or predictable threats, it cannot always protect from human error. It’s important that you, as a user or small business owner, take the active steps in educating yourself and your team on safe internet and computer security practices.

WHY IS ANTIVIRUS SOFTWARE NECESSARY?

As we already mentioned, viruses are not the only threat when it comes to cybersecurity. From Trojans to keyloggers, malicious software is lurking around every corner of the internet. It’s one of the reasons that exercising caution is always the best method of defense and will help you to avoid malware that even your antivirus software may not pick up.

A common misconception is that PC users are the only people that need antivirus software. While Mac and Android devices do not see as many attacks, if your small business only uses Mac computers, you still need to practice good cybersecurity. On the positive side, as technology has improved, so has PC security—Windows 10 now comes with Windows Firewall and Windows Defender as basic security measures to protect your computer.

So is antivirus necessary to prevent against all of these threats? Some may argue “no,” but antivirus software is a necessary player on your security defense team. It’s not going to solve all of your problems, and threats can still get through, but it’s a step in the right direction. If your small business doesn’t have the budget for a big IT department, antivirus software will at least help to protect you from the most common threats to your business.

WHAT IS THE BEST BUSINESS ANTIVIRUS?

Now that you understand the importance of having antivirus software, you’re probably wondering which one to choose. There are many options out there, both free and paid, but we’ll walk you through some of the best antivirus software for small businesses and which one may be right for you.

Free vs. Paid Antivirus Software

Finding the best antivirus software for your business can be daunting, and this raises many questions. Is free software good enough to protect your business? What’s the best business antivirus software for your company? Will paying money for software help better protect your business? These are all valid questions, but there is no straightforward answer—it all comes down to what kind of protection your company needs.

For example, if you own a small business and only have one or two computers with sensitive content on them, utilizing free software and educating staff on smart security procedures may be the answer for you. Programs such as Windows Defender, Avast!, AVG, or Malwarebytes, are good examples of free software that can be used for small businesses or your personal computer. Just be aware that some of the free programs are only licensed for personal use.

On the other hand, if you work with dozens of clients and multiple computers with highly sensitive or financial information, you will want to consider paying for the extra features that come with certain antivirus programs. Having things like spam filters, advanced firewalls, and more detailed scanning may help keep your business more secure. Most of these programs also have free trials so you can always test out which ones you prefer before making a purchase. A few popular choices include, McAfee, BitDefender, Norton, or Symantec and are some of the best PC antivirus programs out there.

The main difference in free versus paid software is that you’re going to get different types of features and security depending on the program that you go with. Do research on each one and see what will work best for you. Just remember that no matter what you choose, any software is better than none.

ARE YOU READY FOR IMPROVED INTERNET SECURITY?

At the end of the day, the best antivirus for your business is the one you don’t have to worry about. If you’re still not sure what to do about antivirus software and internet security, consider working with an IT service provider like Webcare Global Solution. 

(This article was adapted from its author)

WHAT IS THE DARK WEB, AND WHY SHOULD YOUR BUSINESSES CARE?

By now, you have likely heard of the Dark Web. Linked to an ever-expanding list of high profile data breaches, identity theft, and other criminal activity, it’s a trending topic on news reports and technical blogs.

But what is the Dark Web, really? And is it different from the so-called Deep Web?
Are these shadowy corners of the internet something to actually worry about, or is the media making a big deal over nothing?

Because the Dark Web is so misunderstood by average technology users and remains a haven for cybercriminals looking to make a buck off of illegal goods like lists of stolen credit card numbers, it is critical that small business owners and managers understand the threats these criminals pose.

Here are some basics on what you absolutely need to know about the Dark Web and how you can keep your business safe.

YOU CAN’T SEARCH THE DARK WEB

One answer to the question, “what is the Dark Web?” is that it’s a collection of websites not “crawled” or indexed by traditional search engines like Google and Bing. That means you can’t search it or even locate it without a bit of effort and technical know-how.dark web search

The Dark Web exists beyond the edges of the traditional internet, and you can only access it with specialized browser software designed to encrypt and obscure user activity.

Because of its anonymous nature, the Dark Web makes it easy for criminals to hide and transact illegal business with much less risk of getting caught by law enforcement or government authorities. Tracking individual users is challenging at best, and the Dark Web itself morphs and changes as different marketplaces get taken down – sometimes in highly publicized FBI raids – and others crop up to take their places.

THE DEEP WEB VS. THE DARK WEB

If anonymity and encryption online cause all these problems, why not just eliminate them? The problem is that we need them to transact real (non-criminal) business like banking and online shopping.

That’s where the Deep Web comes in. Also not indexed by search engines, the Deep Web or “invisible web,” is mostly used for harmless, everyday work and commerce. It actually makes up about 90% of the internet. Everything from test websites used by web designers to your bank accounts to your business’s cloud storage solutions makes up the Deep Web.

Confusingly, the Dark Web is also part of the Deep Web, and this leads people to sometimes use the names interchangeably. As we’ve shown, they are not the same thing.

