{"id":22765,"date":"2022-12-19T18:26:41","date_gmt":"2022-12-20T02:26:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/?p=22765"},"modified":"2025-08-13T01:26:34","modified_gmt":"2025-08-13T08:26:34","slug":"need-antivirus","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/need-antivirus\/","title":{"rendered":"Do You Still Need an Antivirus? Yes, Of Course You Do"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

You\u2019ve probably heard \u201cthose in the know\u201d say you don\u2019t need an antivirus anymore, that your yearly McAfee subscription, paid diligently since 1999, is little more than a scam.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As frightening as that prospect is, cybercrime statistics paint a different picture. The AV-TEST Institute, a leading IT security firm, identifies a whopping 450,000 new malware<\/a> and PUAs (Potentially Unwanted Applications) popping up every single day.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So\u2026 Do you need an antivirus?<\/strong> While you can\u2019t generalize for all operating systems, as each system is engineered differently and has a different security profile, almost all benefit from an antivirus program, whether built in or third-party.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s important to remember macOS and iOS are more secure than Windows without any third-party malware protection. Also, in an open-source environment like Linux, viruses are rare. Even so, all OS platforms are vulnerable to phishing and zero-day exploits<\/strong>, which makes anti-malware tools an essential line of defense on any system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s take a deeper dive to understand why antivirus software is as relevant as ever, and what you can do<\/strong> to protect your systems and devices in an increasingly internet-connected world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Table of Contents<\/h4>\nWhat\u2019s an Antivirus and What Does It Do?<\/a>
\nDo I Need an Antivirus?<\/a>
\nDo I Need an Antivirus for iOS and Mac?<\/a>
\nDo I Need an Antivirus for Android?<\/a>
\n Do I Need an Antivirus for Windows?<\/a>
\n Do I Need an Antivirus for Linux?<\/a>
\n PIA Antivirus \u2013 Your Privacy Still Comes First<\/a>
\n Secure Your Digital Identity with PIA<\/a>
\n FAQ<\/a>
\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

What\u2019s an Antivirus and What Does It Do?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

An antivirus is a program that scans your system for threats<\/strong> \u2014 both known and unknown. But the definition has evolved over the years. The antivirus started as the basic, essential security program scanning files and folders on a computer, looking for typical virus signatures.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today, antivirus programs guard against a whole lot more. Viruses aren\u2019t the only bad guys out there, with code exploits, adware, ransomware, and password breaches<\/strong> strengthening their hold on the threat landscape.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Antivirus software increasingly evolved to offer 360\u00b0 protection <\/strong>from these diverse threat actors. A modern antivirus looks for broader threats, flagging suspicious behavior <\/strong>which can indicate insidious activities that would otherwise remain hidden.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The advent of Next-Generation Antivirus (NGAV)<\/strong> software is a breakthrough for the cybersecurity industry. These tools use machine learning to identify dodgy behavior and pair it with traditional malware detection to achieve unprecedented protection levels.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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