Report: Desktop security lacking

Most companies have made desktop security a priority, requiring some sort of anti-virus software. But how effective is such software?

Information Week notes a study by independent testing firm NSS Labs that studied the effectiveness of 13 leading Windows antivirus suites and found that only two blocked known exploits more than 80 percent of the time. NSS found that Kaspersky Internet Security stopped 92.2 percent of threats, Alwil Avast Pro Antivirus 7 blocked 81.9 percent, Symantec's Norton Internet Security version 19 blocked 74.1 percent, AVG Internet Security 2012 blocked 73.3 percent, ESET Smart Security 5 blocked 70.7 percent, Trend Micro Titanium Maximum Security version 6 blocked 69.8 percent, McAfee Internet Security 11 blocked 65.5 percent and Avira Internet Security 2012 blocked 64.7 percent. Meanwhile, Microsoft Security Essentials, the most popular software of this ilk, only blocked about half of the exploits it encountered.

The report concludes that, "Most vendors lack adequate protection against exploits…Based on market share, between 65 percent and 75 percent of the world is poorly protected, and 75 percent to 85 percent in North America is poorly protected."

That's stunning, but not necessarily surprising. The reality is that the bad guys tend to stay one step ahead of the good guys. Companies need to be prepared for the likelihood of compromise, and most are. Many companies layer security on top of this software, which is smart, but there are lots of computers -- perhaps telework desktop computers and laptops -- that may be relying primarily on anti-virus software. Perhaps it's time to rethink computers that might be the most vulnerable.

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