40+ Antivirus Statistics, Facts & Trends You need to Know in 2023

The tech industry’s growth in the past three decades increased the number of viruses, Trojans, spyware, malware, and various virtual attacks. There has also been a massive growth in antivirus software programs to provide digital security.

In 2022, the global antivirus program industry was worth $4.06 billion and is expected to grow in the coming years.

Staying informed about the antivirus industry’s statistics, facts, and trends in this dynamic environment is very important. This article presents over 40 antivirus vital statistics, fascinating facts, and uprising trends. Read on for more information.

General Antivirus Statistics

1. So Far, in 2024, The Worldwide Antivirus Software Market has Increased to $4.25 Billion.

According to a report from The Businesses Research Company, the worldwide market of Antivirus Software has expanded from $4.06 billion in 2022 to $4.25 billion in 2023. It shows a CAGR rate of 4.5% between the two years for the industry.

2. The Number of Malware Attacks is Still Increasing.

In a recent 2022 report by SonicWall, the number of virus and malware attacks expanded by 2% in 2022, recording 5.55 billion attacks.

3. Ransomware has Become One of the Most Popular Kinds of Cybercrime, with an Average Ransom Demand of About $170,000.

Ransomware has now become one of the most popular options for cyberattackers since 2022. The average amount attackers demand is $170,000.

4. Each Day, More Than 560,000 Malware are Spotted.

Every day, antiviruses globally detect over 560,000 malware attacks.

5. ESET Antivirus Blocked More Than 93% of Targeted Hacks in 2022.

According to a report, ESET antivirus blocked over 100 million targeted attacks in 2022. In addition, the software stopped over 90% of zero-day attacks last year.

6. Only About 50% of Smartphones in the United States are Secure by an Antivirus.

A study from BitDefender showed that only 50% of mobile device owners in the US safeguard their phones using antivirus apps.

7. IoT Gadgets are Becoming More Prone to Cyberattacks.

According to a report from SonicWall, while the number of ransomware continually decreases each year, the number of IoT devices being exploited by cyberpunks keeps increasing.

8. No Antivirus is 100% Safe for All Kinds of Malware.

Regardless of their high efficiency, no antivirus has been able to detect and battle all forms of malware.

9. ESET Antivirus Program had the Most Negligible Impact on the Client’s Systems.

In a test of false alarms performed on the software, ESET returned only one false positive. TotalAV (4 false positives) followed ESET, then Kaspersky (which returned 5 false positives).

Antivirus Statistics by Demographics

10. The US is the Most Targeted Country for Cyberattacks.

The United States ranks globally as the most targeted nation for cyber exploitation. In 2021, over 41.1% of all cyberattacks globally occurred in the US, followed by Japan (8%), Brazil (6%), and Canada (5%).

11. Iran is the Country Most Impacted by Malware Infections Shared by Mobile.

A Kaspersky Labs research showed that Iran had the highest number of malware attacks in the second quarter of 2022 out of all its mobile antivirus users.

12. The US is the Most Prepared Country for Cybercrime.

While companies globally report ransomware attacks affecting their businesses, firms in the United States are increasingly ready. These companies have 47% of cyber-resilience strategies implemented.

13. 89% of Desktop Users Use Antivirus, in Contrast to 70% of Laptop Users Who Use Antivirus.

Interestingly, more desktop users have installed antivirus software programs on their platforms than laptop users. According to Statista, nearly 90% of desktop users have antivirus software on their devices, while 80% of laptop users have antivirus.

14. Greece has the Lowest Number of Cyberattacks in 2023.

Greece ranks as the country with the least number of cyberattacks, as reported by the 2023 National Cyber Security Index (NCSI). On the NCSI, Greece scored 96.10, followed by Finland (96.00) and the United Kingdom (95.80).

15. In 2022, 97% of Avast Antivirus Clients Configured it to English.

Avast reported that 97% of its users prefer to set its default language to English. It implies that the vast majority of its users are English speakers.

