Anti-virus vs Anti-malware: What’s the difference?

What is the best way to protect your business?

Cyber security really matters. The protection that you have in place for your business will determine how vulnerable it is and how well-placed you are to survive a cyber-attack. Today, the issue of cyber-attack can affect any enterprise. It is not just something that happens to those with the deepest pockets. Anti-virus and anti-malware are key protections – but what is the difference?

Cyber-attacks are on the rise – in fact, one study found that a hack is attempted every 39 seconds. That makes it even more vital than ever before to have the right combination of protection in place for your business. So, what can you expect from anti-virus vs anti-malware?

Anti-malware

This software has been designed to help safeguard your systems from malicious software that could be something like spyware, worms, or adware. It scans your systems for signs of malware and uses three techniques to ensure detection: signature-based, behaviour-based and sandboxing. Because anti-malware can update its rules more quickly than any malicious software will, it will give you the best possible protection against anything malicious that you might come across online.

Anti-virus

This type of software is focused on the detection and removal of viruses from your computer. Viruses are a specific type of malware. It can help to protect your hardware and files from viruses and provide protection when it comes to website blocking and customisable firewalls.

What is the difference between anti-virus and anti-malware?

The most obvious difference is that anti-virus is designed to protect your computer specifically from a virus, while anti-malware will provide a much broader spectrum of protection that includes other types of malware, such as Trojans and worms.
While both anti-virus and anti-malware will protect your system, their focus can be slightly different. Anti-virus, for example, looks to safeguard your system against more established threats – those that are already known. Anti-malware tends to focus more on protecting against newer and more complex threats.
Anti-virus can also be flagship software installed on computers and devices, while anti-malware is about proactive protection against the most recent threats.

What do businesses need to consider?

A combination of anti-virus and anti-malware protection will be essential for any organisation looking to ensure that it has adequate protection against the full range of threats – known and unknown – in the online world today. There are several benefits to investing in both, including:

Protection against all vulnerabilities – Viruses and malware, in general, are continuously looking for a way in, so systems need to be as defended as possible.
Avoiding a lack of compliance and a data breach – It is crucial to have protection in place to avoid non-compliance with data protection regulations – and the consequences that can follow a data breach.
Business benefits – These include how anti-malware and anti-virus can lengthen the lifespan of your hardware, as well as reduce operational costs in the short and long term.

Anti-virus vs anti-malware is not a choice between the two, but finding the right combination to effectively protect your business. Contact us today to learn more about how we can protect your business from future threats.