Antivirus and Software Security
“If the maker of antivirus software wants to be successful, the software has to be as close to bulletproof as the maker can make it. Nothing is perfect; we certainly should understand at this point that no software can be proven bug free and that no security posture is 100% risk-free. Based on this statement,
- what do you think it could be better to improve the antivirus software?
- How safe do you feel to use antivirus software in your organization, and what other precautions do you use to prevent the virus, malware, etc.?”
Antivirus software makes use of suspicious behavior or signatures to protect against threats. It eliminates malicious attacks which could be responsible for the loss of data, slow computing, increased program time and other adverse effects. The effects of malicious software can be so profound, for example, an organization with a $ 1.5M annual fee which averages to approximately 750 per hour for a total of 50 weeks. Assuming that such an organization losses one hour per month as a result of network failures, slow computing or other technical problems caused by malware, this would cost the organization a total of about $9,000 per every financial year. Therefore, all the owners of the organization should conduct exposure analysis to ensure that their respective organizations’ systems are secure with regularly updated security measures.
In the above scenario, there are various ways to ensure that there is no loss of profit in such ways. Numerous products can be used to provide protection of antivirus software from many vendors or provide them as part of the services of Managed IT. The benefit of offering it as part of the Managed IT Services is that it will ensure that all the user signatures and licenses are always up to date. Secondly, it has the advantage of the availability of service delivery professionals who are competent enough to protect against impending attacks.
Antivirus is one of the numerous information technologies capable of affecting the productivity of small organizations. None the less, other threats such as data loss and other opportunities such as proper marketing of technology to increase sales, improve efficiency and increase productivity also exist. Some IT areas may appear small due to their limited impact; they all work together to achieve a common goal. Viral issues may seem to have little effect, but in the long run, they can be harmful. The key takeaway is that antivirus will protect suspicious behavior and other known threats. Without this crucial protection, there is a likelihood of poor performance and probable loss of data which can lead to reduced productivity. The main advantage of antivirus software is that it provides real time updates, protection, and in the event of an attack, it provides professionals to handle the problem. Therefore, it is essential to have the latest and best antivirus software. It will be better to improve the antivirus software by using more advanced software and personnel.
One’s general feeling is usually the best protection in as far as safety is concerned. I feel safe using antivirus software for protection against malware in my organization because I use it with smart malware penetration scanners and filters. However, there is other advanced antivirus software that provides all these services. Data protection from encryption is essential because it might provide a way for cybercriminals might request for money to reverse the process. Other security measures I take in my organization is avoiding clicking unnecessary email links instead use of the available personal email accounts is recommended. Clicking of web pop up messages and windows, especially those warning of an infected computer. I try to avoid any trash website and also avoid downloading files from spam emails.
“Since it is so dangerous, why would designers install software into the kernel at all (or make use of kernel software)?”
Even though it is very dangerous designers still install software into the kernel to gain all the privileges offered by the kernel. First, it can make modifications to the entire file system and enable access areas that inaccessible by other software installed in user modes. Second, kernel software is faster because it uses less software (Moltzau, 2019). Also, the kernel is used by designers because it is a one-piece of software; hence it tends to be small in the source form and the compiled form (Moltzau, 2019). Finally, the designers prefer using the kernel because it uses less code; hence it has fewer bugs, and as a result, it offers very few security problems (Moltzau, 2019).
If you were an antivirus designer or maker, what other methods do you utilize to prevent virus?
As a designer, there are so many methods to prevent viruses. First one can design firewalls which will act as computer gatekeepers and guard’s computer ports and network traffic (Moltzau, 2019). The other method of protecting my PC against viruses is by updating my operating system frequently. Also, setting up regular automatic scans plays a significant role in preventing viruses. Additionally, designing operating systems with inbuilt software that protect the PC against virus attacks is also an essential method of prevention against viruses. A good example is the Windows 10 that has inbuilt antivirus software which protects the PC against virus attacks.
With the current developments in technology, many security threats have come with it. Some of these threats include computer viruses, malware and spyware. It is, therefore, the responsibility of each individual and all the stakeholders of the organization to ensure their data security by coming up with the best security measures. One of these measures is by the installation of commercial antivirus software. Also, antivirus designers should come up with more advanced antivirus software that is affordable and do not require a regular update.
References
Moltzau, A. (2019). What is the Kernel?. Medium. Retrieved 6 August 2020, from https://towardsdatascience.com/what-is-a-kernel-7c532d5d3e56.
University of Helsinki. Protecting your computer from malware. Student’s digital skills. Retrieved 6 August 2020, from https://blogs.helsinki.fi/students-digital-skills/4-information-security-and-privacy-protection/4-2-protecting-yourself-from-threats/protecting-your-computer-from-malware/.