Last month, the U.S. Department of Commerce announced a ban on Kaspersky software. ZDNET’s Lance Whitney reports that starting September 29, Kaspersky will no longer be able to provide antivirus signature updates and code updates for banned products to U.S. customers.
When I read the news, I was as shocked as anyone. Did someone accidentally press a button that sent us back to 1999? Do people still pay for third-party antivirus software?
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Sure people do, but finding reliable information on the antivirus software market in 2024 is a matter of luck. Most of the data I found came from the software developers, which is not the most reliable source.
Antivirus software by the numbers
all Recent research from Security.org Some figures for the US market have emerged that seem credible. According to the survey, about 54% of Americans use the default virus protection that comes with their devices, while 46% use a third-party antivirus program.
But of those who take the trouble to install the extra protection, only half (33 million households) pay for the privilege. Norton and McAfee account for 52% of paying customers, while Kaspersky has just 4% of the market. If those numbers are accurate, 1.3 million Americans could seek refunds from Kaspersky later this year.
And here’s what particularly stood out to me in that report:
Older Americans are much more likely to use third-party antivirus programs and pay for software. People over 65 are twice as likely to subscribe to a paid antivirus service than people under 45.
This demographic is still more likely to pay for a landline, and the odds of you getting stuck behind a 65+ person writing a check at the grocery store are, by my estimation, about a million times greater than your chances of getting one. You will experience the same thing as anyone under 45 years of age.
Full disclosure here: I’m in the 65+ demographic, have gray hair, and haven’t used a third-party antivirus software in decades. But my silver-haired colleagues still pay for it. Why? For the same reason they still listen to AM radio. It’s what they grew up with, and it makes them feel comfortable.
It’s also a huge waste of money.
How to secure your technology in 2024
Regardless of the category of device we’re talking about here, you’ll be fine with the basic protection included as part of the platform. On mobile devices (iOS or Android), this refers to the app store managed by the OS developer. XProtect anti-malware technology on Mac has been around for over 10 years and is effective against mainstream threats.
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And what about Windows? Microsoft Defender Antivirus, included with every Windows PC, regularly passes testing by third-party labs set up to measure the effectiveness of security software. The level-up process began about seven years ago and Microsoft solutions I regularly get scores between 99% and 100%. Since then, it has become just as effective as third-party competitors, whether free or paid.
And even that result understates the case.
In the early 21st century, when the Windows PC landscape was at its roughest and most obscure, most malware arrived on people’s PCs via email attachments or over the network. Today, these vectors have been effectively blocked. Automatic updates protect against newly discovered vulnerabilities. Modern email clients block all kinds of executable file attachments, including script-based files. And network firewalls have come a long way since 2002 (check the calendar). And according to recent tests, Microsoft Defender Effective at blocking all of the most common attack vectors. To prevent ransomware and information theft.
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On average, modern antivirus apps block 99.2% of the very few incoming threats that make it past other layers of protection. And even then, your instinct (“Don’t click that link!”) is also effective. This is why modern, fully patched consumer PCs are less likely to be targeted by criminal organizations responsible for the latest malware.
main target
Most attacks are launched by sophisticated criminal organizations, targeting businesses and exploiting vulnerabilities more likely to be in third-party software than in the operating system itself. Russian hackers Using SolarWinds Management Software Hack Microsoft and other high-value targets. There is a widely used app called MOVEit from Progress Software. Exploited in breaches affecting thousands of large corporations and government agencies It happened last year too, new vulnerability This was just reported.
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Shell. British Airways. BBC. Nova Scotia, Canada. These were not random PC users, but victims of the MOVEit attack. This is the target of today’s big cybercriminals. Signature-based antivirus apps do not provide protection against these targeted attacks. Instead, IT departments in large organizations need sophisticated network-based software that allows administrators to monitor for signs of intrusion in real time.
Small users are relatively well protected by basic security measures, because determined attackers see no financial benefit in picking off such weak victims. If you’re still paying for antivirus protection from Norton, McAfee, or Kaspersky on your home PC, it’s probably time to let that subscription expire. But if your workplace IT department tells you to install an endpoint monitoring app, take their word for it.
Make sure it’s not from Kaspersky.
