BotNet News

Antivirus software programs are designed to detect and, in some cases, remove malware infections from computers, smartphones and other digital devices. The industry’s oldest pieces of commercial software, they’re often marketed as the only tool you need to protect your device from cyber attacks.

The days when off-the-shelf antivirus software could singlehandedly keep a device safe from viruses are long gone, and even the best of today’s flagship products is just one component of a robust cybersecurity strategy. It’s essential to combine antivirus protection with secure passwords, two-factor authentication, data encryption, systemwide backups and smart privacy tools to help you stay safe online.

How Antivirus Works

Antivirus programs start by scanning your computer’s files and programs for any signs of malware infections. They’ll check the results against a database of known threats, and they may also use heuristics to identify patterns that are indicative of suspicious behavior. Ideally, the program will isolate the infected file and prevent it from running operations that could affect other files or programs on your computer. It will then display some kind of alert and offer you the option to clean the infection or quarantine it so you can investigate the problem further.

Most of today’s most popular antivirus packages will also scan incoming emails and rogue websites to prevent you from browsing low-trust sites that host malware, which can steal your personal information and sell it to identity thieves. They’ll also keep an eye on the behavior of your other apps and systems to ensure that they don’t exhibit unusual or out-of-character activities that might be indicative of a malware infection.