Antivirus – What You Need to Know
In short, antivirus programs protect against malicious software and files that can cause serious harm if not detected and removed quickly enough. Antivirus programs are usually designed to scan for malware threats on a regular basis, and most will automatically update their virus detection databases in order to keep up with the latest cyberattacks as they emerge.
When shopping for antivirus, it’s a good idea to choose a program that utilizes both signature-based and behavior-based detection, as these approaches provide the most robust protection against a variety of threat types. In addition, many of the best antivirus programs offer extra safety features that can help you keep your devices and apps safe. These include features like password managers, identity theft protection and parental controls.
A good antivirus should also have a high detection rate, which is typically measured by the percentage of malware it can detect during controlled tests. However, this number shouldn’t be viewed as an absolute benchmark; even the most advanced programs can sometimes misidentify a piece of secure code or program as malware. When this happens, the antivirus may quarantine or delete the program.
Another feature you’ll want to look for in an antivirus is sandbox analysis, which allows the program to run programs and files in a virtual environment before permitting them to execute on your computer. This way, if the file turns out to be malware, no damage is done because it was only executed in an isolated environment.