Healthcare Cybersecurity Bloomington-Normal: The Hidden Risks of Free Antivirus Software
As a healthcare provider in Bloomington-Normal, your primary focus is on patient care and operational efficiency. While implementing advanced medical tools and running a streamlined practice are crucial, one area you should never compromise on is your healthcare cybersecurity—specifically, using free antivirus or firewall software.
In today’s blog, we’ll share why these seemingly helpful software solutions can be a detriment to your medical practice and why a 10-minute call with our team might just be the best investment you’ll make this year.
Free Software Often Lacks Necessary Features
Free antivirus software and firewall solutions might protect your practice against some known viruses, but they are limited in scope. They likely won’t have the capability to protect you against comprehensive threats like malicious files, unknown or unidentified threats, and more. Cybercriminals constantly evolve their tactics, making it hard for free, infrequently updated antivirus solutions to offer the protection needed to keep your healthcare cybersecurity in Bloomington-Normal robust.
There’s No Such Thing as a Free Lunch
While free cybersecurity solutions might seem like a cost-effective way to protect your practice, they generate revenue in other ways. Commonly, they earn money through ads, sponsored recommendations, and collecting and selling user data. This means your personal information, such as age, gender, and installed apps, could be sold to third-party advertisers.
Some Free Solutions Are Already Infected with Malware
Ironically, some free cybersecurity tools can come pre-infected with malware, posing an immediate risk upon downloading. It’s challenging to differentiate between legitimate free software and fake versions created by hackers to trick well-meaning healthcare providers into compromising their networks.
Free Antivirus Software Is Mostly Reactive
The primary goal of healthcare cybersecurity solutions is to prevent data breaches. Most free solutions are reactive, alerting you after an intruder has breached your network. If you opt for a free solution, ensure you have a robust recovery plan in place—you will likely need it.
Invest in Professional Healthcare Cybersecurity Solutions
Professional healthcare cybersecurity solutions are not as costly as many healthcare providers think and are far more cost-effective than dealing with a data breach. If you’ve been using free antivirus or firewall software, it’s time to level up.
Our cybersecurity experts will provide you with a FREE Security Risk Assessment that will detail where you’re vulnerable and what to do about it. Schedule yours by clicking here to book your call now calling us at 702-723-4772.