Do I need anti-virus software?

In our last blog we outlined The benefits of Cloud Hosting, and because people found it so useful, we decided to do a similar post that highlights the importance of having adequate Anti-Virus protection.

As part of our IT services in Manchester, we offer many services, including anti-virus protection. Anyone who is familiar with the internet knows it’s not a particularly safe place, however, a lot of these people still don’t see the need to have quality Anti-Virus protection. Both individuals and companies need to have protection with the risks of not having it increasing with the size of your business.

Here are just a few reasons why every company should have Anti-Virus protection.

• Protection from Viruses

Viruses are common types of attacks used and most people think that they can spot the attack before it does any damage. Whilst a lot of people assume they know better than to download suspicious files or follow dodgy links to phishing websites, hackers get smarter every day and find new ways of infiltrating your system. Some even pose as legitimate anti-virus software. Once the virus has “infected” your computer system it can wreak havoc; causing file loss, slowing your whole processing system down and eventually costing you thousands of pounds to repair. A lot of the time you can never recover files that have been lost which is even worse.

• Protection from Spyware and Identity Theft

Spyware is as sinister as it sounds – yes it actually spies on you. Crafty spyware can steal all of your personal information, such as financial data, passwords, and credit card numbers. Once it has this it can lead to identity theft and/or money being lost from accounts. This can happen to anyone, but businesses are specifically at risk which can cause a massive headache for everyone involved.

• Protection from Spam

A bit of spam might not sound like such a bad thing, however a flooded inbox could be the sign that a severe virus has burrowed its way into your computer. Plus, if your inbox is constantly full of spam it may mean you’re missing vital emails and not getting access to important information.

Our anti-virus software that we have as part of our IT services in Manchester protects against all three of these kinds of attacks.