ZDNet Advises Organizations to Retain Standalone Antivirus Solutions in 2026 Despite Built‑in OS Protections
What Happened — ZDNet published a security advisory explaining that, although modern operating systems and browsers include baseline anti‑malware capabilities, standalone antivirus products still provide critical layers of defense against sophisticated threats such as AI‑driven phishing, malicious extensions, and supply‑chain‑tainted applications.
Why It Matters for TPRM —
- Third‑party vendors that rely solely on built‑in OS defenses may expose your supply chain to advanced malware.
- Evaluating endpoint security controls must include verification of supplemental antivirus coverage.
- Free or low‑cost solutions can meet compliance baselines, reducing unnecessary spend while maintaining protection.
Who Is Affected — Enterprises across all sectors, especially those that outsource endpoint management to MSPs, MSSPs, or cloud‑hosted workstations.
Recommended Actions —
- Review contracts with endpoint‑security providers to confirm inclusion of reputable antivirus engines.
- Validate that any “built‑in only” approach is supplemented by periodic independent scans or layered EDR solutions.
- Update your vendor risk questionnaire to ask about supplemental anti‑malware tools, update cadence, and detection coverage.
Technical Notes — The advisory notes that Windows Defender and macOS XProtect are strong baseline solutions but lack advanced heuristics, sandboxing, and ransomware‑specific modules found in dedicated products. No specific CVEs or malware families are cited. Source: ZDNet – What is antivirus software and do you still need it in 2026?