16. Men are the Most Users of Antivirus Software Programs.

According to a study from AV-Test, 62% of its users were men, while the remaining 38 were said to be women.

17. 62% of Antivirus Users are Aged 34 Years and Younger.

As per a study conducted by AV-Test, 62% of antivirus clients are aged between 18 and 34, 23% are aged between 35 and 54, and 15% are 55 and above.

18. Every Year, the Number of Malware Variants Steadily Decreases.

Since 2017, the number of malware variants globally has steadily decreased. The number of malware variations was 669 million but fell to 246 million in 2020. Some causes for this are enhanced antivirus programs and a rise in the use of cloud computing software.

Antivirus Usage Statistics

19. While Free Antivirus Programs are Available, They are Less Effective Than Premium Antivirus Software.

While free antivirus programs offer a variety of solutions, they still lack several high-end premium features that paid versions have. Therefore, they are less effective than premium antivirus programs.

20. The Average Expense of Antivirus Software Programs Per Individual Each Year is $40.60.

For various reasons, the average antivirus owner spends between $30 to $100 yearly on their subscription. Some of these include the number of connected devices, the type of antivirus provider, and the subscription length.

21. More Antivirus Users Prefer the Free to the Paid Version, Globally.

Despite its limited features, many antivirus users prefer using the free and limited versions to the paid version of their antivirus software. Some reasons this is so include their perception of security, the type of features in the free version, and the cost of the premium version.

22. About 30.69 Million Antivirus Customers Used the Platform Daily in 2024.

Over 30.69 million antivirus users use their software every day to scan for malicious files and folders. Some software programs run automatically, and some run in the background daily. So far, the most common kinds of malware are ransomware, adware, and Trojans.

Antivirus Statistics by Financials

23. The US is the Largest Market for the Antivirus Industry.

It is important to note that there are more personal computers in the United States in use than there are in other nations. It is one of the primary reasons for the mammoth size of the US antivirus industry.

24. The Commercial Sector is the Largest User of Antivirus Software Programs, Followed by the Government and Consumer Sectors.

In 2022, the commercial sector accounted for 54.3% of the antivirus software market globally. The government segment followed with a 22.1% market share, while the consumer sector accrued 23.6%.

Antivirus Statistics by Device

25. Windows is the Most Susceptible Computer Operating System to Virus and Malware Attacks.

While considering the statistics of computer operating systems based on cybersecurity, the Microsoft Windows OS was found to be the most vulnerable to malware, having a 54.4% of all computer cyberattacks. Following the Windows OS was Linux, which has about 39.4%, and macOS, with 6.2%.

26. About 1.3 Billion Smartphones have Antivirus Software Installed.

With the increasing number of malware on smartphone devices, is a growth in users’ awareness of the need for updated antivirus apps. In 2013, there were 325 million smartphones with antivirus apps installed, but that number has grown to 1.3 billion smartphones with antivirus apps.

27. 60% of the Overall Malware Attacks Were Distributed Using Encrypted Traffic.

Cyberattackers prefer to distribute malware attacks via encrypted SSL/TSL traffic. It appears to be a preferred option, as encrypted channels make it hard for the malware to be detected or mitigated, as reported by WatchGuard.

28. Only 49% of Mobile Users Use an Antivirus App.

Despite being very prone to malware attacks, less than half of smartphone users globally have installed antivirus apps. It shows that cyberpunks still target many smartphones.

29. 35% of People Without Antivirus Programs Said it was Too Costly.

They believed it was too pricey to afford.

Antivirus Market Share Statistics

30. Cloud-based Antivirus Market is Continually Increasing.

The Cloud-based antivirus industry is ever-increasing, and experts anticipate the industry expanding to $1.819 billion by 2023. Thanks to the reduced cost of cloud computing and the increased number of sophisticated cyber solutions.

Antivirus Industry Statistics

 

31. The Global Cybersecurity Market Valuation was $202.72 Billion in 2022.

So far, in 2023, the market valuation has accrued $172.32 billion and is expected to increase by a CAGR of 13.8% to $424.97 billion in 2030.

