Traditional antivirus software may struggle to keep up with the modern threat landscape. Free versions of these software programs may lull users into a false sense of security. Think of your cybersecurity defenses like a castle on a hill. The keeper of the castle wouldn't rely solely on a moat to defend the grounds. There needs to be walls, bridges, and other obstacles to check and defend potential threats. Here are some of the most common antivirus software and where they succeed - and fail:
| Software Name | Pros | Cons |
| Microsoft Defender (built into Windows) |
Strong baseline protection, especially when paired with updates and basic hardening |
Free and pre-deployed, on the Operating System, but often under-configured and rarely monitored (used in reactive situations.) |
| Bitdefender (Business & Consumer) |
Excellent detection rates and behavior analysis |
Requires delicate policy tuning to be effective in business environments |
| Avast / AVG (Free & Paid) | Popular, highly rated free options for individuals and very small teams | Limited business controls and reporting in free tiers |
| Norton | Real-time protection against viruses and malware | Can be expensive and cause performance issues on some machines |
| McAfee | Includes password manager, VPN, and malware protection | Expensive introductory pricing |
As we can see, many of these pieces of software are much more robust than they were in years past. Still, they offer a limited scope when it comes to protection against the wide swath of attacks. Antivirus scans and software struggle against social engineering, phishing, and zero days attacks.
Additional layers of security are necessary to use in conjunction with antivirus software. Whether it's a cloud based scanning system or subscription service, consider using the following tools to bolster your cybersecurity defenses:
| Name | Use Description |
|
Network firewalls (hardware, software, or cloud based) |
Control inbound/outbound traffic, block known malicious IPs, and reduce exposure |
| DNS filtering and web protection Examples include Cloudflare Gateway, Cisco Umbrella, Quad9 (free) |
Stops users from reaching known malicious or phishing domains before damage occurs |
| Email security filtering Examples include Microsoft Defender for Office 365, Proofpoint, Mimecast |
Blocks phishing, malicious attachments, and spoofed emails |
| Browser extensions that reduce attack surface Examples include uBlock Origin, Privacy Badger, Microsoft Defender Browser Protection |
Limit malicious ads, trackers, and known bad sites that lead to credential theft |
| Multi-factor authentication (MFA) Examples include Microsoft Authenticator, Duo, Google Authenticator, Authy. Many sites and services offer their own MFA system. |
Prevents attackers from accessing systems even when antivirus misses potential threats |
| Password managers Examples include 1Password, Bitwarden, Proton Pass. Some antivirus like McAfee offer built in password managers. |
Reduce login and password reuse, one of the most common root causes of breaches |
Cybersecurity is about defense in depth. Using defensive tools and tactics to create layered security. Not only is this a deterrent to particular threats, it slows down would-be attackers once they have decided to take action and attempt to breach your system.
Antivirus is a necessary component in your defensive arsenal, but unfortunately, it is no longer sufficient on its own. Real peace of mind comes from layered protections that recognize we’re all human and that mistakes will happen. Smaller organizations don’t need giant enterprise budgets, but they do deserve thoughtfully designed security that protects the people and work they care about most.
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