What happens when a company that for years made revenue in a particular industry suddenly tells the entire world that the industry they serviced is no longer an opportunity? Everyone in an industry takes notice. Over the past weekend Symantec which for years made billions from antivirus software told the world that the antivirus industry is dead.
Let’s take a step back for a moment and think about this clearly. The industry that Symantec used to produce software for: notebooks and desktop PC’s is declining. Users are investing in tablets and smartphones and are also using their own devices inside corporate networks.
Secondly – the viruses and other software used to attack networks and personal information have increased in complexity and have gotten a lot more difficult to spot via antivirus software. Brian Dye, senior vice-president for information security clearly caught the market by surprise. Dye said that modern antivirus software only stops around 45 per cent of attack on computer systems and lets the rest through.
Anti-virus for smartphones and tablets is in its infancy as most businesses are grappling with the “Bring Your Own Device” concept. Network administrators are spending hours trying to ensure that network access and software used are secure.
Symantec is clearly going to be changing their business strategy soon and will mostly be focusing on enterprise solutions.
So where does this leave customers that use PC’s and notebooks daily? Ensure that your computer has the latest version of the antivirus installed and keep an eye on the software manufacturer’s website for any news on potential changes. Under no circumstance should you remove your anti-virus software.
