How Does Antivirus Work?
Antivirus is software that detects, prevents and removes malware threats like viruses, trojans, worms, spyware and adware. It’s one of the foundational layers of cyber security and most experts recommend it be installed on every computer, laptop and mobile device, not just in the workplace.
AV works by regularly scanning files and programs against a database of known malicious code signatures, which have been developed over time by cybersecurity vendors. To remain effective, these databases must be constantly updated as malware is discovered and developers tamper with their creations to avoid detection (or release polymorphic strains that change their own code signatures over time).
A quality antivirus product will also have other detection technologies in place, including heuristic and behavior-based scanning, which scans for common traits of known malware threats. A good AV program will also regularly update its virus definitions to apply the latest changes in malware.
Most modern AV solutions will run in the background, executing frequent scans and blocking or quarantining suspicious files or programs. It will also offer features such as cloud backup, which allows users to restore files backed up in the event of an infection. When shopping for an antivirus solution, pay attention to the product’s detection rate in controlled tests. The higher the number, the more likely it is to stop malware before it can cause damage.