Why This Comparison Matters

Cyber threats today aren't the same simple viruses we dealt with years ago. Attackers use fileless techniques, social engineering, credential theft, automated ransomware kits, and plenty of sneaky tricks that never show up as a “file” for antivirus to detect. ^{[1] [2] [3]}

Most people still rely on traditional antivirus, but the reality is that antivirus was built for an older type of threat. The threat landscape changed. Antivirus didn't. ^[4]

Antivirus: The Old School Approach

Antivirus (AV) is basically a digital bouncer. It stands at the door, checks files as they come through, and blocks anything that matches a known threat. That's useful, but only up to a point. ^[4]

How Antivirus Actually Works

1. Signature-Based Detection
   AV compares files against a huge database of known bad stuff. If the fingerprint matches malware, it stops it. Good for old threats, useless for anything new. ^[4]
2. Heuristic Analysis
   Looks for suspicious behaviour like odd file changes or system modifications. Better than signatures alone, but still easily bypassed. ^[4]
3. Sandboxing
   Some AV tools run unknown files in a safe “virtual room” to observe their behaviour before allowing them near your system. ^[4]

Where Antivirus Works Well

• Everyday, common malware that's been around for years ^[4]
• Basic baseline protection for low-risk users
• Low cost
• Low performance impact

Where Antivirus Falls Apart

• Zero-day threats that have no signatures ^[6]
• Fileless attacks running directly in memory or using PowerShell ^{[2] [3]}
• Advanced multi-stage intrusions that AV cannot correlate ^[1]
• No ability to understand context or detect an attack chain ^[5]

EDR: What Real Protection Looks Like

EDR (Endpoint Detection and Response) is not “antivirus 2.0” - it is an entire detection and response system. It watches everything happening on your device and reacts to suspicious behaviour in real time. ^{[7] [5]}

Do You Need Both?

Home Users

Most home threats now come from phishing links, cold-call scams, malicious ads, and attacks that trick people into installing remote access tools. Traditional antivirus helps, but it cannot stop techniques that use no malware file at all.

For general home use, good antivirus is usually acceptable. But anyone who handles important data, online banking, or works from home should strongly consider EDR-level protection, because AV alone cannot detect social engineering or credential theft attacks. ^[4]

Businesses

If you run a business, EDR is essential. Modern attacks target credentials, business data, remote access systems, and anything that can be monetised. Antivirus alone cannot protect a business environment anymore. ^[5]

The Bottom Line

Antivirus gives you the basics. EDR gives you actual protection. ^[5]

For home users, AV can be enough depending on risk. For businesses, relying on antivirus alone is a liability — EDR is the standard. ^[5]

Sources & Further Reading

• [1] MITRE ATT&CK - Defense Evasion (TA0005)
  Authoritative framework detailing fileless, zero-day, and evasion techniques used to bypass traditional AV.
  https://attack.mitre.org/tactics/TA0005/
• [2] CISA Cybersecurity Advisory AA20-245A
  Official U.S. government guidance on advanced malware using fileless and living-off-the-land techniques.
  https://www.cisa.gov/news-events/cybersecurity-advisories/aa20-245a
• [3] AV-TEST - The Danger of Fileless Malware Attacks
  Independent lab testing showing how fileless malware evades signature-based detection.
  https://www.av-test.org/en/news/the-danger-of-fileless-malware-attacks/
• [4] NIST SP 800-83r1 - Malware Incident Prevention & Handling
  U.S. government standard defining AV limitations and the need for behavioral detection.
  https://nvlpubs.nist.gov/nistpubs/SpecialPublications/NIST.SP.800-83r1.pdf
• [5] CrowdStrike Global Threat Report (2025)
  Real-world data: 71 percent of detections were malware-free (fileless). EDR is critical.
  https://www.crowdstrike.com/global-threat-report
• [6] Microsoft Digital Defense Report (2025)
  Zero-day exploits up 50 percent year over year. EDR essential for detection and response.
  microsoft.com/digital-defense-report
• [7] NIST SP 800-61r2 - Incident Handling Guide
  Defines detection, analysis, and containment — all core EDR functions.
  https://nvlpubs.nist.gov/nistpubs/SpecialPublications/NIST.SP.800-61r2.pdf
• [8] NIST SP 800-137 - Continuous Monitoring
  Foundation for EDR's real-time telemetry and behavioral analytics.
  https://nvlpubs.nist.gov/nistpubs/SpecialPublications/NIST.SP.800-137.pdf