Report: Antivirus software falling short
June 22, 2010 by Sam NarisiPosted in: In this week's e-newsletter, Security
Businesses rely pretty heavily on antivirus software to keep their networks safe. But is that software doing a good enough job?
No, according to a recent study.
The first problem: speed. Antivirus programs take an average of two days to start blocking new malware, according to a report from NSS Labs, which tested security software suites against new malware found on the Internet.
Given that as many as 50,000 new pieces of malware appear every day, two days is plenty of time for hackers to do their dirty work.
Some programs are better than others at blocking new malware, but none provide a complete defense. The best programs are 98% accurate when it comes to fresh viruses, according to a recent study by research lab AV-Test.org.
That sounds like a good stat, but consider this: For every 100 machines on your network, an average of two of them won’t detect a new piece of malware.
This doesn’t doesn’t mean up-to-date antivirus programs aren’t a good defense against malware — it just means they shouldn’t be a company’s only defense.
Businesses’ security plans should also include:
- Educating users – The best way to keep malware off your network is to keep users from visiting malicious sites in the first place. Train folks to recognize new threats, such as Trojan horses disguised as legitimate software updates.
- Securing browsers – Most browsers today include their own antimalware controls. Make sure you’re running the most up-to-date versions to take advantage of those features.
- Network monitoring – Once cyberthieves gain access to a network, they’ll start pulling down large amounts of valuable data. Monitor you’re network for unusual traffic patterns.
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