The Hottest Antivirus Statistics for 2022

Digital viruses are extraordinarily expensive. The most costly virus in history cost an inflation-adjusted $52 billion. Every year, businesses spend around $55 billion dealing with viruses. It’s no surprise antivirus software has emerged as a massive industry over the past decades. 

Just like real diseases, including the one that I’m sure you’ve heard about over the last two years, digital viruses change. Antivirus software must evolve, or become irrelevant. Here are the most important statistics in the antivirus industry, some market news, and breaking trends for 2022.

Top 21 most interesting Antivirus Statistics

1. The global cybersecurity market was valued at $132.94 billion in 2021 (Mordor Intelligence 2022).
2. 77 % of Americans currently use antivirus software. (Security.org 2021)
3. Only 5% of antivirus users had plans to switch security providers in the foreseeable future. (Security.org 2021)
4. If it were measured as a country, cybercrime would be the world’s third-largest economy after the U.S. and China. (Cybersecurity Ventures 2021).
5. 40 percent of people without antivirus software are open to installing it on their devices in the next 6 months. This is nearly DOUBLE the number from January 2021. (Security.org 2022)
6. 24% of antivirus users said identity theft protection was their most appealing feature in an antivirus software. (Security.org 2021)
7. 24% of people without antivirus say they believe it to be ineffective. (Security.org 2021)
8. 49% of those without antivirus software said they simply didn’t need it. (Security.org 2021)
9. 35% of those without antivirus software said it was too expensive.(Security.org 2021)
10. Every day, the AV-TEST Institute registers over 450,000 new malicious programs (malware) and potentially unwanted applications (PUA). (AV-Test 2022) 
11. Since COVID-19, the US FBI reported a 300% increase in reported cybercrimes. (CBS 2020)
12. 93.6% of malware observed in 2019 was polymorphic. (Webroot 2020)
13. Ransomware damage worldwide is expected to reach $21 billion by 2021. (Cybersecurity Ventures 2021).
14. 55% of business executives planned to increase their budgets for cybersecurity in 2021 (Forbes 2020).
15.  68% of business leaders feel their cybersecurity risks are increasing. (Accenture 2019).
16. More than 50% of cyberattacks target small-to-medium-sized organizations (Cybersecurity Ventures 2021).
17. Over 4 million cybersecurity jobs remain unfilled. (Invicti 2020) .
18. Cybersecurity job postings are up 74% in the last 5 years. (Invicti 2020)
19. 71% of organizations experienced malware activity that spread from one employee to another in 2021.  (Mimecast 2021).
20.  8.9% of people with free antivirus software were affected by malware of a virus in the last 12 months. (Security.org 2021).
21.  7.4% of people with paid antivirus software were affected by malware of a virus in the last 12 months. (Security.org 2021)

Trends in the Antivirus World for 2022

The ever-changing nature of the antivirus market can make it hard to keep up. As the industry responds to changes in threats and new technology, it is essential to stay ahead. Luckily, we have you covered with these trends to keep an eye on in 2022 and beyond.

Antivirus tools are really good at their jobs

We will start out with some good news: the antivirus market is largely good at what it does. When protocols are applied well and the proper tools used, popular antivirus software can be up to 100% effective at virus protection. 

Moreover, protection is being built into more hardware and software than ever. Apple computers have long since been famous for their antivirus capabilities, but others are doing the same. Microsoft products running modern operating systems are protected by default. Most web browsers have protections built into to target the most common source of failure: Human error. 

The last phrase there is really the major vulnerability to most business and personal use-cases. The vast majority of cybersecurity incidents are caused by people making mistakes that allow these dangers to bypass your protection. For those looking to minimize these risks in their office, we strongly recommend good security awareness training.

Security threats continue to rise

If antivirus and cybersecurity tools are the walls that keep you safe, the battering rams and cannons are becoming more numerous than ever. Despite incredible effectiveness in protection from most antivirus tools, the dollar cost of breaches and virus/malware attacks continues to rise. This is unlikely to go anywhere. 

The rise of the Internet of Things means more and more of our lives are susceptible to attacks You would struggle to find a major industry without a massive digital presence. While our defenses may be better, the consequences of failure continue to rise. Some industries like Healthcare lag behind in their investment and training in these areas.

Free Antivirus tools are getting better

In the past, cybersecurity was an expensive prospect for personal and professional use. Before you get too excited, it largely still is. With that said, free options are becoming increasingly accessible for low-risk use cases. Paid sources are, on average, about 17% more successful than their free counterparts. This is a significant number, but not high enough to invalidate free antivirus options.  

If you are in the market for antivirus software and would like to get by without spending a cent, we have you covered. Click the link below to read our piece on the best free antivirus software.

If you have read this and decided to take action on purchasing antivirus software, or browsing reviews, TrustRadius is your friend. Click the link below to explore the best antivirus software options. You can also check out the Top Rated award winners in the antivirus industry.

Sources:

• 2021 REPORT: CYBERWARFARE IN THE C-SUITE (Cybersecurity Ventures 2021).
• Personal Antivirus Software Annual Report and Outlook: 2022 (Security.org 2021)
• AV Test Tracker (AV-Test 2022)
• Bridging the Cybersecurity Skills Gap (Invicti 2020)
• GLOBAL CYBERSECURITY MARKET – GROWTH, TRENDS, COVID-19 IMPACT, AND FORECASTS (Mordor intelligence 2022)
• https://www.mordorintelligence.com/industry-reports/cyber-security-market
• Cybercrime Ramps up (CBS 2020)
• Securing the Enterprise in the Covid World (Mimecast 2021)
• The Best Cybersecurity Predictions For 2021 Roundup (Forbes 2020).
• The Cost of Cybercrime (Accenture 2020)
• Webroot Threat Report 2020 (Webroot 2020)