The Growing Threat Landscape
As our lives become increasingly connected through technology, the threat from cybercriminals is also growing at an alarming rate. Hackers and malware creators are constantly evolving their tactics to take advantage of vulnerabilities and target personal information like login credentials, banking details, and confidential files. According to a study by McAfee, there were over 1.1 billion new malware threats detected in 2020 alone. With more devices joining networks and connecting to the internet every day, the exposed attack surface is wider than ever before. Whether it's laptops, smartphones, IoT gadgets or connected home appliances, leaving an internet-connected device unprotected is like leaving the front door wide open for cyber threats.
The Rise of Ransomware and other Major Threats
Internet Security Software is threat growing rapidly in sophistication and impact is ransomware. These malicious programs encrypt users' files and demand payment in cryptocurrency to restore access. In 2020 alone, ransomware attacks became more widespread and destructive than ever before, with high-profile incidents targeting hospitals, schools, and other critical infrastructure. Other evolving threat types include phishing scams, malware like worms and trojans, hacker attacks, and botnets created from large numbers of infected devices. With cybercrime now a multi-billion dollar criminal industry, bad actors will continue devising ingenious new ways to compromise systems and steal valuable information. Having robust security protection is no longer a 'nice to have', but a necessity in the current digital landscape.
Features to Look for in Effective Security Software
When evaluating internet security options, there are certain key functions that experts recommend including:
- Antivirus/antimalware scanning to detect and remove existing viruses, worms, trojans and other malware. Look for solutions with multiple antivirus engines and cloud-based threat databases that are constantly updated.
- Firewall to monitor and control inbound/outbound traffic, blocking unauthorized access from untrusted sources. An intelligent firewall learns your network behavior to enhance protection.
- Anti-phishing capabilities like URL checking and email scanning help identify and warn of credential-stealing phishing scams.
- Real-time protection provides an extra layer of monitoring that can catch new/unknown threats in action and roll back malicious changes or activity.
- Software updates that are installed automatically to patch vulnerabilities as they are discovered. Up-to-date security is critical against modern cybercriminals.
- Parental controls allow limiting screen time, blocking inappropriate content and monitoring messaging/browsing activity for children using the network.
- Backup and recovery tools safeguard users by automatically backing up files to the cloud or an external drive in case of a ransomware incident etc.
- Password managers create and store strong, unique passwords to replace weak, reused credentials across multiple accounts and platforms.
- VPN connectivity provides additional security and privacy when connecting over public/untrusted networks through data encryption and hiding the user's true IP address and location.
Popular Choices and Unique Features
While all major security suites deliver essential protection, certain brands have expanded their capabilities with unique value-added features.
Norton 360 Deluxe, a top-rated all-in-one solution from Symantec, includes 50GB of cloud backup, a password manager, secure VPN, and Dark Web Monitoring to alert you if your information is found posted online.
McAfee Total Protection goes beyond virus/malware protection to offer parental controls, online security advice, safe Wi-Fi detection and optimization tools to improve device performance.
Kaspersky Total Security stands out with exceptional ransomware defeat tools like Kaspersky Anti-Ransomware, File Restore from Quarantine and Spam/Web Anti-Phishing.
Bitdefender Total Security provides advanced AI-based technologies for detecting even unseen cyberthreats in real-time. Its residential firewall also secures all your devices under one license.
ESET Smart Security Premium offers behavior-based heuristics and an interactive ransomware simulator to help train users not to click on simulated attacks. Its Gamer Mode optimizes system resources for smooth gameplay.
The Verdict: Make Protection a Priority
With cybercrime remaining prevalent and criminals evolving their tactics quickly, having comprehensive internet security software from a reputable vendor is a necessity rather than an option. While free alternatives can provide basic protection, robust paid solutions offer valuable extra features and layers of defense that are well worth the investment compared to the costs of data loss or device damage from malware infections. Make protection a priority in 2021 by selecting and installing a full-featured internet security package covering all your online devices and proactively defending you from emerging online threats.
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About Author:
Ravina Pandya, Content Writer, has a strong foothold in the market research industry. She specializes in writing well-researched articles from different industries, including food and beverages, information and technology, healthcare, chemical and materials, etc. (https://www.linkedin.com/in/ravina-pandya-1a3984191)
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