Protection from online threats should form the bedrock of any company’s IT security policy. If you are not sufficiently protected, hackers can gain access to your systems and retrieve information without you even realising it has happened. Unexpected viruses are not only inconvenient and time-consuming to deal with, they can also lead to breaches of user data or periods of downtime which can permanently damage the reputation and standing of a business.
Antivirus is essential for all businesses, whether you are a sole trader with a single laptop or a multinational corporation with its own data centres and offices in different continents.
Carden IT Services is an official partner of several leading antivirus providers and each of our clients will have their own dedicated account manager who works with our cyber-defence team to determine which antivirus software and configuration will offer the maximum protection for their network.
Network antivirus software is distinct from endpoint security, which focuses on securing individual machines within your organisation. Network antivirus also tracks data and files as it travels across your network and can be more effective at preventing malware from spreading.
The advanced scanning architecture of enterprise-grade antivirus programmes are regularly updated. This helps you stay protected from the estimated 300 million new varieties of malware that appear online every year.
We Use iMacs - Does My Business Need Antivirus?
The short answer is… yes! While Apple devices tend to be targeted less than Window’s PCs they are by no means immune to viruses. More and more malware targeting iMacs and Macbooks is detected every year and an “it’s safe for now” attitude has led to industries which rely primarily on Apple devices to become complacent.
In January 2019 a piece of malware knowns as CookieMiner was found to have been secretly using the processing power of infected iMacs to mine cryptocurrency in the background – this both slowed the infected machines down and led to them generating income for criminal enterprises. Worse yet, it was able to gain access to the infected user’s crypto wallets (if any) and drain the funds inside.
So, do you need antivirus if you only use iMacs? Yes!
What Does Network Antivirus Software Do?
- Blocks connections to dangerous website domains.
- Prevents users from downloading potentially malicious code.
- Wide-ranging virus removal and deletion of potentially harmful applications and files.
- Encrypts specified folders to protect from external threats such as ransomware.
- Automatically scans files and cross-references with regularly updated databases of known malware.
- Limits access to external devices (such as external hard drives and USB sticks).
- Prevents the installation of unwanted or unknown applications without additional permission.