Are AntiVirus Software Really Necessary?

Lately, there's been talk about how AV software are becoming redundant or obsolete. Most of us accustomed with the World Wide Web will know that the Internet is a Wild Wild West, riddled with exploits especially targeted to Windows users. The proliferation of malware, ransomware, trojans contributes to sleepless nights. Then came Windows Defender; Microsoft's build in threat protection center for modern day Windows Operating System. It offers AV protection with cloud definition updates, automatic sampling submission and real time threat protection. So why do we need AVs anymore?

Well, for starters, there are dozens of AV companies, each has its own distinct virus pattern definitions. Therefore, just because Windows Defender is able to detect a malware, doesn't mean the other AVs out there can't or can. Having multiple layers of protection from different perspective is advantageous, as it offers a more comprehensive solution. As malware changes its pattern, the definition update of each AV company will have to adapt.

This doesn't mean you have to install 5 different AVs on your machine, it just means that you have more choices when selecting an appropriate AV software for your environment. If all AV companies went out of business, we'll have to rely on solely on Windows Defender and the world will be a dangerous place! Imagine that, and if MS failed to detect it, who will?!

So peeps, don't give up with using AV software, a little piece of mind goes a long way. Always practice safe browsing habits. Don't click on unknown links, especially shorten links that you can't clearly distinct its origin. Most people do not comprehend the danger in clicking on unknown links. The danger lies in the code that get executed after the click, if the user is running as a high privilege user, the malicious code will inherit the same privilege. Also, if the host software has a vulnerability, the malicious code can take advantage of it to run arbitrary commands, such elevating its privilege to admin or root, shutting down personal firewalls, embedding malicious malware, etc.

It is worthy to note that cyber attacks are now targeting the client instead of the servers. Back in the days, most information were stored on servers and data transfered to clients upon request but with the proliferation of cloud computing, data now resides everywhere, lots of it cached on the client machine! Most major cloud servers have default security mechanisms that make it difficult to breach, leaving the weakest link still in the human factor. It is way easier to trick a user into clicking a malicious link than hacking amazon or google cloud servers.

So, if you ask me, AVs are still important but is by no means the end of all solutions to the problem. As AV softwares continue to evolve and offer threat analysis and protection, user education is still vital in ensuring data stays secure and AV software is like a babysiter, warning users of risky behaviour.

Remember, security is everyone's responsibility.