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Antivirus, aka anti-virus, aka anti-malware, aka security software, has been around since 1971, and yes, that’s a lot of ‘also known as’ names for a single product. Why all the different names? Well, there is a good reason for that (mostly having to do with the origins of computer viruses and how the threat landscape has evolved), but the question you really need to be asking is “what antivirus do?”

### What does antivirus software do?

Antivirus software is a program that is designed to protect your computer and your data from viruses by searching for, detecting and removing them. Antivirus (AV) software works by scanning your computer in real-time and comparing the signatures of the files and programs on your computer to the signatures of viruses stored in a virus database. Importantly, the virus signature database is updated whenever new viruses are discovered, and this means that antivirus software must also be regularly updated to assure that it is using the latest virus database.

If a signature of one of the files or programs on the user’s computer matches one of the virus signatures in the virus database, the file or program on the users’ computer with the matching signature is flagged for removal or quarantine, and the user is notified. This is the process used by AV software to detect worms, Trojans, adware, viruses, etc., that are already known.

Most AV programs are automatically updated whenever the virus database is updated, but some require that the user manually update the AV software. Most AV software also come with several scanning options such as full-system scans, which take the longest but are more complete, and specific scans, which are quicker and where you can specify the files or directories you want to scan.

To root out and prevent cyber threats that have not yet been discovered and are therefore not yet in the virus database, modern AV software also use additional detection technologies. Two of the most widely used and most effective of these technologies are behavioral-based detection and heuristics-based detection. Behavioral and heuristics-based detection, combined with real-time scanning, provide excellent cybersecurity for detecting new and emerging threats, which is critically needed for anyone or any organization that goes online.

There are also advanced AV software suites that provide even more comprehensive protection and will safeguard you against additional cyber threats such as ransomware, phishing, malicious URLs, hackers looking to spy on your microphone and camera, and more. Given the nature of cybercrime today and the serious threat they pose to individuals and businesses, many private users and most businesses prefer the more advanced AV software packages because of the more comprehensive protection they provide.

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Pretty much anyone who uses the Internet today has heard of computer viruses and malware and understands that you need some kind of antivirus software to protect them from all the malicious files, scammers, and threat actors. On the other hand, most people do not have an under-the-hood understanding of how an antivirus protects your data and your computer. And truthfully, an under-the-hood understanding isn’t really necessary, but a basic understanding of the nuts and bolts of antivirus software (AV) is recommended, as it can help you decide what type of AV software you need.

A look at the purpose of AV software is a good place to start: AV software runs real-time scans and checks of your data and files in order to find and detect all types of malware. If any are detected, the antivirus software will remove, quarantine or delete it, depending upon your software settings. 

Now a look at the how: There are essentially three detection methods used by AV software today. These include signature-based, heuristic-based, and behavioral-based detection. Signature-based detection looks for malware signatures, or the digital fingerprints of malicious files, and compares them to a signature database of known malware signatures. If a match is found, it indicates a virus. This detection method is extremely effective at detecting and eradicating known viruses, but in order for it to be effective, your AV software must receive regular updates. The database of known malware signatures changes whenever new malware signatures are discovered, so the AV software must have access to the latest database in order to be able to detect all known viruses.

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To detect new and emerging threats, however, different detection methods are needed. Today, the best antivirus software use heuristics and behavioral detection for identifying emerging threats. Heuristics-based detection scans for malware by using a set of rules and algorithms to identify commands that might be malicious. Behavioral detection uses a different method and works by looking for files that are behaving suspiciously. Abnormal requests for access to files or processes, or significant increases in data usage are just two examples of suspicious behavior.

Thus, by using a combination of detection methods, AV software are able to detect all types of known and emerging malware including but not limited to ransomware, Adware,  spyware, Trojans, worms etc. 

Some AV software also have additional, more advanced features for detecting cyber threats such as browser protection and anti-phishing toolbars to protect against phishing emails and phishing sites, child filters to keep children from visiting inappropriate websites, and microphone and camera protection to keep your conversations private and to prevent hackers from spying on you.

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