#10 CASE STUDY - OBSOLETE ANTIVIRUS 

"Our antivirus says we’re safe... but it hasn’t updated in two years." 

COMPANY 

• Sector: Construction 

• Size: 75 employees 

• Location: Flanders 

FACTS & FIGURES 

• 30 out of 75 users were affected 

• Protection efforts: Outdated antivirus still running 

• Business impact: Ransomware spread across internal servers 

STORY 

A medium-sized construction firm in Flanders took pride in the green checkmark that appeared on their antivirus dashboard. But that reassuring symbol hadn’t changed in two years—ever since the product was discontinued and stopped receiving updates. 

When malware infiltrated their internal file share, it went unnoticed for weeks. By the time ransomware locked down project folders and encrypted blueprint files, the IT team discovered the truth: their antivirus had been quietly discontinued. No warnings, no detections—just silence, while attackers moved freely. Rebuilding took weeks. The green checkmark? Still smiling. 

INCIDENT OVERVIEW 

An antivirus tool is only as good as its last update. At this construction firm, “last update” meant two years ago. The false sense of security led to severe consequences when ransomware spread across shared servers, crippling business operations. 

BUSINESS IMPACT 

• Project delays caused by data loss 

• Complete rebuild of IT infrastructure 

• Significant loss of trust among subcontractors and clients 

SECURITY MEASURES 

Below is some advice to mitigate risks and strengthen security configurations: 

• Use a modern, supported antivirus solution 

• Schedule daily updates for malware signatures 

• Enable automatic scanning for USB devices and email attachments 

• Monitor endpoints with real-time alerts 

RESSOURCES 

CISA: Antivirus Software Basics 

AV Comparatives – Independent Antivirus Testing