BotNet News

Antivirus is a baseline tool that MSPs use to protect their clients’ devices from malicious files and digital threat actors. But understanding how antivirus fits into a cybersecurity strategy is more than just knowing its function—it’s also about understanding the wider ecosystem that surrounds it.

Defining Antivirus

Antivirus software is a computer program that is designed to search for and remove viruses, trojans, ransomware, worms, spyware, and other malware programs from a device. Typically, antivirus programs scan and analyze data and files that are downloaded or created, detecting any potential malware threats and taking steps to neutralize them.

A common way that antivirus programs work is by using a database of known viruses and malware that are currently in the wild. If a program is found to be a virus, the database will then flag that file and alert users of its presence, often with a pop-up window that asks if the file should be removed.

Modern AV solutions will also employ methods like heuristic analysis, machine learning, and sandboxing to detect as-yet unknown malware strains that are not found in the current database. This next-generation approach helps to mitigate zero-day attacks and keep malware programs from being able to exploit devices.

Another way that antivirus programs work is by identifying and blocking insecure websites, phishing pages, scam apps, and other forms of social engineering tactics. This is a key feature of the antivirus software that ConnectWise offers in our cybersecurity suite.