Health Information Management

Is anti-virus software enough to protect against malware?

HIPAA Weekly Advisor, October 18, 2004

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Unfortunately, no. There's an entirely separate type of malware protection called anti-spyware software. This software (e.g., Spybot, Ad-Aware) will monitor for malicious Web browser cookies, Windows registry entries, Trojan horse programs, and other hacker shenanigans not available in typical anti-virus software.

Some anti-virus vendors have incorporated spyware detection features into their products, so look for those. Anti-spam software can help to detect and block malicious e-mails before they ever get to your systems and before your users open them. You definitely need anti-virus and anti-spyware software, but you should also consider anti-spam software for the utmost protection.

Editor's note: This question was answered by Kevin Beaver, CISSP. This is not legal advice. Consult with your facility's legal counsel for legal matters.



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