What Is Antivirus and Why Do You Need It?
Antivirus is software that helps prevent, scan, detect and remove malware on your devices. It’s designed to protect your data from ransomware, worms, Trojans, spyware, and other cyber threats that can infect and disrupt your systems.
While early viruses were mostly created as pranks, the advent of more sophisticated hackers and the growth in the number of attacks prompted the development of antivirus software programs. These advanced attacks include worms, which can spread without needing a host file, and rootkits, which hide and change system files to keep their activities undetected. Viruses can also destroy data, slow down devices, and log keystrokes (also known as a keylogger).
Traditional antivirus relies on signature detection to identify viruses. This compares a known malware signature against all files on the device and flags any that match to contain viruses. However, since most attackers change their virus code frequently, this is a reactive approach and not ideal.
The latest generation of antivirus uses heuristics to scan for suspicious activity, identifying and blocking new and unknown viruses. This approach is more effective than traditional methods, but still not enough to tackle all the ways attackers can breach systems. This is why a comprehensive defense needs to combine multiple advanced technologies. FortiEDR is a security platform that delivers this next-generation defense, helping you reduce your attack surface and stop cyber threats in their tracks. For more information, contact us today. We can help you choose the best antivirus to protect your devices, your data, and your operations.