Best Antivirus Software For Small To Medium Businesses

Businesses move mountains of data in and out of their computer systems daily. A significant percentage of that data is sensitive information that can halt company operations if lost or tampered with. It stands to reason that there should be some form of protection from any internal or external threats. According to the Business Continuity Institute, cybersecurity threats are the gravest problems businesses face today. 

Business-grade antivirus software offers advanced features that make it efficient as your first line of defense against hackers and malware. Most small businesses tend to trivialize the threat of a cyberattack. Only 2% view cyberattacks as a significant threat, but some hackers specifically target small businesses because of their less than satisfactory cybersecurity solutions. 

Wondering which antivirus software to pick? Read on as we discuss our best picks.

What Is Antivirus Software?

Antivirus software is installed into a computer system for the sole purpose of protecting your computer from malware, ransomware, phishing attacks, and other types of cyberattacks. Businesses have sensitive data that they need to protect, which makes it a necessity to use antivirus software. Antivirus software works by scanning every file that is downloaded or uploaded to your server and blocking any infected or suspicious files. Antivirus software also scans files that are already in your computer system for any anomalies. 

IT services companies like Silverstone Technology group will help you to come up with a cybersecurity protection system that best suits your needs.

How Does A Virus Work?

A computer virus can easily replicate itself. It ‘piggybacks’ onto documents and attaches its code to existing computer programs. A computer virus is essentially a malicious code that is designed to change the way your computer system operates. 

A virus can be designed to have different effects on your computer system. Hackers can use malware to weaken a business’s security. Once security is weakened, hackers can use company systems as a tool to carry out attacks on your partners. Malware can also be used to infiltrate company systems and block access to important data. Hackers will only give you the key to access your data if you have met their demands and paid a ransom. Cisco’s 2017 Annual Cybersecurity Report stated that 38% of companies that experienced security breaches lost 20% of their revenue. 

Now let’s discuss our top antivirus software picks for small to medium businesses, starting with our best overall pick.

Avast Business Antivirus Pro

Avast business antivirus pro comes with advanced features that protect your business from different types of malware. Avast constantly scans for vulnerabilities in your tech stack and it also comes equipped with a Wi-Fi scanner that isolates any vulnerabilities in your business network. You can also customize your data protection to suit your needs.

Avast comes equipped with a behavior shield that acts as protection against unauthorized access requests and detects any suspicious activity. Avast has a cutting-edge feature that scans all files that are downloaded or uploaded to your servers. The Data Shredder prevents any deleted data from falling into the wrong hands by overwriting all deleted data and making file recovery impossible.

AVG Antivirus Business Edition

AVG Antivirus business edition is a perfect fit for small businesses. AVG offers complete protection against different types of malware. A notable feature is that AVG has an identity protection feature. This feature is invaluable for businesses that process a lot of personal client data and need to take extra precautions to protect it. 

AVG gives you the option to manage your online security remotely, from anywhere. It comes with a Field Shield that alerts you in case of security breaches and eliminates malware from your computers as soon as it is detected. AVG also has a feature that scans all files that are downloaded or uploaded to your server, and it also scans outgoing and incoming mail. If you need to permanently delete files, AVG has a feature that overwrites any file of your choice and permanently makes it inaccessible to hackers.

ESET Endpoint Security

ESET has multiple layers of protection, each as efficient as the last. Continuous scanning for viruses eliminates or quarantines any threats before damage can be done. ESET can easily be deployed from one console and it can be managed either from the business premises or from the cloud. You have the option to customize your security solution to suit your needs. 

 

ESET has different packages that offer different levels of protection from malware and you can select the best option for your business. The protect complete package offers everything from endpoint protection to mail security. ESET doesn’t just offer protection for computers, it also offers mobile security and protection for smartphones and tablets.



Panda Endpoint Protection Plus

Panda EndPoint Protection plus is the best option for small businesses that need flexibility plus an array of suitable options to pick from. This antivirus software comes equipped with Wi-Fi scanning and internet protection to secure your business network. It also blocks any suspicious or unknown links or websites and scans all incoming and outgoing emails. The only downside is that your system can become slightly sluggish if you are using multiple temporary resources. 

Panda EndPoint protection gives you the option to launch remotely and you can also pick between cloud and on-premise hosting. For small businesses, cloud hosting is the best option. This is because on-premise hosting demands that you have more equipment and more IT specialists in-house, which is quite costly. Centralized management makes it possible for you to oversee network operations, assess usage reports for individual computers, and customize security policies. 

Best Overall- Bitdefender GravityZone Business Security

Bitdefender provides efficient and trusted protection against all forms of malware and it regularly ranks at number one in independent security tests. You can install Bitdefender into your computer systems remotely, which saves valuable time and makes for effortless deployment. 

 

Bitdefender constantly carries out vulnerability assessments and will alert you if there are any security breaches. In case of a threat, Bitdefender immediately terminates the threat and takes measures to minimize damage through quarantine. You can also use a single computer as a control center and manage antivirus deployment and distribution in your company from just one device. 

 

Bitdefender protects your company against all types of malware including ransomware, phishing, trojans, spyware, and more. Initial files are continuously backed up to reduce the risk of your business losing money as a result of ransomware. Its machine learning techniques and behavioral analysis make it possible to spot unusual usage patterns and prevent any potential internal threats.

Protect Your Business From Malicious Threats

Every business, small or medium, is at risk of cyberattacks. As our world becomes more digitized, the need to protect businesses from malicious threats becomes more and more crucial. Protect your business and secure your data with some of the options we have discussed above and rest easy.

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