Do you need anti-virus software anymore?

One of the more difficult questions I get from customers nowadays is whether or not they need anti-virus software on their computer anymore. Gone are the days of “viruses” and instead you have password stealing malware or ransomware or some other kind of “ware”. The days of pop-ups and junk software are mostly gone. They have been replaced with new kinds of cyber attacks that don’t rely on taking over your computer. Instead, they rely on you making mistakes on the internet.

But none of this really answers the overall question - Do you even need anti-virus software anymore?
The answer is maybe.
I know, this isn’t a satisfying answer. I’m sorry.

Built-In Protections for Your System

Windows 10 comes pre-installed with Windows Security. A free suite of tools that regularly run threat scans and ensure you have good default security settings enabled for your computer. For the most part, these tools provided for free from Microsoft do a perfectly fine job. You get real time threat protection and regular updates on new, emerging threats. There are even ransomware protections included for free, check out: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/4013550/windows-protect-your-pc-from-ransomware for more details.

Internet Protection

In this area, it’s best to make sure your browser is getting regular updates. If you use Chrome or Firefox, this happens automatically. If you use Edge/Chromium Edge or Internet Explorer, these updates happen whenever your computer checks in with Windows Update. Keeping your browser up-to-date ensures your browser is patched against known security flaws.

Secondly, it’s in your best interest to install an Ad-Blocker. You do not need to block advertisements if you like to support your favorite creator/website/organization, but you can ensure you are blocking known malware and virus related domains and ads. Almost all ad-blockers allow you to pick what things you choose to block, and at a bare minimum, you should block malware-related items. This protects your browser from even loading content from a website or domain that has been known to peddle problematic advertisements. 

Malwarebytes has a wonderful article on setting up a handful of ad-blockers for your browser, check it out: https://blog.malwarebytes.com/security-world/2018/07/how-to-block-ads-like-a-pro/

Scams/Phishing

Unfortunately, this problem is hard to protect from a software perspective. Most scams and phishing attacks rely on convincing someone a website is legitimate while being fake. There are browser extensions like Web of Trust (WOT): https://www.mywot.com/ that may help slightly, but they are also potentially an invasion of your internet privacy. Use these kinds of tools at your own discretion.

Generally speaking, being extra cautious when entering credit cards and personal information on the internet can be just as good a solution as the best anti-scam software out there. Always double-check the URL of the website you are entering a password on and confirm it matches with what you expect. If a website is asking you to call a phone number for support, it is more likely than not a scam.

But what you do you do when you get malware on your computer without traditional anti-virus?

Yep, it still happens. Eventually, you may accidentally install some junk software that is showing you pop-up ads or asking you to buy garbage software every 15 minutes. In these cases, you can install a free anti-virus software to do a quick clean-up.

I have always recommended Malwarebytes: https://www.malwarebytes.com/for-home/products/ whenever I’ve needed to clean-up a messy malware situation. They offer a completely free version that you can run a scan, clean-up the mess, and completely remove the tool afterwards. Many other anti-virus vendors offer similar tools or offer a limited trial period where you can do the same idea.

The bottom line - Can you get by without buying anti-virus?

Absolutely.

Use the built-in Windows Security center in Windows 10 as a system-level real time protection tool.

Keep your browser up-to-date. Install an ad-blocker (block malware domains at a bare minimum).

Be careful on the internet and try to avoid scams and phishing. Always double check the website you are on and remember that government agencies will not redirect you to a website that asks you to call a phone number (this is always a scam).

And when everything fails, you can always clean-up most malware messes with a free tool (then remove it later).

Thanks for reading this far. Have follow-on questions? Feel free to leave a comment below.

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