THE INTERNET IS LIKE A CITY…

One way to better understand how these two areas of the web relate to one another is to imagine a real city. There are public spaces that anyone can visit like stores and museums – that’s similar to the traditional “visible” internet. Search engines are like a map to these places.

Next, there are the office buildings and private homes that make up most of the city environment.  You can’t go to these places unless you have some authorization (you live there, work there, are a member of a club, are visiting friends, etc.), and you likely need a key or permission from the building’s owner or manager to get access. That’s the Deep Web – mostly accessible with passwords and other login credentials.

The Dark Web is like those hidden spaces that exist in real-life cities where people go to do illegal activities like selling drugs and trading stolen goods. As an average, law-abiding citizen, you probably realize these places are nearby, but you likely don’t know how to access them (nor would you want to). These dark nooks and crannies are a small percentage of the space in most cities, just as the Dark Web does not occupy all that much of the Deep Web or the wider internet itself.

WHY IS THE DARK WEB SO DANGEROUS

The main problem with the Dark Web is that the criminals who hang out there don’t just stay there. Like thieves in the physical world, hackers and cybercriminals prey on innocent victims throughout the larger “city” of the internet.

However, because the Dark Web is anonymous, in operation 24/7, and technically connected to everything on the internet, it represents a much bigger threat than real life criminals, who are limited by physical world barriers like surveillance systems, transportation challenges, the presence of police, and time.

Those barriers – including the amount of time it takes to launch large numbers of attacks simultaneously – don’t limit cybercriminals. And unfortunately, small businesses are the easiest, most profitable targets.

I’M NOT A CRIMINAL, WHY SHOULD I CARE ABOUT THE DARK WEB?

According to survey data from Travelers, a major provider of cyber insurance, 1 in 5 businesses experienced a data breach or other cyberattack last year, the rate of which had doubled since 2015. Cybercrime is on the rise, and it’s almost certain that your business will experience a breach in the not-distant future. In fact, in that same survey, 52% of business leaders indicated that they believed their business would be victimized by cybercriminals, yet they hadn’t yet taken productive steps to mitigate their risk – that’s scary!

Small businesses are at particular risk because hackers know that these organizations are less likely to have invested in cybersecurity resources and training for their employees. Both time and budgets are often spread too thin, which means there are simply fewer people with the capability to prevent a cyberattack in these organizations, making your company’s data an easy target.

HOW CAN I PROTECT MY BUSINESS?

Luckily, there is much you can do to defend your business from inevitable cyberattacks. Investing in ongoing cybersecurity testing and training for your employees is a great first step, as we mentioned.

This includes teaching your team to use strong passwords and good password hygiene, among other technical skills, and assuring that everyone knows how to spot phishing attempts and malicious emails.

Dark Web monitoring is a newer tool that scans the Dark Web for your information and alerts you to potential breaches or stolen information without you having to venture into that shadowy world yourself. The best way to get access to Dark Web monitoring and other proactive cybersecurity measures for your smaller business is to contract with an MSP, or managed IT service provider, in your local area.

Here in Nigeria, Webcare Global Solution is ready to help you keep your business safe from Dark Web threats and other cybercrime. Give us a call today to receive a friendly quote and learn how we can help you protect your data, your employees, and your business.

If you are in the UK, you can contact EZ Computer Solutions in Lancaster for Professional Consultation.

(This article is adapted from its original author)

Next Whatsapp Update Could Change Cross-Platform Behavior

WhatsApp is planning to roll out a major new update that will finally make it possible to use across multiple phones and devices, according to a new leak.

The latest version of the popular messaging app will transform WhatsApp into a truly multi-platform experience that will allow users to switch seamlessly between their iPad, smarphone and desktop computer when sending and receiving messages.

Until now, WhatsApp accounts have been linked to a single phone number, meaning it was only possible to have one standalone app on a single device. This meant using WhatsApp on computers would require users to link it to the original device’s account.

The new upgrade will mean WhatsApp will work in a similar way to other apps like Facebook, where users can use the same login details across devices, download standalone versions of the app on any and all of their devices and have messages sync between them all.

The latest WhatsApp rumour comes courtesy of WaBetaInfo, who claim the new capabilities are currently under development.

The news site explained how the new system would sync all of the apps across various devices so that the latest messages appear on every version of the app, while security is also expected to be taken into consideration.

“With the new system, WhatsApp is also improving their end-to-end encryption, because probably something needs to be changed, [as] the messages must be sent to more devices,”

“Note that this is also the reason why WhatsApp for iPad was not released yet, even though it’s ready.”

The exact release date of the latest update for WhatsApp is not yet known, though it is expected to arrive in the coming months.

Other upcoming features for WhatsApp include pinned alerts for issues, as well as the removal of a shortcut that allows users to save and export the profile picture of their contacts.

WhatsApp does not comment on unreleased features of the app but both of these upgrades are pegged to arrive with the next official version of the app, called 2.19.80.

Next year, WhatsApp is also anticipated to merge its messaging services with other Facebook-owned apps, including Instagram and Messenger.

Facebook confirmed the merger in January, claiming it will offer “the best messaging experiences” for its billions of users around the world.

THE INDEPENDENT