As one of Orlando’s leading IT Support companies, we are often asked to recommend what product is best for protecting an organizations network. Managed IT support providers all agree that the biggest threats can be inadvertent execution of malware by an organizations employees.
Ransomware attacks are on the rise around the world and we are seeing a major spike in phishing attempts. Spam filters are reporting alarming numbers of attempts to infect systems. So, what are the best tools to use to protect your organization?
No one tool can catch everything, which is why IT security experts recommend a layered approach. To understand this recommendation, let’s look at what we are protecting ourselves from:
⇒Ransomware puts a password on all your files accessible throughout the network, therefore locking you out until you pay their ransom. Even if paid, there is no guarantee they will give you the password.
⇒Viruses are pieces of code that can damage your computer, either by corrupting your system or destroying data.
⇒Malware, is malicious software, including Trojans, spyware, worms, adware, ransomware, and yes, viruses.
If Aristotle would have lived to become an IT expert, he would tell us that all viruses are malware, but not all malware are viruses.
Antivirus typically deals with the legacy threats, such as viruses, Trojans, and worms. Anti-malware secures systems from newer threats like malware and anti-malware companies release malware updates faster than antivirus software. This means that anti-malware is the best protection against the latest threats we encounter on the internet, and anti-virus is the best protection for legacy threats such as a virus from a DVD, USB, or email attachment.
In short, what differentiates anti-malware and anti-virus companies are what they specialize in protecting us from, and how they deal with those associated threats. Your best protection against ransomware, is a solid backup solution as described here.
The best solution is to use an anti-virus program to catch classic threats and anti-malware for the newer, more advanced threats. Most anti-malware and anti-virus solutions are designed to work well together, but it is not advised to run two anti-virus or anti-malware programs on the same machine.
Still have questions, or looking for the best IT security solutions for your company? Let us know and our Orlando based IT experts will help to ensure that your systems are safe, secure, and ready to respond to any situation that may arise.
