The best kind of malware protection is preventative
Stop threats before they steal credentials. Secure your team with Proton Pass.
Prevent credential stuffing with strong, unique passwords
Block account takeover even if passwords are stolen
Become phishing-resistant with passkeys support
Why traditional antivirus isn't enough
Modern malware often spreads through phishing emails, compromised websites, or unpatched vulnerabilities, and many attacks combine multiple threat types to bypass traditional defenses.
The most common types of malware(new window) that impact businesses include:
Ransomware: Locks critical data
Spyware: Harvests credentials and communications
Trojans: Create backdoors for attackers
Info-stealers: Target passwords and session tokens
Traditional antivirus recognizes known threats but struggles with zero-day(new window) and polymorphic malware which can change their appearance. By the time a threat is identified, credentials may already be harvested.
You need to protect the entry points, not just scan the endpoints.
The two layers your business needs
Prevention means protecting credentials and network access. This is where layered defenses like encrypted password management and secure network tunneling come in — to stop attackers before malware ever reaches your devices.
Enhanced credential security
Make it impossible for malware to steal login details by using a password manager.
Info-stealers and spyware are designed to harvest passwords, but they're useless when every account uses unique, encrypted credentials.
An encrypted password manager can ensure your entire team uses strong, unique passwords or passkeys for all company accounts while keeping credentials secure.
Increased network security
Encrypt data within your network so that malware can't exfiltrate sensitive company data.
Trojans and ransomware often rely on unencrypted connections to steal data. A VPN shuts down that channel and allows your employees to safely access company data and resources without exposing any information to cyber threats.
How Proton Pass blocks malware attacks
Proton Pass includes a built-in SSH agent. SSH keys stored in your vault are accessible from any device — terminal, scripts, CI/CD pipelines — without copying key files between machines manually.
Stop credential theft
Infostealers and keyloggers try to harvest passwords to breach multiple accounts at once. By generating and storing unique, encrypted passwords for every site, Proton Pass ensures that even if one device is infected, the stolen data is useless elsewhere, preventing a single breach from compromising your entire network.
Cut off phishing
Phishing sites are a primary delivery vector for malware downloads. Proton Pass's Hide-my-email aliases prevent attackers from targeting your real business email addresses, cutting off the supply chain of malicious links before they ever reach your inbox or trigger a download.
Block takeovers
Stolen credentials alone are often enough for attackers to hijack accounts via automated scripts. With built-in 2FA authenticator tokens and Proton Sentinel monitoring, you add a critical second layer of defense that blocks login attempts even if the password has already been captured by malware.
How Proton VPN stops network threats
Encrypt everything
Man-in-the-middle (MITM) attacks on public WiFi can inject malware or intercept credentials in transit before they even reach your browser. By creating an encrypted tunnel for all traffic, Proton VPN ensures that data remains unreadable to attackers, effectively neutralizing any interception attempts.
Block malicious sites
Drive-by downloads and malicious redirects allow malware to enter a network simply by loading a webpage, bypassing the need for any clicks. These attacks exploit browser vulnerabilities to install threats silently. Proton VPN's NetShield(new window) blocks access to known malicious domains at the DNS level, preventing these files from ever loading.
Close unsecured network gaps
Remote employees connecting from home or coffee shops often use unencrypted networks, giving Trojans and ransomware a foothold to spread deeper into your company's systems. A business VPN secures these remote connections with advanced encryption, removing the unsecured WiFi vector that malware exploits to enter your infrastructure.
A complete defense strategy
While Proton Pass and Proton VPN form a critical frontline defense against credential theft and network infiltration, they work best as part of a holistic security stack. True malware protection requires a multi-layered approach, with each layer addressing risks the others can’t.
Identity (Proton Pass)
Stops attackers from stealing usable credentials.
Network (Proton VPN)
Encrypts traffic and blocks malicious domains before data leaves the device.
Endpoint (Antivirus/EDR)
Detects and removes any active malware that slips past the first two layers.
By combining identity management, secure networking, and endpoint detection, you create a resilient shield that protects your business from the initial phishing attempt through the final data exfiltration. We recommend pairing Proton Pass and Proton VPN with reputable endpoint security tools for comprehensive coverage.
Learn more: 5 ways to protect your business from cyber threats
Frequently asked questions about malware protection
- What is malware protection?
- Does a VPN protect against malware?
- Can a password manager help with malware protection?
- What's the difference between antivirus and malware protection?