For a long time, computer users believed that having an antivirus installed on their device was enough for protection. It was just a matter of downloading the software from a trusted provider and not doing anything further. While this one-step method may have been enough a few years ago, things are quite different now.
Nowadays, cybercrime isn’t just installing viruses onto your device to crash the system. It has evolved to sophisticated operations from phishing scams to social engineering and everything in between. And the most concerning part of it all is that these attacks can bypass traditional antivirus software with a fair amount of ease.
So the next logical question to ask is, can your antivirus software alone be enough to protect you and your data? Or is it just one part that forms part of your overall cybersecurity effort?
Why Antivirus Software May No Longer Be Enough
At its core, antivirus software is designed to work in the background to check for any suspicious activity. While you continue to use your device, it’s constantly scanning every website you visit or file that you download. And if it finds something that it doesn’t quite like, the software will flag it and notify you.
But how can the antivirus differentiate between normal and malicious activity? It works with a database of known threats so all links and files are compared to them. If there’s a match, the threat is isolated and removed.
The thing is, cybercriminals are usually working one step ahead and are constantly producing new forms of malware. These aren’t yet in the database so your antivirus may not immediately recognise it as a threat. These are often referred to as zero-day attacks because your antivirus is usually unprepared for them.
Cybersecurity Efforts Beyond Antivirus
Users today are exposed to far more threats, with the UK Government’s 2025 Cyber Security Breaches Survey reporting 8.58 million cyber crimes so far this year. It’s a jaw-dropping number, given that the year isn’t even over yet.
Since full cyber protection requires a multi-layer approach, having an antivirus is just one part of it. If one of these layers misses a threat, another one can step in to catch it.
Firewalls
Firewalls are responsible for watching the traffic that attempts to come in and out of your network. It then decides what to allow through and what is deemed sceptical. If you don’t have one, malware could enter your system without you even realising it until the damage has been done.
There are two types of firewalls, hardware-based which are built into your router or software-based which needs to be installed onto the device.
Password Managers
It’s tempting to reuse the same password for every account you have or a very weak one because these are easier to remember. But hackers know this and it makes it much easier for them to get into multiple accounts.
Password managers can generate unique passwords for you and you can access them through authentication even if you can’t remember them all. Essentially, you need to just remember one master password to access all of your strong passwords.
Regular Software Updates
One thing that cybercriminals love is software that is outdated because they are full of vulnerabilities, making it easier to access. Your antivirus service provider will regularly release new updates with security patches but the responsibility falls on you to install them.
It’s one of the most simplest ways to stay protected yet so often, it’s overlooked and leaves devices wide open.
Email Security
Phishing still remains one of the most common forms of cybercrimes because for the hackers, it’s so easy to do. They impersonate someone that their victim knows personally or a company they trust and trick them into handing over personal information such as passwords or bank details.
Most email accounts now come with advanced AI settings which will automatically flag suspicious messages. These are usually removed before they even get to your inbox.
Multi-Factor Authentication
Even if you have a strong, unique password, it’s not always enough. They aren’t foolproof and if hackers are motivated enough, they can eventually crack it or even buy it on the dark web.
Multi-factor authentication adds an additional step to your login, either through a fingerprint or notification to another device. So even if a hacker had your password, they wouldn’t be able to get in without this second step. For things like online banking, it offers peace of mind that your most important data is protected.
Is Antivirus Alone Sufficient For Total Cybersecurity?
It’s not recommended to rely solely on antivirus software to protect you and your device. With that said, it is definitely worthwhile to have and offers security in its own way. If you want to maximise your protection, you can also look into paid antivirus software rather than using free options.
However, it does work best with other cybersecurity efforts to offer you a more comprehensive safety plan. And since cybercrime is showing no signs of slowing down, it’s necessary more than ever to prioritise cybersecurity for both individuals and businesses.
