Buzz
How exposed is your cloud-connected computer network? Aitor Diago/Getty ImagesRegardless of whether you're a seasoned computer user or a newcomer with your first laptop, desktop PC, tablet, or smartphone, you've likely heard of the threats posed by malware — including viruses, worms, trojans, and other malicious programs designed by hackers to damage devices, steal personal information, hijack your machine and convert it into a bot, or even lock your device and demand a ransom. [source: Fruhlinger]
To defend against these risks, you need security software. One increasingly preferred solution is the use of cloud antivirus software. Unlike traditional antivirus programs, cloud antivirus carries out most of its processing via the internet, rather than relying on your computer’s hard drive.
Cloud antivirus software operates with two main components: a client and a web service. The client is a lightweight program installed on your local computer that scans for malware. Unlike traditional antivirus software that tends to consume a lot of system resources, cloud antivirus clients use minimal processing power. The heavy lifting is handled by cloud servers, which are constantly updated with the latest malware files and risky websites. This allows cloud antivirus to send real-time threat data to your device, so you don’t need to manually or automatically update your system. [source: Kapersky]
Cloud antivirus offers superior protection for your devices and comes with several other advantages. Here are a few of the key benefits:
- Your malware database is updated without requiring you to download all the malicious program signatures onto your device.
- The service can perform behavioral-based scanning, which helps identify new threats.
- It places less strain on your device’s storage and memory.
- With the ability to use artificial intelligence, machine learning, and other innovations, your protection evolves alongside emerging threats [source: Steinberg].
There are also some downsides to cloud antivirus. For one, you must remain connected to the internet, and a slow connection can disrupt the scanning of files. Additionally, since everything is checked against cloud databases, some scans might take longer than with traditional antivirus software. [source: Steinberg].
This article will provide you with further insights into the features of cloud antivirus software and explain how you can utilize it to safeguard your devices.
Features of Cloud Antivirus
If you’ve ever used antivirus software, you’ll find the user interface (UI) of cloud antivirus to be quite familiar. After all, its main purpose remains unchanged: scanning your system to identify and remove malware. As such, you’ll encounter these typical features in a cloud antivirus UI:
- Scan your entire system or specific folders on your device.
- Set up automatic scans and specify which files should be included.
- Access detailed reports to see which malware was detected during a scan.
- Take action on quarantined files, either removing or restoring them as you see fit.
What makes cloud antivirus unique is the functionality you won’t see in the UI. As we’ve discussed, cloud antivirus divides its responsibilities between your local computer (client app) and remote web servers. Thanks to this setup, cloud antivirus can tap into online resources to offer more robust defense against malware. These resources combine to form a central malware database for each cloud antivirus product.
Malware detection methods vary by antivirus software. One common technique is signature-based detection, where the program identifies code that matches known patterns associated with attackers. Another method is heuristics-based detection, where the software searches for unusual behaviors or code during a scan. Additionally, many antivirus tools monitor programs for suspicious activity, like keylogging, through behavioral detection.
Cloud-based antivirus programs can enhance these techniques by learning from the experiences of users across the internet, quickly adapting that knowledge to safeguard everyone’s devices [source: Zeltzer]
Next, we will explain how this process works with one popular cloud antivirus solution, TotalAV.
TotalAV
Today, many cloud antivirus programs offer protection for multiple devices, from PCs to smartphones, and often include a range of additional services beyond basic protection. One example is TotalAV, which provides cross-platform security software for Microsoft Windows, Mac OS, iPhones, iPads, and Android devices [source: TotalAV]. It offers both a free version and a paid version with more advanced features [source: TotalAV].
In addition to real-time virus protection, TotalAV defends against phishing scams, ransomware, adware, and spyware. It also includes an ad blocker, a password vault, and access to a virtual private network (VPN) for enhanced privacy. TotalAV’s Web Shield feature warns users about potentially dangerous websites hosting malware. Moreover, it offers system optimization tools and a disk cleaner to help free up valuable system space. [source: TotalAV].
After downloading a trial version from the TotalAV website, you'll be guided through the installation process with step-by-step instructions. Once the program is set up, you'll be greeted by the main dashboard, where you can configure real-time protection and activate features like the password vault. Additionally, you'll have the option to perform a "Smart Scan," which evaluates your device for malware, security risks, privacy concerns, performance issues, and unnecessary duplicate files—all with a single click [source: TotalAV].
The Smart Scan will create a list of potentially harmful files found on your device, along with the malware threats they may be linked to, and offer the option to quarantine those files. It will also identify tracking cookies that may have been placed on your device, as well as unwanted applications and autorun programs. Additionally, the scan will provide suggestions to enhance your security [source: TotalAV].
In the following section, we will highlight other cloud antivirus products available in the market.
Available Products and Challenges
Here are some of the other cloud antivirus solutions currently available in the market.
- Webroot Secure Anywhere AntiVirus: This antivirus solution for PCs, Macs, and Android devices stores malware definitions in the cloud and boasts a "more comprehensive threat library than its competitors." In addition to the standard single-device plan, there is a package that covers up to three devices, includes WiFi Security, which offers VPN protection for users on a network, and provides web filtering to safeguard against risky websites.
- Immunet Free Antivirus: This cloud-based antivirus for Windows PCs emphasizes "community-driven security," where any malware encountered by one user is automatically added to the protection available to all users. Immunet's website highlights its compatibility with other installed antivirus software, adding an extra layer of defense. Alongside its free consumer product, Immunet also offers a business product for extended protection across PCs, Macs, Linux systems, mobile devices, and even virtual environments.
- HitmanPro.Alert: Now part of network security company Sophos, this cloud-based antivirus is marketed as providing an additional layer of protection for software like Microsoft Office. It also features CryptoGuard, which monitors encryption activities on your system to block ransomware attacks. HitmanPro.Alert encrypts keystrokes online and even tries to make its users appear as malware researchers, a tactic that discourages hackers. A trial version is available.
Critics of cloud antivirus software argue that it lacks some crucial security and performance features. One concern involves the potential invasion of privacy due to the data collected from your device. Some products might pose a greater threat in this regard than others. Before settling on any cloud antivirus solution, it's essential to understand what kind of data may be gathered from your system and contribute to its collective database.
Performance-related concerns are similar to those associated with traditional antivirus software. For instance, cloud antivirus might slow down your computer's startup or shutdown times or reduce the overall performance of other applications. However, it's possible that the impact may still be less than that of some conventional antivirus programs. To determine if a cloud antivirus is suitable for your system, try it out during your daily activities. Most cloud antivirus options offer free trials, so there's little cost involved in testing them.
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For a long time, computer viruses were considered primarily a threat to PCs running Microsoft Windows, and some Mac users believed their operating system was immune due to its design. However, antivirus maker Malwarebytes revealed in a 2020 report that, in 2019, it detected an average of 11 threats per Mac endpoint—almost double the 5.8 threats per endpoint for Windows devices [source: Malwarebytes].
