Stop paying for antivirus software. Here’s why you don’t need it

In June, the US Department of Commerce announced a ban on Kaspersky software. As of September 29, ZDNET’s Lance Whitney reported, Kaspersky will no longer be able to provide its US customers with antivirus signature updates and code updates for the banned products.

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When I read this news, I was as shocked as everyone else. Did someone accidentally press a button that takes us back to 1999? Do people still pay for third-party antivirus software?

Apparently people do, but good luck finding reliable information about the antivirus software market in 2024. Most of the data I was able to uncover comes from the developers of said software, which is not the most reliable source.

Antivirus software in numbers

A recent survey by Security.org has revealed some numbers about the US market that seem credible. According to this survey, about 54% of Americans use the default antivirus that comes with their device, while 46% use third-party antivirus programs.

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Yet of those who install additional protection, only a little more than half (33 million households) pay for the privilege. Norton and McAfee together account for 52% of these paying customers, while Kaspersky accounts for just 4% of the market. If these numbers are accurate, 1.3 million Americans should be able to claim a refund from Kaspersky this year.

And here is the part of this report that caught my eye:

Older Americans are significantly more likely to use third-party antivirus programs and pay for the software. Those over 65 are twice as likely to subscribe to paid antivirus services as those under 45.

To be blunt, I’m in the 65+ age group, have gray hair, and haven’t used third-party antivirus software in decades. But my gray-haired peers still pay. Why? For the same reason they still use checkbooks. They grew up with it and are comfortable with it.

Plus, it’s a huge waste of money.

How to protect your technology in 2024

Regardless of which category of device we’re talking about here, you’ll probably be fine with the default protection that comes as part of the platform. On a mobile device (iOS or Android), that’s the app store, which the operating system developer manages. On a Mac, XProtect antimalware technology has been around for over a decade and is effective against common threats.

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And what about Windows? Microsoft Defender Antivirus, which is included with every Windows PC, has consistently aced tests conducted by third-party labs that measure the effectiveness of security software. The improvement process began about seven years ago, and since then, Microsoft’s solution has regularly scored between 99% and 100%, making it just as effective as free or paid third-party competitors.

And even this result is an understatement.

At the beginning of the 21st century, when the Windows PC landscape was at its wildest and most confusing, most malware arrived on users’ PCs as email attachments or over networks. Today, those vectors are effectively closed. Automatic updates protect against newly discovered vulnerabilities. Your modern email client blocks all kinds of executable file attachments, including script-based files. And network firewalls have come a long way since (check the calendar) 2002. And recent test results show that Microsoft Defender effectively blocks all common ransomware and data thief attack vectors.

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On average, a modern antivirus app will block 99.2% of the few incoming threats that get past the other layers of protection. And even then, your own instincts (“Don’t click that link!”) will take over. This is why the modern, fully patched consumer PC is not a real target of the criminal gangs responsible for modern malware.

The main objectives

Most attacks are launched by sophisticated criminal gangs and target companies, exploiting vulnerabilities found in third-party software rather than the operating system itself. Russian hackers used SolarWinds management software to hack Microsoft and other high-profile targets. A widely used app called MOVEit, made by Progress Software, was exploited in an attack that affected thousands of large companies and government agencies last year, and a new vulnerability was reported in June.

The victims of the MOVEit attack were Shell, British Airways, the BBC and the Canadian province of Nova Scotia, not random PC users. Today, major cybercriminals focus on these types of targets. A signature-based antivirus app does not provide protection against these targeted attacks. Instead, IT departments in large organizations need sophisticated network-based software that allows administrators to look for signs of intrusion in real time.

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Smaller users are reasonably well protected by standard security measures, mainly because determined attackers see no financial gain in targeting such puny victims. If you’re still paying Norton, McAfee, or Kaspersky for antivirus protection on your home PC, it’s time to let that subscription lapse. But if your IT department at work requires you to install an endpoint monitoring app, take them at their word.

Just make sure it’s not from Kaspersky.

This article was originally published on July 1, 2024 and last updated on August 26, 2024.