32. About 3.9 Billion Internet Users have Experienced a Malware Attack.

This massive number shows how much malware is a deadly threat to internet users. Interestingly, users can get these malware files by tapping on a malicious link, downloading a file, or opening a malware-infected file.

33. 43% of IT Experts Say They Have Been Attacked Using Social Engineering Methods in 2022.

Social engineering has been one of the chief methods of cyber-exploitation in the past years.

34. Cybercrime has Increased by 600% Since Covid-19.

According to a Cybersecurity Ventures report, there has been a staggering 600% increase in cyberattacks since the commencement of the COVID-19 pandemic. Some possible reasons include the rise in remote working, the rise in malware, and the rise in online activity.

35. In 2022, Crypto-related Cybercrime Reached its All-time-high.

Cryptojacking recorded its record-breaking valuation of about $20.1 billion in 2022. It is a massive 43.57% increase from the previous year’s value of 14 billion.

36. RiskTool is the Most Popular Mobile Malware, Responsible for More Than 54.06% of all Infected Gadgets.

Though it’s not entirely malicious, it’s worth noting that RiskTool makes your mobile device vulnerable to breaches. It accounts for 54.06% of all infected machines, followed by Trojan-Dropper in 17.21% of infected gadgets.

37. The Firewall and Antivirus Industry Valuation is More Than $37 Billion.

The firewall and antivirus software industry is worth over $37 billion. It is a wild increase from the 2020s valuation of $28 billion.

38. Over 970 Million Pieces of Malware are Distributed Across the Internet.

The growth of malware seems to have no end, as over 970 million copies of malware are circulating the internet. Every year, malware keeps increasing by nearly 100 million.

Antivirus Brand Statistics

39. BitDefender Ranks as the Most Popular Free Antivirus, Accruing a 10.17% Share of the Industry.

Statistics show that BitDefender ranks as the number one best free antivirus, having a staggering market share of 10.17%. While BitDefender ranks marginally ahead of its contemporaries, its major contender, Malwarebytes, declined to 7.29% in market share.

40. According to Avast Antivirus Statistics, 55% of Computer Antivirus Software Globally is Outdated.

While many would like to claim to have installed a functional antivirus program on their devices, reports show that many individuals are still prone to attacks. Recent research by Avast showed that many users still have outdated software running on their computers.

41. McAfee, ZoneAlarm, and Kaspersky Record the Highest Detection Rate Among Antivirus Software Programs.

A test was conducted on 24 antivirus software with many malware. Impressively, McAfee, Kaspersky, and ZoneAlarm detected all the malware samples.

42. Avast Antivirus Blocked 35.4 Billion Malware Attacks in 2022.

Avast’s 2022 Threat Report showed that the Avast Antivirus detected and blocked 35.4 billion malware attacks in 2022. In 2021, the antivirus blocked 28.8 billion malware attacks, leading to an increasing number of malware attacks.

43. 100 Million Americans Relied on Microsoft Defender in 2022.

In 2021, Microsoft Defender had 80 million US users. However, the number increased by over 20 million, reaching 100+ million, according to 2022 data. The significant spike may be attributed to increased Windows 11 use and Microsoft Defender improvements.

44. Norton Security has the Highest Number of Paid Users in 2022.

A report showed that Norton Security recorded the highest number of premium users in 2022, with over 23.3 million paid users. McAfee (with 15 million paid users) and BitDefender (with 10 million paid users) followed Norton.

45. Approximately 33 Million Businesses in the United States Used Paid Versions of Antivirus Software in 2023.

Approximately 33 million businesses use premium antivirus software to improve internet security, password management, and secure browsing. The report from 2022 shows that 25 million businesses use premium antivirus software today.

Conclusion

We have seen the various fascinating facts about antivirus and their statistics and trends. You can gauge how essential it is to protect your digital life by multiple means, including having paid antivirus software installed on your computer and smartphone. With the data above, we believe you will be more attentive to your digital security. Let us know what you think in the comment section below.

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