What to Look For in an Antivirus Program
Antivirus protects your computers, laptops and smartphones against malware. Malware can steal your data, encrypt it so you can’t use it and even wipe your system completely. Antivirus software prevents these attacks by scanning for malicious code, quarantining it and deleting it to keep you safe. Many antivirus tools also update themselves automatically to stop new attacks.
When shopping for an antivirus program, detection rates are a big factor to consider. They measure the percentage of malware that the program caught in controlled tests. Of course, a single test doesn’t tell the whole story, but it gives you a sense of how well the program performs.
Most modern antivirus programs also use behavior-based detection, which looks for suspicious code that could make changes to your computer without your permission. This is in addition to signature analysis, which compares known threats to a database of malware.
Some antivirus tools offer extra features, such as sandboxing, which lets unknown programs run in a bubble and virtualizes any system changes so they can’t do permanent damage. Others scan for vulnerabilities, which are flaws that hackers can exploit to get into your system. Prudent users keep their Windows and other software patched, and some antivirus tools check for updates regularly to ensure you have the latest protections.
Antivirus is an essential tool for all types of devices, from personal computers and smartphones to IoT appliances and servers. It plays a crucial role in various cybersecurity frameworks and concepts, such as the MITRE ATT&CK framework, least privilege and zero trust, and contributes to the effectiveness of security architecture principles like segmentation, granular control and visibility.