Posted: 21st January 2022
Previously known as Microsoft Security Essentials, Windows Defender has undeniably improved its cyber security capabilities over the years. The question is, is it good enough?
Windows Defender against malware
When put to the test against other anti virus solutions, Windows Defender has failed to block many viruses which other solutions have caught with ease. The most likely reason for this is the lack of updates issued to the Windows Defender database – it simply can’t keep up with the pace of cyber crime and the latest threats.
Sloppy permissions
Microsoft Defender allows you to list locations that should be excluded from malware scans, this prevents legitimate applications from being mistakenly identified as malware. This functionality is commonplace with anti virus solutions, however, the concern with Microsoft Defender is this list of locations is not protected.
Regardless of permissions, any local user can access the list, creating a huge vulnerability. A hacker needs only local access to get at this list of exclusions and they are armed with countless places to store and execute malware without triggering an alert during a security scan.
Real-time protection
Yes, Windows Defender offers you real-time protection and not just periodic scans. However, when you consider the fact that the database is behind the times with the latest cyber threats, this is not a selling point. Whilst it’s great that it can detect a virus or spyware immediately if the threat can’t be recognised, it’s really no use.
It’s free!
It is – and for personal computing that doesn’t involve any sensitive data, it’s a useful solution. It can protect you from phishing sites, gives you system performance reports, and even offers parental controls. But you can’t put a price on the security of your business.
In the UK, the overall cost of data breaches in 2020 was reported to be £3.9 million. It may be difficult to imagine how this figure is reached but an attack can leave you with costly ongoing IT issues, damaging downtime, regulatory penalties, reputational damage and loss of custom.
It’s estimated that 39% of the cost of a data breach comes at least a year after the event.
To put it in perspective for your business, it costs an average of £115 per record compromised by a data breach. Think about the number of records and type of data your business holds and, you can get a good idea of what the financial impact would be on your business.
Stay on top of cyber attacks
We’re cyber security specialists and, we monitor your systems daily to ensure your business is protected. Regular cyber security audits based on the 5 Cyber Essentials key controls are included in all our contracts as standard so you can be confident you’re staying ahead of the game.
To find out more, drop us a line – we’re waiting to share our expertise with you.
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