Malware infections 5.5 times more likely without antivirus software – Microsoft report

19 Apr 2013

Some 2.5 out of 10 computers, on average, lack up-to-date antivirus software, making them 5.5 times more likely to be infected with malware, the latest Microsoft Security Intelligence Report reveals.

“People intuitively understand the importance of locking their front doors to prevent their homes from being broken into. Computer security is no different. Surfing the internet without up-to-date antivirus software is like leaving your front door open to criminals,” said Tim Rains, director, Trustworthy Computing, Microsoft.

“With the release of this new research, Microsoft is urging people to make sure they have up-to-date antivirus software installed on their computers.”

There are several reasons why computers are left without protection. Among them are a trial period has expired or the software is out of date, malware disabled the antivirus software, and computer users may not realise the importance of antivirus software, so they just don’t install it on their machines.

“Regardless of whether you use a free or paid-for solution, the importance of antivirus software cannot be overstated,” Rains said.

“By taking the proper measures to protect your computer, including the most basic step of installing antivirus software, you can dramatically reduce your risk of becoming a victim.”

Malware image via Shutterstock

Tina Costanza was a journalist and sub-editor at Silicon Republic

editorial@siliconrepublic.com