As a business leader, you're always looking for ways to increase
revenue, cut expenses and grow your bottom line. Implementing AI tools, shopping
services and running a more efficient operation are great ways to do that. One
place you do NOT want to cut corners is using free antivirus or firewall
software.
In today's blog, we'll share why
these seemingly helpful software solutions are a detriment to
your business and why a 10-minute call with our team might just be the best
investment you'll make this year.
Free software often lacks necessary features and is limited in what it can detect.
Free antivirus software and firewall
solutions can protect your business against some known viruses but not all of
them, and they likely won't have the ability to protect you against other
comprehensive threats, like malicious files, unknown or unidentified threats
and more. Cybercriminals are constantly rolling out new and "improved" viruses
to trick even the most robust security solutions, which makes it difficult to
believe that free, infrequently updated antivirus solutions could offer the
level of protection needed to keep you secure.
There's no such thing as a free lunch.
While free cybersecurity solutions
sound like a good way to save a few bucks, you have to stop and realize these
programs will make their money somewhere. The most common ways they make money
are through ads, sponsored recommendations and collecting and selling user
data. They collect and sell your personal information, like age and gender, and
installed apps, to third-party advertisers.
Some free solutions are already infected with malware.
Ironically, these free cybersecurity
tools can come with malware already installed to infect your computer upon
downloading them. It's also difficult to determine the difference between real
free software solutions and fake ones created by hackers looking to trick
unsuspecting business owners who hope to save a buck into downloading an
infected version that immediately opens up your network to them.
Free antivirus software is mostly reactive, detecting infections after they've happened.
The point of having cybersecurity
solutions is to try to prevent a data breach from occurring in the first place.
Most free solutions are reactive and won't keep unwanted intruders out; they
simply alert you when one has already breached your network. If you're going
with a free solution, make sure you have a robust recovery plan in place.
You'll likely need it.
Cybersecurity solutions are not as expensive as most business owners think and are more cost-effective than dealing with a data breach. If you have been using free antivirus or firewall software in your organization, it's time to level up. Our cybersecurity experts will provide you with a FREE Security Risk Assessment that will detail if and where you're vulnerable and what to do about it. Schedule yours today!
