As the population of internet users continues to grow; so does the population of hackers who are attempting to glean private information via viruses and malware attacks. This means that the level of sophistication required to prevent these attacks has also elevated.
Coincidentally, this elevation has walked hand-in-hand with the rise of cloud-based applications; giving life to companies like MailGuard who provide anti-virus software through the cloud. And so the question arises - are cloud-based anti-virus systems replacing their traditional desktop counterparts?
Cloud-based AV software has several advantages over desktop. For one, the software is always up and running and your systems are updated in real-time without you even knowing. Cloud-based software will also scan in real-time and provide more accurate information and more comprehensive virus and malware detection for emails and websites. And because everything is provided and managed in the cloud, you don't have to worry about user behaviour; like someone forgetting to upgrade their software or run frequent scans. However, desktop software can still provide some beneficial features.
Desktop AV, as well as providing protection from harmful emails and websites, can prevent harmful viruses from being introduced internally into your business. This can be done by way of USB, external harddrive and anything else which connects to your business' computer system internally. Here at MailGuard we use desktop AV for that exact reason. Aside from this, it's really hard to picture a future where cloud-based applications do not become the dominant AV software.
In saying that, if you're an avid believer in desktop anti-virus then you have nothing to fear. The number of online hackers is ever-increasing which leaves a huge market for both cloud-based and desktop AV to co-exist. In fact, according to technology and research company Gartner, the security software market more than doubled from 2005 to 2010, and the trend has since continued. It is also important to note that, because data is stored externally, businesses have voiced concerns regarding the security of the cloud.
Cloud-based security applications undoubtedly have their advantages over traditional desktop anti-virus protection. However, with the cloud still being in its infancy, and businesses still having concerns about putting their faith in new technology, it seems there will be a place for desktop AV for at least the foreseeable future.
