Antivirus and VPN: Do You Need Both for Extra Security?

Do you know what the number of malware attacks in 2019 worldwide was? Over 9.9 billion, according to Statista. In 2019, hacker attacks were occurring every 39 seconds, with an average of 2,224 attacks per day.

Still, despite these terrifying statistics, many people tend to underestimate them. If you don’t want to become one of the victims, you should know how to protect yourself online.

But how can you do that? Well, there are three ways to do so. You can either use antivirus software, which is the most common among users or get a VPN.

The third option is combining both of them and getting ultimate protection. But which option is the best? Let’s find out.

Antivirus Protection

Antivirus software is probably the most common way to protect your computer. Most of the devices you buy already have one installed. But how exactly does antivirus software protect you?

As you may know, every time you open something on your device, you introduce a new, specific code to your system. It can be anything, from smaller files to emails. Every code brings with it a risk of malware attack.

Antivirus software scans anything you open or download, to detect whether it brings any risk to your device. Such a scan allows your firewall to immediately isolate and delete suspicious files, leaving you with the legitimate ones.

Unfortunately, viruses are still evolving, forcing antiviruses to constant updates. It’s essential to ensure that your antivirus software is valid if you want your device to be fully protected.

Also, keep in mind to ensure that you download legitimate and reliable antivirus software. Many scammers lure you with great prices and then infect your device with malware. Do your research, and find the best antivirus option for you.

VPN Protection

When it comes to VPN, you can’t treat it as a security tool per se. VPN hides your online activity, making you anonymous to scammers, hackers, and other annoying personas or programs.

According to experts from www.vpncompare.co.uk, VPN connects your device to a secure server that hides your real IP address. It means that you’ll even be able to visit sites that you can’t usually access from your country.

Also, because VPN encrypts your data, it makes it harder for hackers to steal it. Your virtual private network creates an additional defense against cyber-attacks and therefore increases your online security.

What’s more, some VPNs use some additional security measures to prevent tracking called kill switches. They cut off your internet connection as soon as you’re disconnected from a secure VPN server.

There’s one but, though. As mentioned before, a VPN is not a security tool. And even though most top-quality VPNs have reliable protection against malware and viruses, they’re not as effective as antivirus software.

The main task of a VPN is to hide your online activity. The additional security is more of a side effect.

Antivirus and VPN: The Ultimate Protection

As you can see, both antivirus software and VPN can protect you from malware and cyber-attacks. And whereas antivirus increases your overall device security, VPN, on the other hand, makes you completely anonymous.

Choosing one is hard, as each one is great. But if you want ultimate security that no one will be able to breach, your best option is to combine them both.

By doing that, you will create a shield that will sustain it all. Also, you shouldn’t worry about the costs. There are special security packages all over the internet that are both effective and affordable.

Of course, if you aren’t an active Internet user and don’t work so much on your computer, getting only one of these tools should be enough to protect your privacy. But if you surf online and use your computer all the time, combining them both is the best way to secure your device almost 100 %.

Summary

You should never take your cybersecurity for granted. With thousands of attacks occurring every day, your online protection should be your top priority. What’s more, in many cases, you won’t even be able to tell whether you’ve been attacked until it’s too late.

That’s why getting antivirus software or a VPN is a must. They’re both fantastic tools if you want to increase your cybersecurity. Unfortunately, they can’t give you full protection.

To achieve full protection, you should combine both of them. That will create a defense shield that almost no one and nothing will be able to breach.

Combining VPN’s unique features with antivirus software will take your cybersecurity to the next level. Many companies offer both of them in packages, so do your research and pick the best one for yourself.

Do that, and you will never have to worry about your cybersecurity again.