Antivirus Software

What is Antivirus Software?

Antivirus software is a third-party software suite or operating system (OS) utility that is designed to block, isolate, and/or remove computer viruses.

The best antivirus software apps today bundle antivirus programming with other types of anti-malware programming to provide continuous protection against both known cybersecurity threats and new types of cyberattacks. Antivirus software downloads may also be referred to as AV software or virus protection software.

Table of Contents Table of Contents

1. What is Antivirus Software?
2. Key Takeaways
3. Antivirus Software vs. Anti-malware Software
4. How Does Antivirus Software Work?
5. Types of Antivirus Software
6. 5 Important Virus Detection Techniques
7. Is It Still Necessary to Purchase Antivirus Software?
8. Antivirus Software Benefits and Challenges
9. The Bottom Line
10. FAQs

Show Full Guide

Table of Contents

1. What is Antivirus Software?
2. Key Takeaways
3. Antivirus Software vs. Anti-malware Software
Show Full Guide
4. How Does Antivirus Software Work?
5. Types of Antivirus Software
6. 5 Important Virus Detection Techniques
7. Is It Still Necessary to Purchase Antivirus Software?
8. Antivirus Software Benefits and Challenges
9. The Bottom Line
10. FAQs

Antivirus Software vs. Anti-malware Software

Antivirus software was originally designed to detect and remove computer viruses when they were the most serious type of cyberthreat. As the threat landscape evolved, however, vendors began to add features that would address other types of malware like worms, Trojan horses, and spyware.

Consequently, marketers began using the term “anti-malware” to differentiate their software’s capabilities from traditional anti-virus software. Today, even though antivirus software provides protection against a much broader range of threats, the name “antivirus” has persisted. This is partly due to historical reasons and partly because viruses remain a significant cybersecurity threat.

How Does Antivirus Software Work?

When antivirus software scans a file, email message, or web traffic, it compares the code against the vendor’s database of virus signatures. If a match is found, the antivirus app quarantines the file, blocks the website, and/or alerts the user.

Today, most antivirus software combines signature-based intrusion detection with other techniques like behavioral monitoring and heuristic analysis in a virtual sandbox environment to provide protection against a wider variety of cyberthreats.

Machine learning (ML) has significantly improved performance by decreasing the number of false positives and responding to previously unknown or emerging threats with greater accuracy and efficiency.

Types of Antivirus Software

Antivirus software applications can be categorized by their delivery method or by the types of threats they protect against.

Delivery method:

• Stand-alone antivirus apps are installed directly on the user’s device and perform most of the analysis locally.
• Integrated antivirus is built directly into a device’s operating system.
• Cloud-based antivirus subscriptions install a small agent program locally to monitor the device’s activity and send suspicious files to the cloud for analysis.
• Hybrid antivirus software balances local processing with cloud-based analysis for a more comprehensive and efficient approach to threat detection.

Types of threats:

• Traditional antivirus focused primarily on detecting and removing known viruses.
• Next-gen antivirus software offers broader protection against a wider range of threats.

5 Important Virus Detection Techniques

Virus signatures are still a reliable way to identify known computer threats, but to address a wider variety of threats in real-time, most antivirus applications today supplement signature-based strategies with these five other techniques:

Is It Still Necessary to Purchase Antivirus Software?

Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android operating systems each have built-in security features that provide a baseline level of antivirus protection. Windows has Defender Antivirus, and MacOS has XProtect and Gatekeeper. iOS and Android apps run in a sandboxed environment and have a strict app review process to prevent the spread of malware.

This is why there is a growing debate in the cybersecurity community about whether third-party antivirus software is still necessar for everyday users.

Ultimately, the decision to use supplementary antivirus software is a personal one. If you’re a casual user who practices safe browsing habits, the built-in security features of your OS might be sufficient. However, if you want extra protection, advanced features, or simply peace of mind, third-party antivirus can be a worthwhile investment.

Before downloading and installing a free antivirus program, it’s important to research the vendor’s reputation and make sure the antivirus software you select is compatible with your operating system’s built-in antivirus capabilities.

Independent organizations like AV-TEST and AV-Comparatives regularly test antivirus software and publish their results to help individuals and enterprises choose an antivirus program with a good detection rate.

Antivirus Software Benefits and Challenges

Antivirus software provides many benefits, but it doesn’t work in isolation. It’s important for users to support its use with other security measures, such as using strong passwords, keeping all software apps updated, and practicing safe browsing habits, to maximize the benefits of antivirus software and mitigate the challenges.

The Bottom Line

Antivirus software, by definition, is designed to detect and remove viruses that could harm a computer, cause disruptions, or steal data. Today, most operating systems include built-in antivirus protection by default, and most third-party offerings bundle antivirus capabilities with anti-malware features to address a wider variety of cyberthreats.

FAQs